h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Glad to be of help, MoG EoU. It is nasty when home isn't sweet home.

I am trying to think of sticky smelly stuff for you... Can it be "recylced" too? *evil grin*

Photos through the glass might be possible, if you keep your camera lens pressed against the glass and fire off a shot or two.
You could practice at a friend's house with similar lighting and positioning condidtions so he doesn't know what you're up to until you've checked out whether it works or not, and how quickly you could fire off the first shot.

Or, if you did try the big-flashgun-in-the-face approach, you might disorient him sufficiently to give time for a more considered picture-taking.

Alternatively, do you know anyone you could borrow a mobile phone off, preferably with hands-free kit so you could keep the phone in your pocket. If you could get a friend primed to call the police on your behalf, all you'd need to do is surreptitiously call your friend (just set their number in advance and hit 'dial' at the appropriate time) quickly give them the word, and let them do the rest while you kept the creep occupied.

Write up a good and accurate description of this guy and what he's done and when.
Get it photocopied and post a copy through every door of the entire neighbourhood asking people to be on the lookout for the chap and to call you or the police should they see him.
Post the same notice on lamposts around the neighbourhood and ask the local pub landlords to put up a copy by the bar...maybe even contact the local press and ask them to do a write up on it too.
Pretty soon he won't be able to move without being confronted or reported - and he will soon leave you alone altogether...in fact, he might even leave town.

Hope this helps!
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If you are allowed to by your housing manager, there is some paint available that doesn't dry. What about a spot of redecoration? A trip wire loaded with tincans filled with anything that makes a noise, a strong loud whistle, an air klaxon horn. Smearing the outside window ledge with the contents of the cat tray, or if you can get it, try a little bit of gardening, all lawns benefit from some good organic fertilizer, not too well rotted, see you local dairy or poultry farmer. Apply as a top dressing. Couldn't you have some girl friends around to laugh at this sicko?

I do like the idea of flooding the area with photos of the guy.

Booby-traps are illegal, and a very bad idea besides.

I've always been fond of simple approaches in situations like this, since you're dealing with a very simple person. Invite a couple of male friends over, and when he shows himself, lure him closer to the window. Your friends sneak around behind him and beat the crap outta him. Have one steal his wallet, and you've got his name, address, phone number, etc. He would have a rather bad time trying to explain to the cops where his wallet went, so he's not going that way. And even if he did, you could always say you foiled a robbery attempt. It's the word of all of you against him. If you've already spoken to the police about this guy, he'll have no credibility left whatsoever.

And this is more legal than setting boobytraps?

You're within the law if you can convince them that he was up to no good, but it's hard to explain how a bear trap "accidentally" got set by your window.

I wouldn't advocate violence as we already know our perp to be odd - whats to say he isn't dangerous when cornered, or even armed?

Again, I'd go back to the "name and shame" tactics - make him the uncomfortable one. At least if it doesn't work no-one will get hurt or go to jail trying.

Peeping Toms are not just out some quick eye candy, SOME can start craving more (if you catch my drift) and can get violent. You, the other ladies he is watching, and any neighbors you can round up need to work together to ID this Tom and make his life a living hell. You can use cell or cordless phones to call someone else in the area (program the phone and when you see him get press the call button, don't say anything or even let Tom know your calling, tell the other that if the get a call with no one there that it could be you and to start calling the neighbors, the police and all the neighbors to surround the Tom and catch him. Once you have him brower his wallet to get his name, address, phone, employer, if he is married, kids.... get a picture of him and send it to everyone, local bars/pubs, his boss, his kids, his wife, parents, store fronts....

Pop down to your local gym.
Ask the Manager for help, could you borrow some hunky guys, etc. Let one of them "drop" by, either on their way to the gym or on the way back. Give them a cold drink, just make sure HE faces the window. Let the peeping Tom see HIM.
I can't imagine the perv would be back, and I am sure the lads would be pleased to help. Pervs like that give the rest of the male population a bad reputation.
No laws broken, wouldn't cost you anything, either....and you'd have some nice company

Why don't you have those windows installed that you can only see out of but not in? It would work during daylight and presumably you'd have the curtains closed at night.
Oh yeah, you have blinds......well just get rid of them and get curtains instead. With that and the special windows your problems are over.

Trust GB to think of hiring hunks

Peeping Tom problems are never really over until you can get a conviction.

You could go down the road of revenge, but in the long run I don't think that you'd be happy to have done that.

Really you do need to ID this guy. Easier said than done I know.

I'm afraid I have no idea which part of the world you are in, but in England there is such a thing as a restraining order, where if you have just reason you can legally prevent someone from coming within a certain distance of you.

This is probably the best route open to you. But you need to know who he is for this. I'd suggest getting a couple of large, but not intimidating, friends to hang around out of site for a couple of nights, and if he shows, follow him either to his car or his house. You really need to be careful as a case of mistaken identity can leave you in even worse trouble than you are in now.

Once you have found out for sure who he is, try getting a restraining order. If you get it, great. If not, at least he'll know that you're not fooling around. And if he does carry on, well there's always the revenge route. But I wouldn't suggest that.

As for things like flash guns? Well, if the guy ever happens to have any eyesight problems, you know you're in for a law suit.

When ever getting your own back, think whether or not you could be taken to court for it. Things like planing dead fish in their front garden's okay, so is planting catnip seeds in their rear garden. But do be careful.

Above all remember, the victim can be taken to court by the criminal.

Regarding flashguns, assuming the energy wasn't enough to heat his retinas to a damaging temperature (extremely unlikely for a normal flashgun), the only effect would be to temporarily bleach the pigments in his the light-sensing cells in the eye, which happens with exposure to daylight anyway.
With a flashgun, you can say you were just trying to take a picture of him. It'd be pretty much impossible for him to prove any long-term damage was down to any particular exposure to a flashgun. If he was particularly sensitive to light, he shouldn't be sticking his face up against someone's window.
Somehow, I can't see a jury taking his side if he did try to sue.
I suppose you might consider checking with the police first and see if they think he might get unpleasant if he thought his picture was being taken, or if there are legal implications.
If the guy is spoling your life, could you sue *him*, once he's identified.

If you can get one decent photo of the guy, make up a poster and post a copy on every telegraph pole/street light/shop window in your area - make his face known to everyone.

If a photo is out of the question, how about a photo-fit or police sketch?

I really hope you can resolve this. Good luck

as for the something nast outside the window...yeah...save the kitty litter....with some syrup on the top of it to make it stick to his shoes.....chewing gum will also do the trick...

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Hee Hee!

That's the attitude! GO GIRL!!!!

i like the idea where you make a sketch of him and put one up every where too