Geelong night stalker: Rippleside residents conduct night patrols in response to brazen prowler

A group of Geelong residents in fear of a prowler targeting their streets have started surveillance-style night patrols as a menacing sense of uneasiness grips a small bayside suburb.

A group of Geelong residents in fear of a prowler targeting their homes have begun conducting their own night patrols in an effort to help catch the disturbing alleged offender.

The Rippleside community is on edge after a man was again seen loitering inside a home on Wednesday morning in just one of a series of alleged offences in the north Geelong suburb.

Victoria Police released images of the man in the hope someone could identify him, and said on Thursday the alarming case was “one of our priorities”.

Victoria Police released images of the man earlier this week in the hope someone may be able to identify him.

He is believed to be caucasian, about 30-40-years-old, thin build and about 180cm tall.

He has been captured on several CCTV cameras wearing the same chilling disguise – a black surgical mask, black gloves, wide brimmed hat, dark hoodie and tracksuit.

Rippleside homeowner Michael Marmora said there was a menacing sense of uneasiness gripping the small bayside suburb.

“To be frank I’ve been waking up every night at around 2.30am to noises and thinking, Jesus is this it for us?” he said.

Security footage at a Bell Post Hill home captures a man allegedly attempting to gain access to their home.

“For last five or six nights I’ve been waking at that time and going back to sleep at 4am, so subconsciously it is very concerning for us.

“This is the reality of what we are dealing with at the moment.”

The man has also allegedly targeted homes in Bell Post Hill, Bell Park and Highton, but takes nothing.

Mr Marmora said there were a group of locals considering staying up “between the hours of 2am and 4am” hoping to spot the brazen alleged offender and alerting the police.

A man allegedly attempts to enter a Rippleside property in the early hours of Wednesday morning, February 15.

“He needs to be stopped before it does escalate any further, as it has been,” he said.

“It’s clear that he has no regard for authority or no regard for being caught.

“It’s blatantly obvious that he is not worried about that, and that is a concerning element as well.

“He doesn’t have a goal and a mission that is known to us, and he has had access to some of these properties but his actions are unknown.”

It is understood some locals conducted a night patrol on Wednesday night.

One resident said he was driving around trying to find the offender and was pulled over by the police officers.

Geelong Crime Investigation Unit Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Guthrie said police had ramped up patrols in the Rippleside area in a bid to locate the man.

He strongly discouraged residents from conducting their own night patrols.

“Don’t roam the streets, let us do what we have to do,” Sergeant Guthrie said.

“It’s one of our priorities, we are looking into it and doing everything we can to identify this man.

“If you hear anything, please contact triple-0 straight away.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

Originally published as Geelong night stalker: Rippleside residents conduct night patrols in response to brazen prowler