The woman installed the trail camera to monitor raccoons on her roof deck, but it recorded a masked individual on the roofs of connected row homes in the early hours of Saturday. According to Daily Mail - Home, the anonymous neighbor described the figure as poking around on her porch, assessing items and possibly testing her window, calling it a violating experience. Neighbors said the prowler accessed the roofs via a broken alleyway gate near an abandoned house.
Bill Fitch, a neighbor, witnessed the masked figure in person that same evening. According to Daily Mail - Home, Fitch described seeing the individual with a ski mask and flashlight, appearing to check windows as if trying to gain entry. He called 911, but the masked man had vanished before police arrived.
It's very violating. I definitely don't recognize the guy. Don't know what he was doing up there. He was poking around. It looked like he might have been checking the window or something.
Residents in the area are urging the city to repair the broken gate, which they allege facilitated the trespasser's access to their roofs. Installing gates in city alleyways is an illegal but common practice in Philadelphia, adding complexity to the situation. The anonymous neighbor who captured the footage has since placed a 'No Trespassers' sign on her roof.
Under Pennsylvania law, trespassing involves entering private property without permission, including homes, yards, and roofs, and can result in fines up to $25,000, according to the High Schwartz Law Firm. The Philadelphia Police are still investigating the incident, and the subject has not been identified. According to Daily Mail - Home, Fitch expressed fears of a return, describing increased paranoia and security measures like locking doors.