The University of Texas and Austin Police Departments have increased patrols in West Campus after a man was arrested and then released twice for peering into windows on Aug. 17 and Sept. 8.<\/p>\n
The Austin Police Department first received five reports of a man, later identified as Colton Banks, looking into windows and trying to contact residents near San Gabriel Street, 21st Street and 23rd Street on Aug. 6, according to a UTPD safety advisory<\/a>.<\/p>\n On Aug. 17, APD received a report of a naked man behind a building. A witness reported seeing the man looking through windows, Patrick Stewart, APD Sex Crimes Sergeant, wrote in an email. Banks was \u201cdetained at the scene\u201d and later admitted to peering through a resident\u2019s window. Banks was charged with disorderly conduct and a Class A misdemeanor for possession of trazodone, a prescription depression medication, Stewart wrote. Class A misdemeanors are the most serious level of misdemeanors in the State of Texas.<\/p>\n Banks was released on a personal recognizance bond, which allows a defendant to leave jail without paying bail if they promise to return for their court date, Kristen Dark, a senior public information officer for the Travis County Sheriff, wrote in a statement.<\/p>\n A few weeks later, APD, with assistance from UTPD, again arrested Banks for looking into windows on the 2200 block of San Gabriel Street in West Campus, according to an X post<\/a> from UTPD. Banks was charged with two Class C misdemeanors for window peeping, Stewart wrote. He was released the afternoon of Sept. 9, a day after his arrest, according to UTPD<\/a>.<\/p>\n After his second arrest, Banks was ordered to stay away from two addresses on the 1900 block of San Gabriel Street.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you see someone lingering near a window or on private property without a lawful reason, do not confront them,\u201d Stewart wrote. \u201cCall police and provide as much information as possible about the person, their location and direction of travel. Reporting each incident helps officers document patterns and investigate potential offenses. Call 911 if you see someone actively looking into a window or unlawfully on your property.\u201d<\/p>\n