Man accused of peeping into homes in Tempe to watch, record women

A man accused of targeting Tempe women in a voyeurism scheme has been arrested, the Tempe Police Department announced Wednesday.

Michael DiBenedetto, 51, is accused of secretly watching or recording women inside their homes, police said.

He was arrested Sunday on two counts of burglary and two counts of voyeurism.

Peeping tom investigation started after woman reported shower voyeur

The investigation began after a Tempe resident reported seeing a man outside her bathroom window while she was showering on June 18.

She gave investigators home surveillance video showing a suspect driving an SUV into the area, walking through an alley and climbing a fence into her backyard. Additional surveillance video captured the same vehicle in the area on two other occasions.

Detectives linked the SUV to DiBenedetto and used court-authorized records and other tools to confirm he was in the area during the incidents.

After identifying him as a suspect, detectives on the department’s Criminal Apprehension and Surveillance Team began tracking his movements. On the evening of June 28, they saw him enter the backyard of a home near Parkway Boulevard.

Police said he removed his pants and “engaged in lewd conduct” while looking into a room where a woman was undressing. He was taken into custody without incident.

After voyeurism arrest, Tempe PD urges public to be vigilant

Tempe Police Chief Ken McCoy urged the public to remain vigilant.

“Being watched or recorded without your knowledge is a profound invasion of privacy,” McCoy said in the announcement. “We encourage anyone with similar experiences or information related to this case to contact investigators.”

Precautions residents can take include reporting any suspicious activity, securing doors and windows and using motion-activated lighting.

Investigators believe there may be other victims. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Tempe Police Department at 480-350-8311. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS (948-6377) or 480-TESTIGO (837-8446) for Spanish.

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