FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (WXYZ) — A suspected serial prowler has been arrested in Farmington Hills, accused of walking neighborhoods at night peering into people's homes.
According to police, this isn’t the first time this suspect has done this and it may also have happened in other Oakland County communities.
“He leaned right up to the window and he was peering into the house,” Dennis Firment of Farmington Hills said.
Last week, Firment woke up to a notification on his phone from his home security system. When he opened the app he saw the video showing a stranger had visited his back porch the night before, looking into his home in the middle of the night.
"I didn't know what his intent was," Firment said. "I didn't know if he wanted to steal something, I didn't know if he was after my family, I had no idea. So that’s extremely alarming. I've never had that happen in my life.”
Firment notified police who had at least four incidents connected to the same person in the last month. They also say similar reports throughout Oakland County could be the same man.
“He does match not only the physical description but the MO of similar incidents that occurred in those jurisdictions,” Farmington Hills Chief of Police Jeff King said.
Over the weekend, police used a drone to find the man who's been identified as 56-year-old Kenton Driscoll. He had been living in a nearby wooded area and was arrested. Police say this wasn’t the first time he was arrested for prowling in Farmington Hills.
“My reaction was, 'What is this guy still doing out there? Didn’t they catch him a while ago,'” Farmington Hills resident Emily Taucher wondered.
Last year, Taucher and her Farmington Hills neighborhood, located just about a mile away from Firment's neighborhood, had also been dealing with a prowler.
"Everybody knew about him. There were reports of him being caught lurking around in peoples backyards. A lot of the ring doorbells and outdoor cameras were catching him,” Taucher said. "One of our neighbors started mapping where he was seen and what time. It was a pretty big deal.”
Video from one neighbor shows a man who fits Driscoll's description peering in a window. One day, Taucher found the man hiding in her garage.
“It is scary, it’s terrifying," Taucher said. "My poor son he was, he was just terrified.”
Driscoll was eventually arrested in Farmington Hills in 2021 for prowling. He was also arrested in 2019 for prowling in Royal Oak and Birmingham.
Despite having a bond currently set at just over $5,000, Farmington Hills police say he likely won't be back out on the prowl again soon.
"We don't believe that’s going to happen at this point," King said of Driscoll bonding out. "We work very close with our district courts to ensure the safety of our community.”
“Whether he needs some mental help or whatever it is, I hope he gets the help he needs,” Taucher said.
The investigation is ongoing, including in other jurisdictions. If anyone else in the area has information about Driscoll or similar reports in their neighborhood, make sure to contact local police.
