Suspected UCLA Peeping Tom Arrested in Santa Monica

A string of “peeping tom” incidents at UCLA and surrounding apartments in Westwood may have ended with the arrest of a 47-year-old man by UCLA police in Santa Monica, it was reported today.

University police officers arrested Christopher Mendicino Friday morning, after he asked an acquaintance to store his belongings and buy him an Amtrak ticket to Santa Barbara under a false name, the Daily Bruin reported.

Police officials told the newspaper that Mendicino may match the description of about eight peeping suspects in Westwood since March, including five on Kelton Avenue.

Three of the eight incidents took place since he was last arrested in May on a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct after peeking into an inhabited building. After he did not show up for his arraignment, police released a wanted poster in July, the newspaper reported.

Campus police had also arrested Mendicino in 2007 for probable cause burglary after officers saw him peering into an apartment on Ophir Drive and trying to open the door, university police Lt. Mark Littlestone told the Daily Bruin.

Littlestone told the newspaper that UCLA officer staked out a Santa Monica home near the corner of Rochester and Saltair avenues where they arrested Mendicino just after 6 a.m, Friday.

Mendicino was held at the Inmate Reception Center in Los Angeles in lieu of $30,000 bail. He was scheduled to appear in court Aug. 4 at the Los Angeles Superior Court Airport Courthouse.

--City News Service