Police: Naked peeper arrested

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KTVU) - San Jose Police arrested a 60-year-old man, who was seen on surveillance video, lurking outside homes in the nude in the Evergreen neighborhood in the middle of the night. The suspect is identified as Mark Veregge of Mendocino. He’s accused of three incidents in the past three weeks.

Detectives from San Jose Police’s Sexual Assault Unit spent Thursday night interviewing him. He’s been booked him for several counts of peeping and prowling. 

Residents on Meadowlands in San Jose knew it would only be a matter of time police would the suspect. He’s captured on home surveillance video, completely naked. He’s stepping out from the bushes, walking up to front door with a cigarette in hand. He walks up the steps, peers into a window and then runs off. He’s there for 30 seconds which was enough to rattle the quiet Evergreen neighborhood.

“A lot of anxiety around because someone has a lot of nerve to do something like that to come right up to your house late at night it's frightening,” said Neighbor Dora. 

Police said this wasn't his first act of indecent exposure. He’s accused on three separate occasions between February 15 and March 5 of peeping and prowling. In one incident, he's seen wearing a dress before exposing himself.

“It’s kind of disturbing to have a naked guy prowling around your neighborhood,” said Neighbor Mark Rubino. 

Neighbors blasted the suspect's picture and his Honda Odyssey van on Nextdoor and Facebook. Two days later, police took Veregge into custody.

“It shows it's good to know your neighbors, to have the support, to have the community come together,” said Dora. 

A quick search online shows Veregge was a lecturer at Stanford's Department of Music and a principal percussionist with the California Symphony. 

“I’m glad they caught him and thankfully didn't do any harm to anybody,” said Rubino. 

It’s not clear why he targeted the homes he did. The homeowners didn't recognize him. His bail is set at $50,000.