Peephole Covers and Safety

Peephole Security & Tampering

Peephole security and tampering is not new. It has always been there, but now it is finally catching our attention. The following articles show that this is not a new problem or only a hotel problem. It’s our problem, at home, at school, and while traveling. Additional news articles can be found on our Peephole News page.

Peephole Criminal Apartment Thefts
Boston, MA 2012
Police say he was a professional criminal, getting away with upwards of two hundred burglaries, and accumulating more than a million dollars in stolen jewelry, purses, rugs, artwork and other high end items….They say he targeted the apartments he allegedly broke into by checking the mail room for stacks of mail – assuming the residents were on vacation; watching for when people left for the gym or work; and poking out peep holes to get a better view of whether anyone was home and what the apartment had to offer in terms of valuables. Read More… 

Serial Rapist Used Reverse Peephole Viewer to Stalk Victims
Springfield, MO 2010

McGhee terrorized women while working as a prison guard at the Ozark Correctional Center. He facilitated his crimes by removing or reversing peepholes on doors of hotel rooms and apartments. Authorities were able to link him to five rapes committed between 2000 and 2008. Read More…

 

Peephole Burglar Arrested
Buckhead, GA 2013

Epps was honored for arresting a suspect accused of burglarizing and robbing several residents. In April through June, Zone 2, which includes all of Buckhead, had several burglaries with a unique pattern. All occurred in apartment complexes and all had the door’s peepholes removed. Read More…

 

Inspect Your Peephole

Although hotels are becoming more proactive, problems still persist. Some people still think it’s funny to reverse the hotel room peephole as they check out. Guests are smearing toothpaste and Vaseline into the peephole to block illegal viewing. This may stop voyeurs but it also prevents you from knowing who is at the door which puts your safety in jeopardy. Unless the hotel staff is diligent and checks each peephole between guests it is up to you to inspect the peephole to ensure your safety.

As soon as you get to your room inspect the peephole from both sides. Do they have SecureAview peephole covers installed? Is the peephole loose? Is it installed backwards? Are there gouges on the outside which could indicate tampering. Is the view clear? If you notice any problems ask for another room or another hotel. Never open the door without knowing who it is. If you are unsure, call the front desk for their assistance.

Replace Your Peephole

Peepholes come in two parts which screw together from each side of the door. The part on the inside of the door has two notches. Place a large screw driver into the notches and unscrew this part while holding the outside part still. Unscrew all of the way and remove each part from the door. Measure the diameter of the hole and purchase a peephole of the same diameter. For the fullest view, purchase a peephole with at least 180 degree view. The new peephole screws together like the one you removed. .