COLUMBIA, Pa. – Police in Lancaster County have identified the man they say was peeking inside a home on Walnut Street in Columbia.
The suspect is 48-year-old Mark Minnick from Columbia. According to court documents, he’s been charged for loitering and prowling at night in Lancaster County multiple times.
The owners of the home where police believe Minnick was peeking started noticing something strange with their back porch light months ago.
“When I went out to take the trash out, I noticed it wasn’t coming on,” Jonathan, who lives at the home, said. “Then it happened once, and I was like, ‘okay, maybe it’s kids doing a prank or something, ya know unscrewing bulbs,’ so then I just screwed it back in not thinking.”
At 11:30 on Wednesday night, the surveillance video showed a man walk up to their porch, unscrew the light bulb, and peek in the window. Eventually he noticed the camera. About 15 minutes later, he comes back with a towel covering his face. Police believe that man is Mark Minnick.
“I was a little choked up. Like I didn’t know exactly what to do, of course I made sure she was alright first,” Jonathan said.
Jonathan and his fiancé weren’t sure why their light bulb kept getting unscrewed. So they bought a fancy surveillance camera that sends them a notification any time there’s movement.
“Every little thing that pops up I’m looking at it. Doesn’t matter if it’s someone I know. If I see a person on there I’m looking,” Jonathan said.
The father of the woman who lives there came over last night to watch over the house.
“It just bothers me the most that times she may be here alone and someone creepy like this may be around,” Scott Bortner, said.
“I mean I shouldn’t feel unprotected in my own house. I shouldn’t have any fear of being in my own house in the first place,” Jonathan said.
Today marks Minnick’s fourth arrest. He sits in the Lancaster County prison tonight on $5,000 bail.