Updated: Police Catch Suspected Peeping Tom

Arlington police have caught a man suspected of multiple peeping Tom incidents and believe he may have more victims.

Michael Linwood Tomlin, 48, was arrested and charged Monday with trespassing and peeping, according to police.

Tomlin allegedly hid inside a stall in the women's restroom of a movie theater Sunday and was seen looking over the wall at a teenage girl. He ran away when the girl's father confronted him, according to police, but was apprehended the next day in the 4300 block of North Carlin Springs Road near Ballston Common Mall.

Police say Tomlin frequents the Ballston neighborhood.

The man has a history of similar criminal behavior and has served jail time for peeping convictions, according to police.

"He's got a long history of doing this in Arlington," police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck told Patch.

Tomlin was released from jail in May, and investigators believe him to be the suspect in a peeping incident that same month that occurred in the women's restroom in the Barnes & Noble in Clarendon. Police also suspect him to be the peeping Tom involved in an incident in the women's restroom in a restaurant at Ballston Common Mall in June.

Authorities obtained a felony warrant for the May incident, Commonwealth's Attorney Theo Stamos told Patch. In order for peeping to be a felony in Virginia, a person must have two more more convictions for incidents on different days within the past 10 years, she said.

Police are asking any potential additional victims to come forward.

"Based upon his history and his behavior since being released from jail, we have a strong belief that he is involved in other incidents," Sternbeck said. 

"…He physically doesn't touch these people, but he frequently hides out in women's bathrooms."

Investigators also distributed two booking photos of the man on Tuesday. In the most recent, he is clean-shaven. Sternbeck said Tomlin frequently has a beard, so police also distributed a past booking photo to show that.

Police hope that by distributing the photos, residents and business owners, particularly in the Ballston area, will be more likely to recognize Tomlin, Sternbeck said.

Investigators are asking anyone with information on Tomlin or any additional victims to call Detective Jamey Trainer at 703-228-4185 or email investigations@arlingtonva.us. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866-411-8477.

Tomlin lives with a friend in Arlington, police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said.

He is being held on a $5,000 secured bond at the Arlington County Detention Facility.