A North Carolina man has been charged with several felonies after a thorough review of camera footage at a Target store in Greenville showed him pointing his phone camera up the skirts of several female customers.
Thomas Elliott, 21, followed the women around the store until he could position himself to film the inappropriate footage. However, one of the victims turned the tables on the peeper.
Audra Marie had noticed Elliott following her, so she had her phone camera ready when he attempted to film another female.
In a TikTok posted by the.self.defense.girl, the footage, filmed on Monday, April 15, shows Elliott crouching in the store’s book section and placing his cell phone under the dress of an unsuspecting lady, prompting Audra Marie into action.
What happened after that?
Audra Marie confronted Elliott, asking him what he was doing, telling him, “I just saw you put that underneath her dress.” Elliott denied the accusation, but Audra Marie stood firm, insisting she saw what happened and had the evidence recorded on her phone. As she approached him, it was clear Elliott knew he had been busted. He desperately attempted to wriggle his way out of the situation, insisting he was looking at the books on display, but his shaking leg and unconvincing denials said it all.
Throughout the video, the.self.defense.girl can be seen giving approving nods to Audra Marie’s approach to the situation. The footage then, rather satisfyingly, shows Elliott being led away by police. It’s confirmed that Elliott faces charges of five counts of secret peeping and was served the warrants on Thursday, April 18.
Following his initial arrest, Elliott was released after posting a $5,000 bond. However, he has been arrested again and booked into the Johnston County Detention Center under a $20,000 secured bond. The situation is particularly concerning because Elliott volunteers at Greenville Elementary School. A police review of his electronic devices hasn’t found any evidence of inappropriate contact with children.
Tom McClellan, Pitt County Schools Public Information Officer, provided the following statement following the incident:
“We are disturbed and deeply concerned by video footage of the individual that has been shared on social media and news outlets, and based on the footage, the individual will not be returning to our campuses as a volunteer or hired as an employee. Prior to being granted access to our campuses, volunteers and visitors are screened through Raptor, a program that determines if individuals are listed in sex offender databases. If any individual is flagged in Raptor, they are not granted access to our campuses.”
As the investigation continues, Target is said to be cooperating fully with law enforcement.
