Naked man wearing Ronald Reagan mask peeps through window, terrifies neighbourhood
Alabama reality TV star shocked to see nude, masked man in security footage from outside her home
Police are reportedly still searching today for a man who eschewed traditional New Year's Eve festivities this year in favour of crouching naked on an Alabama couple's porch.
Danielle Yancey of Vestavia Hills, Ala., explained to AL.com that her husband had taken out some trash around 11 p.m. local time on Dec. 31 when he saw a shadow in their home's breezeway.
After realizing an intruder was in his yard, Bart Yancey yelled at the person and tried to follow him while calling 911 from a mobile phone.
Neither he nor the police officers who responded to that call were able to find the trespasser once he'd fled.
Fortunately, the Yanceys were able to pull surveillance footage of the man in action from their home security system.
What they saw was unexpected, to say the least: a man wearing nothing but a rubber Ronald Reagan mask and one creatively-placed sock, peeping through their windows.
Danielle, who appears on the reality TV show Jersey Belle, uploaded a 47-second-long clip from the surveillance video to her Facebook fan page in an effort to warn others in her suburban neighbourhood.
"WARNING," she wrote. "This is the video of the Nude Boy coming into the back part of our house. He was wearing a mask and also a sock on his private part. Please be careful tonight, be aware of your surroundings and lock your doors!! Stay safe! I hope this does not happen to any of you."
While many who commented on Danielle's page expressed concerns over her safety and how "creepy" the incident seemed, jokes abounded as well.
"This is probably very inappropriate but... doesn't the cold cause shrinkage?" wrote one Facebook commenter, referencing Seinfeld. "Glad y'all are safe."
"Wow! Having a nice New Year's Eve in and it's a FULL moon at your house," wrote another. "So special! Movie with a view!"
Classic Reagan RT <a href="https://twitter.com/FOXLA">@FOXLA</a>: Naked man wearing Ronald Reagan mask caught peeping in windows <a href="https://t.co/2Hu0o9IIM7">https://t.co/2Hu0o9IIM7</a> <a href="https://t.co/yCmXOosR1X">pic.twitter.com/yCmXOosR1X</a>
—@iJesseWilliamsNew Meaning to "Trickle-Down" Economics! (eeuuw) Naked Man Wearing Ronald Reagan Mask Caught Peeping in Windows <a href="https://t.co/MQ9XSPAkkM">https://t.co/MQ9XSPAkkM</a>
—@tjbrolleyWho among us hasn't wanted to get naked wearing only a Ronald Reagan mask? <a href="https://t.co/PxzVzQmlIV">https://t.co/PxzVzQmlIV</a>
—@ClayTravis"I know a lot of people are laughing about it and, honestly, I got a chuckle from it later, but at the same time, it's very concerning,'' Danielle said to AL.com after her video went viral. "I don't know what he was planning on doing."
Some online suggested that the masked man had lost a bet, was carrying out a dare, or had been attending an out-of-control New Year's Eve party.
"He could have been messed up on drugs or alcohol, and in that mindset you don't what he would do to someone else," Danielle told AL.com. "I don't think he had a gun on him, but he could have potentially hurt us or we could have hurt him... Even if it was a prank, it could have become very scary and dangerous quickly."
The Vestavia Hills Police Department did confirm to AL.com that it had received another call at approximately 11 p.m. about a teenager streaking through the Yanceys' neighbourhood, and that the streaker was not located.
ABC11 in Raleigh, N.C. reported Monday that officials said they'd increased patrols in the area, and that their investigation is ongoing.