**Man Allegedly Breaks into UC Berkeley Sorority House, Lurks in Bedrooms and Showers**
In an alleged incident that unfolded over Halloween weekend, a real-life nightmare crept into a sorority house near UC Berkeley. Authorities say a man wearing a ski mask slipped through bedrooms and lurked in showers in the dead of night.
According to Berkeley Police Officer Byron White, one woman was jolted awake by a dark figure near her bed. Another woman was naked in the shower when the alleged peeping Tom preyed on her, police revealed. The terrifying events reportedly took place between approximately 3 a.m. and 6:35 a.m. on November 1—hours after much of the campus had been busy celebrating Halloween.
The man then left the scene of the break-in with stolen underwear and pizza, Officer White said.
### Arrest and Charges
Officers recently arrested 45-year-old Courtney Alford of Dublin in connection with the sorority house break-in, according to the Berkeley Police Department. During a search of his home, authorities found assault rifle parts, high-capacity ammunition magazines, and more than 900 rounds of ammunition.
On Thursday, Alford was charged with multiple offenses including burglary, peeking, invading privacy, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of ammunition by a felon, and trespassing, according to court records. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
### Criminal History
Alford has an extensive criminal history in Alameda County, with cases dating back to 1998. He was previously found guilty of burglary, grand theft, assault with a deadly weapon, making criminal threats, and evading a peace officer, among other charges.
Additionally, he pleaded not guilty to two counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14 filed against him in March 2024. That case remains open.
“He is someone that is known to the Berkeley Police Department well enough that an officer recognized him from one of the [surveillance photos],” Officer White stated.
### Incident Details
On November 1, Berkeley police responded to a call at a sorority house on the 2300 block of Warring Street regarding a man seen inside a women’s bedroom.
“This young lady was in her bed asleep, along with her three other roommates, and she woke up and there was this person inside her room,” said White. “It’s understandably shocking and scary.”
Security footage from the home showed the suspect walking both inside and outside the building. At one point, he returned in a new set of clothes and a ski mask, police noted.
Officer White mentioned there were at least three victims involved in the police investigation but emphasized that around 65 women live in the house, all of whom were likely affected by Alford’s alleged actions.
“Just the knowledge that somebody had been inside the home like that,” he said, “going into bedrooms, taking underwear, watching people shower, regardless if that was you or not, it does shake your sense of safety.”
### University Response
A UC Berkeley spokesperson confirmed the school was aware of the incident, which occurred at an off-campus sorority. The student affairs team is providing resources to the organization to support those affected.
### Law Enforcement Actions
Berkeley police used automatic license plate readers to track Alford’s car in the area before and after the burglary. They located and arrested him in Castro Valley on November 5.
He is currently being held at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on $275,000 bail and is due back in court on November 18.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-11-10/alleged-underwear-thief-breaks-into-sorority-watches-women-shower-police-say
