by Berkeley, California – A 45-year-old man with a long criminal history has been accused of breaking into a University of California, Berkeley sorority house, watching students shower, and stealing their underwear, authorities announced.
UC Berkeley Sorority Break-In and Voyeurism Incident
According to the Berkeley Police Department, Courtney Alford, 45, was arrested on Nov. 5 after officers identified him as the suspect who allegedly entered the Alpha Chi Omega sorority house during the early morning hours of Oct. 31.
Students reported seeing a middle-aged man sneaking around the residence between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m., with one student spotting him rifling through a roommate’s belongings. Another sorority member allegedly woke up to find him prowling near her bed, while another claimed she saw him spying on her while showering.
“He is someone that is known to the Berkeley Police Department well enough that an officer recognized him from one of the [surveillance photos],”
said Officer Byron White of the Berkeley Police Department in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.
Disturbing Behavior Caught on Camera
When police reviewed security footage from the house, they discovered multiple clips showing Alford walking inside and outside of the building until about 6:35 a.m.. In one sequence, he appeared to leave and return wearing a different outfit — this time with a ski mask covering his face.
The break-in occurred after many students had returned home from Halloween celebrations on the university’s Greek Row. Investigators said Alford also stole several pairs of underwear and even helped himself to slices of pizza before fleeing.
Arrest and Weapons Seizure
Police arrested Alford at his Castro Valley, California residence without incident. During the search, officers found a cache of weapons, including parts of an assault rifle, high-capacity ammunition magazines, and over 900 rounds of ammunition, authorities said.
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Long Criminal Record and Pending Charges
Court records show Alford has numerous prior convictions in Alameda County, including burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, grand theft, making criminal threats, and evading a peace officer.
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has charged him with 15 counts, including:
- Burglary
- Peeking and invading privacy
- Possession of a firearm by a felon
- Unlawful entry
Additional criminal enhancements were filed due to his lengthy record.
Alford is also facing a separate arraignment for an unrelated lewd act upon a child — scheduled for Nov. 18, just 30 minutes before a pretrial hearing in the sorority break-in case.
Bail and Custody Status
Alford is currently being held at Santa Rita Jail on a $275,000 bail as he awaits multiple court appearances later this month.
Authorities described the incident as both disturbing and invasive, emphasizing that Alford’s familiarity with police underscored a pattern of dangerous criminal behavior.
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