Docs: Man secretly took pictures of women at multiple Plainfield businesses

PLAINFIELD, Ind. — A Plainfield man has been accused of secretly taking photos of women at a couple local businesses over the last two months.

According to multiple affidavits, 35-year-old Michael Sykes took inappropriate photos of women at both Kohl’s, Ulta Beauty and Target in Plainfield. Local police are now emphasizing how, despite the man’s alleged crimes, the stores are still safe to go to this summer.

“It’s deeply disturbing,” said Plainfield Deputy Police Chief Joe Aldridge. “Anyone who would prey on anyone else, a child, a woman, or anyone innocent is disturbing.”

Police reported that they were dispatched to Kohl’s in Plainfield around 10 a.m. on June 10 after receiving a report about a man who was trying to take photos underneath women’s skirts at the store. Two officers responded to the scene, and one of them located the alleged suspect, who was later identified as Sykes.

Another officer met with store employees to gather information. Per court records, one of the employees provided video that showed Sykes pacing behind a woman, leaning forward, placing his phone directly underneath her skirt and then walking away “at a faster pace than your average walking speed.”

After observing the video, police confronted Sykes about his reason for being at the store that day. Sykes reportedly told them that he was “taking pictures of price tags.”

Police then showed Sykes the security video the Kohl’s employees had provided. Sykes then said he has a sex addiction that he is in therapy for.

At the end of the Kohl’s incident, Sykes was charged with one count of voyeurism, which is a Class A Misdemeanor.

“Obviously, we don’t want these types of people in society creating this kind of havoc for our shoppers and victimizing people,” Aldridge said. “This is important for everyone if you see something to step up and say something.”

Nine days after the Kohl’s incident, police were called to the Plainfield Target on a report of a person taking inappropriate photos of guests in the store.

When they arrived at the scene, investigators met with a store employee who claimed to have recognized Sykes because he had heard about the incident at Kohl’s.

Court documents indicate the employee proceeded to show police video that appeared to depict Sykes lingering near a woman in the women’s swimwear section at Target. When a few other shoppers walked by Sykes, he left swimwear aisle.

After the other shoppers cleared out, however, he returned to the area. Per court records, video then showed Sykes walking at a fast pace, getting behind the same woman he had been near earlier and taking a photo underneath her skirt.

After taking the first photo, Sykes continued to pretend to shop just steps away from the woman. Then, following a brief pause, he quickly walked up behind the woman and snapped a second photo underneath her skirt.

According to court documents, Sykes then tried to initiate conversation with the woman. She placed her shopping cart between herself and Sykes, appearing to try to end the conversation.

As the woman tried to walk away, Sykes then put his hand on the middle of her back. Eventually, Sykes walked away from the woman and their conversation ceased.

Police reported that they spoke with the woman after the incident. During her conversation with police, she indicated that she recognized Sykes from a previous encounter she had with him at a Kohl’s.

After the incident at Target, another preliminary voyeurism charge was added to Sykes’ ledger.

On May 28, police received a written report from a woman who claimed a man tried to take photos underneath her skirt at an Ulta Beauty. The woman claimed the man spoke with her multiple times across a few days at the Ulta Beauty.

According to court records, the woman claimed that, during one of her interactions with the man at Ulta Beauty, he whispered, “I’m trying so hard not to say this to you right now … but I can’t,” in her ear.

The woman also provided police with a description of the man. When officials made contact with Sykes at the Plainfield Kohl’s on June 10, they noticed he matched the description of the Ulta Beauty suspect.

Police then reviewed footage captured by security cameras during the alleged incidents at Ulta Beauty in May. Investigators cross-examined the video from Ulta Beauty and the footage from Kohl’s. After their examination, police concluded that Sykes was the suspect in both the Kohl’s and Ulta Beauty incidents.

According to police records, Sykes was charged with another count of voyeurism when police determined he was involved in the Ulta Beauty incidents.

In total, Sykes faces three Class A Misdemeanor charges for voyeurism. The maximum penalty for a Class A Misdemeanor in Indiana is one-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $10,000.

This is not the first time Sykes is accused of spying on women. Court documents show that in 2021 and 2022 he was charged in voyeurism cases brought forth by two women in Texas.

This is still an ongoing investigation. Plainfield police want to remind shoppers that the community is still very safe, and this case is an isolated incident.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Plainfield police Tip line at (317) 754 5200. If someone believes they may have had an encounter with Sykes, they can email Detective Jason Calloway at CallowayJ@plainfieldpd.org .

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