In Florida, the police department released a statement where they warned residents of a particular neighborhood to be vigilant as regards the advent of a new and horrifying trend that was being used by predators all over the country. This trend involved the use of hidden cameras. These cameras would be disguised as coat hangers, and they will be placed in bathrooms being used by women.
The sheriff’s department in Key West issued the warning to residents in May of 2016 as the department officially began investigations on hidden cameras being placed at inopportune places.
Detectives in Upper Keys are currently undergoing an investigation as regards three reports that involve people placing hidden cameras in women’s bathrooms.
One thing that all of these incidents have in common is the method of operation. In all of them, little hidden cameras are placed inn coat hooks. These cameras were found mounted on the walls inside these women restrooms. They were found on the 2thh of May at Anne’s Beach, at the Circle K Store located at the 99.8 mile marker of the U.S. One Highway on the 28th of May and today, we fund them in the women’s bathroom at Harry Harris Park in Tavernier.
The coat hooks that are mounted at all of these locations share striking similarities to the devices that have been made available for purchases on the Internet, and these devices are being sold by a wide array of companies as “home security devices”.
On noticing this, Detectives have put Monroe County Public Works as well as Islamorada Public Works on notice. They have also asked them to do a thorough sweep of all the bathrooms installed at the county and city facilities. Sheriff Rick Ramsay will like for everyone to know, so that all of us can also be on the lookout, thereby ensuring our safety and privacy.
Also, apart from just issue warnings, sheriff Ramsay provided instructions to residents as regards what they should do in the event that they see a coat hanger camera in a bathroom that they are looking to use.“It is important for anyone who has installed a public restroom on their property to have these restrooms checked thoroughly,” Ramsay said. “If you come across anything suspicious and you think that it can contain a hidden camera, please don’t touch it. Just give us a call immediately and we will be sure to respond promptly”
All of the devices that we have found so far look like ordinary white coat hooks with the camera put behind it with the use of a really tiny hole at the top portion of the cat hook to serve the camera’s lens. The videos are taken by motion detection cameras inside.
“However, keep in mind that these cameras are very small. This means that it is possible to mount them in various locations, and they can all be hidden inside a lot of everyday items,” the sheriff said.
Detectives have been assigned to handle the investigation.
News of the scam went viral pretty quickly, as many people expressed fear and anger towards the people who could come up with such a disturbing way to treat women.
“Really gross. What can be attractive about someone who is using the bathroom? That definitely needs to get locked up and treated mentally. Now, I’ll now to just hold it in as soon as I see a hook in the restroom,” said one reader on the Facebook page of the MSCO.