A 44-year-old La Habra man was booked on suspicion of planting a spy video camera in a Starbucks bathroom in Brea, a police lieutenant said Tuesday.
Melcher Carrilloalvarado walked into the Brea Police station about 8:30 p.m. Monday to ask why the department had issued photos of him to the news media seeking him out as a person of interest in connection with the spy camera, Brea police Lt. Darrin Devereux said.
Carrilloalvarado at first denied any involvement with the planting of the device in the unisex bathroom in the Starbucks at 101 W. Imperial Highway, but, “later he admitted to investigators he placed the camera in the restroom,” the lieutenant said.
With the suspect’s consent, police went to his home and seized several computers that they will check for evidence, Devereux said.
Carrilloalvarado was booked and then issued a notice to appear in court since he is accused of misdemeanors, the lieutenant said.
So far, police have identified seven victims, all of whom are adult women, Devereux said.
The device is about four inches long, about the size of a magic marker pen, the lieutenant said.
A female customer found the camera about 11 p.m. Friday, Devereux said.
“It was hidden behind a bracket,” Devereux said. The customer pulled the device out and called police.
Police confirmed the object was a camera.
“We could see video of men and women using the bathroom,” Devereux said.
It was not known how long the camera was in the bathroom.
Anyone with more information was asked to contact Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS or occrimestoppers.org.
—City News Service