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Subscribe to RSSA maintenance worker is accused of installing cameras in bathrooms and fitting areas. John Cadiz Klemack reports.
A maintenance worker was arrested after he allegedly hid cameras in a North Hollywood Sears store's fitting rooms and bathrooms so that he could record video of unsuspecting women, authorities said.
“We don’t know if our face has been on it, just body parts, we don’t know anything about it, all we know is he had us on film,” said Crystal Dean, one of three employees now looking to sue Sears.
See video, read the original story at NBCLosAngeles.com
Those employees claim that Sears knowingly allowed the video recording to happen for up to four months before telling workers or police.
"I felt really hurt that nothing has, nothing was told to us more," Dean said.
Sears corporate office in Illinois responded with this statement to NBC4: "If we were to learn that others were involved in this incident or knew of it and failed to report it, we will take disciplinary action."
Alejandro Gamiz, 27, was arrested on April 12 at 6:30 p.m. Police said that Gamiz had allegedly placed hidden cameras behind the walls of the store located at 12121 Victory Boulevard.
He was booked on suspicion of burglary for the surreptitious filming of unsuspecting women into the Los Angeles County Jail and released after posting $20,000 bail. He has a court date set for May 11.
It's not clear how long the video cameras were installed.
Police said that they seized evidence from the department store security personnel and that Gamiz was cooperating with detectives.
“We work very hard to provide the safe environment and have been for over 125 years with Sears stores, so I think we're very proactive in going out to our other stores immediately and making sure there wasn't any equipment in any other stores like this," said Sears spokesman Mark Adamson.
The Sears workers' lawyer, Michael Alder, has set up a website -- www.SearsPeepingTom.com -- for any other Sears employees who may want to sue Sears.
Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact North Hollywood Division detectives Martin Pinner or Karen Crawford at (818) 623-4090 or (818) 623-4045.
A Sears representative, Kim Freely, may be contacted at 847-286-6093. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477).
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This is ridiculous. The internet is awash with Porn and this idiot has to put cams in a dressing room... He should be charged with being Stupid.
He was arrested for burglary for installing cameras in women bathrooms? Charge him for what he is, a pervert. If the camera was installed in the women's bathroom to catch thieves, then that is the company's fault and they should pay through the nose for invading the women's privacy. No cameras should be allowed in the dressing rooms or bathrooms where our privates are shown- we should still the right to privacy@@@@@@@@@@of our privates.
sad that several want to sue Sears. Opportunist at it's best. They vent their anger at Sears instead of the pervert- because Sears has money and the pervert does not. Is not Sears a victim also?
He needs to be punished. The employees need to get over it. Their only real harm is done to themselves by themselves. Move on.
The employees want to sue Sears because they allegedly allowed the practice:
So the person placing the cameras gets punished, as does the management for allowing it to happen (if that's the way it went down). I don't see how Sears is a direct victim unless you count the PR hit, and it's going to be a lot worse if it comes out that management was complicit. Anger towards both parties is entirely appropriate.
Finally, I don't know how the employees getting filmed caused this to happen, but I'd love to hear your explanation.
think witchyour head cuz why in gods name would they want this its always gonna come out eventually and thers nuthin for them in it. what does this sumbitch copy his tapes an send them to sears????!!??!? is that wat you think its a big management conspiricy to spy on minimum wage staff cuz there just evil?? just bulls**t opportunism by weakminded types, yehno, me im on the minmum wage i got 2 jobs as dishwasher an as shelvestacker that dont stop me from bein honest an hardworkin why cant they
Yeh ask me tyme to thin the flock fire they asses for disloyalty
Wait, they said that they dealt with it at some of their other 125 store, NOT at the one where there was a problem. Why? Are these employees less valuable in some way? Or is the store manager making a profit off of it, too?
It says they have been around for 125 years, not that they went to 125 stores. It also says they imediately went out to make sure the other stores did not have the anything like this happening, not that they previously checked all the other stores, but not this one. Be careful not to twist words around to make a story more than it is.
“We work very hard to provide the safe environment and have been for over 125 years with Sears stores, so I think we're very proactive in going out to our other stores immediately and making sure there wasn't any equipment in any other stores like this," said Sears spokesman Mark Adamson.
damn moron. profit hahahahahaha ooooooooo big banks big bisness big oil big tobacco oooooooo maybe yeh need to watchyeself someo that twilight or true blood s**t for your vampires you lookin for
They should bring his ass to me and let me administer justice to this creep of the creation! I hope they nail his ass to the bottom of a cold, dry, cell somewhere far away. Thanks for your time and consideration. Your friend usually always respectfully but this kind of crap pisses me off. Hank
I am an avid privacy invader hater.
Is this really news?
Sounds like the maintenance worker was underemployed.
How are they figuring that Sears knowingly allowed this? The burden of proof is going to be tough on that!
So why is it being limited to employees? The article states that cameras were installed in fitting rooms: not somewhere you would most likely find an employee during their job hours. And bathrooms, they, too, are not limited to employees only. So where are all the unsuspecting CUSTOMERS of Sears, and where do THEY file a complaint?
Exactly. Of course no cameras in the men's room. Somehow only women seem to need to be watched.
Came across this--looks like customers (and I guess sears employees?) who the peeping Tom perp took video or pics of can contact a lawyer here Kinda sucks that Sears may have known about it, but guess we'll have to see what happens next.
To paraphrase a Sears slogan:
"Come see the softer (porn) side of Sears."
Just came across a story on this at lawyersandsettlements website and they don't mention anything about this only being for sears employees-- think regular customers can contact a lawyer there about it--at least looks it; kinda sucks if sears did know about this whole mess, but guess we'll see; at least the peeping tom perp got snagged and that oughta stop any other idiots out there in sears stores (at least let's hope)