Man, 38, Arrested For Allegedly Placing Cellphone Camera In Lancaster Starbucks Ladies Restroom
LANCASTER (CBSLA.com) — Authorities have announced the arrest of a man who allegedly placed a cellphone camera inside the ladies room of a Starbucks in Lancaster.
A cellphone was discovered hidden in a women's restroom at the Starbucks in the 800 block of West Avenue K on July 9.
The cellphone was placed in a way to record patrons using the facilities. The Lancaster Sheriff's Station was immediately notified.
The cellphone was found by a mother and her child while they were using the restroom. The child found the cellphone taped to the sink's pipe lining.
On Thursday, Lancaster Sheriff Station detectives in tandem with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Fraud and Cyber Crimes Bureau, were able to retrieve a photo of a suspect from the recovered phone and were able to identify the suspect.
Later that same day, Lancaster Station detectives arrested Antonio Serrano, 38, for videotaping in a restroom without consent. He is described as a transient in the Lancaster area.
The detectives said Serrano was in possession of a government document with a false ID, additional cellphones and SIM cards.
Serrano is being held in lieu of $20,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in Antelope Valley Superior Court on Monday.
Authorities believe there are numerous victims and additional locations in the Lancaster and Los Angeles areas, due to the fact that the suspect had additional cellphones and SIM cards in his possession.
The suspect told detectives he has been videotaping unsuspecting women and children for a couple of months. Detectives confirmed this information, upon reviewing the videos and images recovered from the cellphones and SIM cards.
Lancaster Station detectives are asking for the public's help in locating additional victims, in particular women who used the Starbucks restroom from the time period of June 2015 to July 9.
If you believe you are a victim and/or have information about this incident you are asked to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Lancaster Station at (661) 948-8466.
