Milton Police Looking For Man Who Took Upskirt Photos At Walmart

MILTON, GA -- Milton Police are looking for a man they say used his phone to take upskirt photos of a woman in Walmart off Windward Parkway.

The AJC and Channel 2 Action News report a woman was shopping with her daughter at the store at 5200 Windward Parkway when an unknown man put his cellphone inside a shopping basket, and slid the basket underneath her dress, surveillance footage shows. Footage shows this happening multiple times.

The TV station reported that store employees called police after witnessing the “upskirting” incident, but the man left before officers arrived.

“He actually kind of scopes out what he’s looking for, sets himself up and then spends an inordinate amount of time trying to capture this video footage,” Milton Police Capt. Charles Barstow said to the AJC. “It’s illegal, first of all. But second of all, it’s an invasion of privacy when people are out in public just minding their own business and shopping. People should feel free and safe to go out and handle their business.”

The woman did not want to press charges, but police decided to pursue the case after seeing the footage, Channel 2 reported. Milton Police are asking for any information if anyone recognizes the man.

This is the second time this month an "upskirting" event has happened in Milton.

Tyler Joshua Richins, of Alpharetta, was arrested April 23 for a felony charge of use or installation of device to film underneath or through an individual's clothing on April 18, according to records from the Fulton County Sheriff's Office.

Milton Police arrested Richins after he was caught taking photos up the skirts of customers at the Windward Parkway Chick-fil-A where he used to work.

A witness told Milton police they saw Richins pretend to drop napkins on the floor as an excuse to take his phone out underneath a customer's skirt, Channel 2 Action News reported.

"The employee was up near the front counter while the victim was waiting to get her order," Barstow said to the AJC. "He bent down to pick up what looked like some paper napkins, and then (the witness) observed him take his phone and slide it underneath the woman's skirt."

The AJC said the witness told the woman what happened, so confronted Richins, Channel 2 reported.

"I think it's excellent that we have people like that in our community, who are not only aware of what's going on, and seeing things that look suspicious, but willing to stand up and talk to the police and give us the information we need to prosecute these cases," Barstow told Channel 2.
Georgia banned "upskirting" in 2017, the paper reported.

"The safety of guests is our top priority, and we take this incident very seriously," the Windward Chick-fil-A franchise owner said in a release to media outlets. "Upon hearing of the situation, we immediately investigated. The individual at issue is no longer employed at my restaurant."

Last May, a similar incident occurred at the Windward Walmart when James Barron, 28, used a smartphone to snap a photo up the skirt of a female shopper at Walmart. He was charged with felony surreptitious recording of intimate parts, the Police Department said.