Walgreens Bathroom Camera Recorded 20 Different Women: Cops

DES PLAINES, IL — Police are working to identify people recorded by a camera that was discovered in the women's bathroom of a north suburban pharmacy last week. The manager of the Des Plaines Walgreens first thought the device he saw sitting on the floor of the women's bathroom on Friday must be a cellphone someone had left behind. But when he took a closer look, he discovered someone had placed a camera inside what appeared to be a newly installed electrical outlet, according to police.

Placed about 18 inches off the floor and directly in front of a toilet, the small motion-activated camera had been stuck to the wall using an adhesive and Velcro. It was only because the camera had detached from the Velcro that an employee noticed the device and notified the manager.

Des Plaines Police Cmdr. Chris Mierzwa said investigators believe the camera was placed on Thursday night. He said the camera does not connect to the internet, but recorded images to an SD card, which police are reviewing.

About 20 women were recorded in the bathroom at the the 1858 E. Oakton St. location and investigators are currently working to identify them, according to Mierzwa. After being processed by evidence technicians, the recording device was sent to the Illinois State Police crime lab for more processing.

Walgreens customers were horrified by the news. Des Plaines resident Barbara O'Toole told WLS she uses that restroom regularly but now plans to avoid the store.

"This is the Walgreens I stop at on my way to work every - probably twice a week, when I run errands and so forth. It shocked me. I use the bathroom here constantly," O'Toole told the station she's concerned she may have been recorded. "I will take whatever steps are necessary. I will contact police."

A fraud examiner for a local spy store told WBBM that the device likely contains some evidence that investigators can use to find the culprit. Detectives may be able to find fingerprints on the device's memory card or the camera itself, which may even have captured a shot of the person who planted it.

"Because it’s motion-activated," said U-Spy Store & Pro Video Security's Perry Myers, "The minute you stick it on the wall, their hand may be captured, their clothing may be captured. If you get really lucky, the face is captured.”

Walgreens said it was cooperating with local authorities in the investigation. A spokesperson for the company declined to answer questions about how many other such devices have been found in other Walgreens locations in recent years.

Top photo: Fake power outlet hidden camera | Courtesy Viper Protection