Wisconsin Man's Shoe Camera, Bought For 'Upskirt' Video, Explodes

MADISON, WI — A Wisconsin man who bought a shoe camera with the dubious intention of taking so-called "upskirt" videos of women is avoiding charges because the device exploded on his foot before he could record. The 32-year-old man, who was not identified, told police Tuesday he wanted to turned himself into police, Madison Police Chief Mike Koval wrote in his daily blog.

The man told police he purchased the device to surreptitiously shoot video to see up women's skirts and dresses, police said. But the camera battery exploded and injured the man's foot.

In November 2015, Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill into law that outlaws such videos. Offenders who use a camera, cellphone or any other device to do so could face felony charges and received up to 3 1/2 years combined of prison and supervised release.

But in this case, as Koval put it, "no illicit video had been taken." The man received counseling on his actions and was released. An investigation remains ongoing.

Officer David Dexheimer told The Wisconsin State Journal that the man told a clergyman what had happened, and that he turned himself in based on the clergyman's advice.

"When the explosion happened, he got treatment for minor burns, then disclosed what happened to his mentor, a clergyman," Dexheimer said.

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