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Isaac AsheEast Midlands
SuppliedA woman has said she felt “violated” after finding a live-streaming camera hidden inside a toilet she had been using while on a date at a restaurant.
The 32-year-old mother-of-one was on a date night with her partner at Thai restaurant Giggling Squid in St Martin’s Square, Leicester, between Christmas and new year when she made the discovery and alerted staff.
Leicestershire Police was notified and carried out an investigation, but no arrests have yet been made by the force.
The victim told the BBC: “It makes me feel sick – I’ve tried to disassociate myself from it but whoever has done that has won, they have that of me now.”
The NHS worker had visited the restaurant on 30 December for a meal when, after eating, she needed to use the bathroom.
But after using a toilet inside a cubicle, she realised there was a black camera – with kitchen roll wrapped around it – under the toilet seat with a black lens visible. The camera was later found to be connected to the internet.
She said: “I turned around and I looked down and I saw this black round dot – it was a bit out of place because the toilet’s white.
“It was just there, a small camera, some wires coming off of it, and then a battery pack with kitchen roll over it, and my stomach just sank.
“The thought of someone watching, especially in such a private area, scared me. It’s a really uncomfortable thing to think about, that somebody’s got that now.
“There must have been so many people visiting that toilet.”
Leicestershire Police said it was notified the following day about the webcam at the restaurant chain.
A spokesperson said: “Officers attended and the device was recovered for examination.
“Further inquiries were carried out regarding CCTV in the restaurant and staff were spoken to in order to try and identify the person responsible.
“Advice has also been given to staff about remaining vigilant.”
A spokesperson for Giggling Restaurants, the company that runs the restaurant, said a customer had reported a “suspicious object” to staff on the night it was found.
They said: “Our staff did the right thing and informed police right away, who now have the item in their possession.
“We are co-operating fully with their inquiries.”
The victim added she hoped sharing her experience would save other people from being targeted.
“I’m trying to get people to think when they go in public situations, look everywhere, even in places that we wouldn’t even think would be unsafe,” she said.
“When I’ve spoken to people about it, it’s not something that anybody’s ever thought about, nobody looks at under the toilet seats or has a little scan before they use the toilet.
“If this helps somebody spot it before it can escalate, then great.”
