Hidden camera found in scuba shop bathroom in Bend

Published 9:35 pm Friday, June 1, 2018

The owner of Fins Scuba & Water Sports in Bend is accused of invasion of privacy after a camera was found in the shop’s bathroom.

Dennis James Snyder, 63, of Bend, was arrested for invasion of personal privacy, a class A misdemeanor.

On May 26, a 20-year-old Bend resident contacted Bend Police about finding a wireless camera the previous day that had been concealed inside the shop’s bathroom, according to Bend Police spokesman Lt. Clint Burleigh. The victim, whose name and gender were not released, confronted Snyder and reported the incident to police.

On Tuesday, Bend Police searched the business and Snyder’s house in rural Deschutes County to collect evidence. Snyder was arrested that day.

Burleigh said the investigation is ongoing and police believe there may be more victims.

The case is especially concerning since the camera was found in the bathroom that was open to customers and employees, Burleigh said.

Security cameras are allowed inside businesses, but not in bathrooms.

“He can have a security camera inside the store, the shopping area,” Burleigh said. “But you can’t have anything in a private area, like a bathroom.”

Bend Police officers are still investigating how long the camera was in bathroom and how many other people may have had their privacy violated.

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