A man has been arrested after police in Abilene say he placed a hidden camera inside the women's restroom of a Whataburger restaurant.
Abilene police said the device was found in the women's restroom, but didn't disclose the specific location inside the restroom and didn't say how long it may have been there.
The woman who found the device spoke with KTAB/KRBC-TV in Abilene and said after she used the commode she noticed an "unusual small circle under the rim of the toilet lid." Upon closer inspection, the woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said she saw what appeared to be a camera lens. The lens was connected to wires which ran under the lid of the tank, which the woman said she ripped out and carried with her to her car where she called police.
KTAB/KRBC reported that police were investigating to determine if the device was recording photographs or video and if it was transmitting live.
The victim told KTAB/KRBC she wanted to share the photos because, "I do want to help and make sure women know what to watch out for."
The man accused of placing the camera in the restroom, TJ Paul Helser, was arrested on Tuesday. He is now facing 14 counts of invasive visual recording which is a state jail felony.
After the discovery, Abilene police asked restaurant owners and managers to check under sinks, inside toilet tanks and inside fixtures for any electronic device. Should one be found, police ask that the device be left undisturbed and that the police are called.
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To date, Abilene police said no other surreptitious devices have been found.
After learning of the finding, Whataburger said "this is truly a concerning claim" and that they've launched an investigation of their own into the matter.
