SUNRISE, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida man has been charged with video voyeurism after he allegedly pointed his camera underneath a woman’s skirt at the IKEA in Sunrise and pressed record, then took off running when the victim caught him.
Surveillance video captured 59-year-old Jose Carlos Barrios running away after, police said, he was caught red-handed on July 8.
“He was stalking different females,” said Sunrise Police Officer Luis Fernandez.
According to Sunrise Police, Barrios, seen wearing a pink shirt, had stood behind a 24-year-old woman on the escalator and used his cellphone camera to take pictures up her skirt.
“Bold and very aggressive type of crime if you think about the circumstances,” said Fernandez. “This is the middle of the day, at IKEA, broad daylight.”
Investigators said the shopper realized what was happening and called him out, screaming that Barrios was “sick.”
Surveillance video captured Barrios running toward the bathroom and encountering a dead end.
Other shoppers stopped Barrios and grabbed his cellphone.
“Thankfully, the bystanders who were at the scene were very vigilant,” said Fernandez.
Police were called out, but the woman declined to press charges. Officers did take Barrios’ cellphone and issued him a trespass warning.
However, when detectives examined Barrios’ cellphone, they found several video clips that appeared to be of other victims.
“After a close examination of the suspect’s phone, through a search warrant, we identified that he had 57 other videos inside his phone,” said Fernandez.
Barrios, a Davie resident, was arrested on Wednesday and has been charged with one felony count of video voyeurism. He bonded out of jail Thursday night.
But police said this investigation is just getting started. They are encouraging shoppers who believe they may have been targeted by Barrios to come forward.
“What we’d like is, any victims or possible victims who were at IKEA store on July 8th, 2018, we’d like you to contact the Sunrise Police Department,” said Fernandez.
If you believe you were one of Barrios’ victims that day or have any information that could help police, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $3,000 reward.
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