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Shelby Township police reveal more about hidden cameras found inside tanning salon

Posted at 5:27 PM, Feb 18, 2020
and last updated 2020-02-18 20:04:47-05

SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — The three cameras found inside the Chilli Pepper’s Tanning Salon in Shelby Township were sophisticated, wireless and sending out a live video stream.

The shocking discovery was found at night on Friday, Feb. 14 by an off-duty police officer who was a customer who noticed a hole in the wall. The officer looked closer and saw a camera lens.

RELATED: Owner of metro Detroit tanning salon speaks after hidden camera found

The cameras were installed inside speaker covers, connected to power inside the wall and used Wi-Fi to send out the video stream. The cameras were installed in the rooms with flat tanning beds.

“I always use the flat ones,” says Sarah York a customer at the salon. “You expect the whole area to be safe.”

Shelby Township Police Detective Lt. Pat Barnard says they’ve called in Michigan State Police forensic computer experts. They could use a digital footprint to solve the case.

Lt. Barnard says the owners of the salon are cooperating and have checked their other 13 locations and no other cameras have been found.

Police are not revealing what kind of cameras these are other than to say they are small pinhole cameras.