Expert offers safety tips after hidden camera discovered in UNCW bathroom

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Students at the University of North Carolina Wilmington are raising concerns about their safety and privacy after a suspected hidden camera was discovered inside a bathroom at a campus residence hall.

The recording device was found inside a single-occupancy bathroom on the fourth floor of Pelican Hall. According to UNCW, the device belonged to a student living on campus who has since been removed from the residence hall and university grounds.

Freshman Alex Love discovered the device while preparing to take a shower.

“I like walked into the bathroom at like 11:45 and then I like going to take a shower and I’m in my underwear and I’m like whoo, this thing, this like black thing, I don’t know, it’s never been in there before at least that I can remember from,” Love said.

UNCW campus police confiscated the device and launched an investigation. Investigators have not said whether anyone was recorded or how long the device may have been inside the bathroom.

Freshman Hailey Glinski, who lives directly across the hall from the bathroom, said the discovery has left students feeling uneasy.

“The girls that live next to me, I’ve spoken to them, they’re my neighbors,” Glinski said. “They said they were also concerned it was in the bathroom that we use the most often.”

According to the university, the student believed to own the device was removed from Pelican Hall on Tuesday and subsequently removed from campus on Wednesday.

The investigation could result in criminal charges. University officials said any additional disciplinary action, including possible suspension or expulsion, will not be determined until the investigation is complete.

Similar incidents reported at other universities

The discovery at UNCW follows similar incidents at other colleges across the country.

Last year, hidden cameras were discovered in bathrooms at Ohio State University, Rhode Island College and UNC-Chapel Hill.

The UNC-Chapel Hill investigation resulted in the arrest of a student who was charged with eight counts of felony secret peeping.

Dr. Roy Taylor, president of Taylor Law Enforcement Consulting Group, said students should remain aware of their surroundings and watch for objects that appear unusual or out of place.

Taylor said even small changes in a familiar bathroom could indicate something suspicious.

“If you, you know, go into the restroom on a regular basis, and you see that the ventilation fan cover is typically secured to the ceiling, and then the next day, or shortly thereafter, you go in and notice that it’s hanging down a little bit, or looks like something’s putting stress on it that something had been inserted, then that would be a clue,” Taylor said.

Tips for protecting your privacy

Students can take several precautions to help protect themselves from hidden recording devices:

• Cover your cameras: Use a webcam cover or block your laptop’s camera lens when it is not in use.
• Check your surroundings: Look for unfamiliar objects or anything suspicious before changing clothes or showering.
• Report suspicious devices: Do not touch or move a suspected hidden camera. Leave the area and contact campus security or police.

UNCW has also reported 41 cases of stalking on campus over the past three years. However, university officials have not classified the Pelican Hall incident as a stalking case.

The investigation remains ongoing, and any further university disciplinary action against the student will be determined after it is completed.