UPDATED: Las Vegas Starbucks Customer Allegedly Placed Camera in Restaurant Restroom

Posted on: January 21, 2025, 07:51h. 

Last updated on: January 22, 2025, 10:13h.

A man was arrested this week after police accused him of putting a camera inside a restroom at a Las Vegas Starbucks located near several casinos.

Starbucks paper cup
A Starbucks paper cup, pictured above. A man allegedly placed a camera inside of a Starbucks restroom in Las Vegas. (Image: My Coffee Supply)

Raymond Haywood was charged with capturing, distributing, or displaying an image of a private area, according to Las Vegas TV station KLAS.

Haywood went into the restroom more than nine times during the estimated three hours he was in the restaurant on Monday, a Starbucks employee told Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) officers.

Camera Aimed at Toilet

The camera was on a cellphone that was hidden in a vent, KLAS reported. The phone was aimed downward to get images of people using the toilet.

It was detected when an employee went into the restroom.

“[She] stated that she … went to use the restroom around 11 a.m. and noticed some shoe [mark] prints on the toilet seat, prompting her to look around inside of the bathroom [when] she noticed a phone camera with its view pointed directed at the toilet below,” according to a police report, quoted by KLAS.

The camera lenses were pointed directly down toward the toilet where it would be able to capture the private area of another person as they used the restroom,” the report added.

When Haywood spoke with an officer, he claimed that he was prescribed a medication, “which makes him use the restroom often.”

Upon investigating the shoe prints in the restroom, officers said they matched the shoes he was wearing.

Following his arrest, Haywood posted bond and is scheduled to appear in local court next month.

There’s no word how many, if any, people went into the restroom and were photographed while using the toilet. If customers inside the restroom were filmed or photographed, they could consult with an attorney for possible legal action. Customers have a right to privacy in restrooms or locker rooms, according to online legal advice from attorneys.

Restaurant Located Near Casinos

The Starbucks where the incident took place is located on Spring Mountain Road near Valley View Boulevard. The Encore Las Vegas and the Wynn Las Vegas are nearby.

When reached for comment, a Starbucks spokesperson said in an email on Wednesday, “This is a deeply disturbing incident, and we are grateful for the quick and thorough response from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. We cannot overstate the importance of providing a safe environment for our customers and partners (employees). We will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement on this matter. Any further questions should be directed to local authorities.”