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Frederik Dekker Charged With Voyeurism After Camera Found In Taber Gas Station's Washroom

Peeping Tom Camera Leads To Charges
Signage for Seven & I Holdings Co.'s 7-Eleven convenience store is displayed as people enter and exit the store in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, April 4, 2013. Seven & I Holdings Co., owner of the 7-Eleven convenience-store brand, forecast a 23 percent increase in profit this fiscal year after the addition of new stores. Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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Signage for Seven & I Holdings Co.'s 7-Eleven convenience store is displayed as people enter and exit the store in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, April 4, 2013. Seven & I Holdings Co., owner of the 7-Eleven convenience-store brand, forecast a 23 percent increase in profit this fiscal year after the addition of new stores. Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Police have charged Frederik Dekker, of Burdett, Alta. after a customer found a video camera in a washroom at a Taber gas station.

The public played a huge part in the investigation, police say.

"Without the tips we received from the community at large, we would not have been able to identify this person," said Insp. Graham Abela, with the Taber Police Service.

The camera was found at a 7-Eleven convenience store on Highway 3 in Taber and an investigation revealed it was used to record people.

Videos contained within the camera showed people using bathrooms in unknown locations and included public and private facilities, police said.

However, police don't believe any recordings actually occurred in the Taber washroom.

“It does not appear that the camera was operating in Taber, it may be that it was accidentally dropped or the perpetrator was interrupted and panicked," said Sr. Cst Andrew Evanson.

"We believe the private washroom was his own home."

Local business operators have raised their level of vigilance to ensure the expected privacy rights of their patrons was protected, police said.

Dekker has been charged with one count of voyeurism and more chargers are pending.

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