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Hidden cameras found in Starbucks bathrooms in NC tourist town, cops say. Man arrested

A man was arrested after hidden cameras were found at a Starbucks in North Carolina, police said. This file photo was taken in South Dakota.
A man was arrested after hidden cameras were found at a Starbucks in North Carolina, police said. This file photo was taken in South Dakota. AP

Hidden cameras were found in Starbucks bathrooms in a popular North Carolina tourist town, officials said.

It happened at the chain’s coffee shop at 188 Hendersonville Road in Asheville, the Asheville Police Department told McClatchy News in an email.

Now, a 37-year-old man faces two felony secret peeping charges in the case. Police in a Sept. 20 news release didn’t list attorney information for the man, identified as William Mcalpin Aycock IV.

In an emailed statement, Starbucks told McClatchy News the safety of its customers and workers “is, and will continue to be, our top concern.”

The case dates to May 9, 2022, when police said cameras were put inside the Starbucks bathrooms. Workers reportedly found the cameras, and officials believe Aycock placed them there.

Officers launched an investigation before working with the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation to conduct a search for evidence at Aycock’s home.

“Aycock was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility on September 8 and released on a written promise to appear in court,” police wrote. “The investigation is ongoing.”

Officers ask anyone with information to call 828-252-1110, use the mobile app called TIP2APD or text “TIP2APD” to 847411.

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This story was originally published September 21, 2023 at 6:42 AM with the headline "Hidden cameras found in Starbucks bathrooms in NC tourist town, cops say. Man arrested."

Simone Jasper
The News & Observer
Simone Jasper is a service journalism reporter at The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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