Walnut Creek police have arrested a 34-year-old Benicia man they say placed video cameras in a Walnut Creek Starbucks for the purpose of recording customers in the bathroom.

Walnut Creek police Sgt. Mike McLaughlin said the man has been identified as Jacob Walter Turner.

McLaughlin said an investigation began Feb. 16 when employees at 1152 Locust St. said they had found a digital video recorder in the coffee shop’s unisex bathroom.

They told police the camera was placed there between 2:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. that day, and it had recorded several customers using the restroom.

Employees at the same site contacted police again Tuesday after they found another camera in the restroom, McLaughlin said.

He said the camera had been recording customers using the restroom between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Investigators said they developed evidence that indicated Turner could be the person placing the cameras in the restroom.

With help from Benicia police, Walnut Creek detectives served a search warrant Thursday at Turner’s Oxford Drive home.

They took Turner into custody on a warrant that accuses him of multiple counts of using a camera in a bathroom to secretly record without consent another person in a state of full or partial undress with the intent to invade the privacy of that other person, McLaughlin said.

Lt. Scott Przekurat said Benicia Police Department’s role in the search and arrest was limited.

“We sent uniformed officers to the residence and stood by with Walnut Creek Police Department until the suspect was arrested,” he said. Then Benicia police officers cleared the area.

Benicia detectives are working with those in Walnut Creek as well as with the arrested man to see if he is connected with any similar incidents in Benicia, Przekurat said.

Walnut Creek investigators are trying to determine the identities of those who might have used that Starbucks restroom Tuesday afternoon and the afternoon of Feb. 16. Those with information may call Walnut Creek police Detective Gabe Mauro at 943-943-5881.

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