Couple says they found hidden camera in Toronto Airbnb
Airbnb spokesperson says company has removed the listing from the website
A couple visiting Toronto are in shock after they say they discovered a camera hidden inside a digital clock at the downtown Airbnb they were staying in.
In a public Facebook post, Dougie Hamilton said he was staying at an apartment in downtown Toronto with his partner, Taryn Vernoy, when he found the surveillance device.
“Taryn and I booked a 1 night stay in a lovely apartment in the centre of Toronto for last night (Thur. 06th),” Hamilton wrote. “We had a crazy busy day around the city and finally were able to get to the Airbnb and relax ... or so we thought!”
Hamilton said prior to their stay, he had seen a video on social media that showed the progression of modern-day cameras, and that you could insert tiny ones inside other items.
When Vernoy left to get coffee, Hamilton, who was lying on the couch in the
open-plan bedroom, saw there was a clock facing the living area. In the post, he said the video popped into his head and he told himself, “imagine if it was the spy camera in the clock.”
After Vernoy returned from the coffee run, Hamilton said he was still thinking about the digital clock. “I am staring intently at a digital clock. I unplug it and I slide the front face off of the clock and ... No. F------. Way!”
Photos in Hamilton’s Facebook post appear to show a camera behind the digital clock’s cover.
Toronto police say they were called to a residential building at King and Bathurst streets for a suspicious incident.
The investigation is ongoing.
Katrina Arrogante, police spokesperson, said there’s no evidence that would lead them to believe there are other alleged victims at this time.
“We take privacy issues extremely seriously and have a zero-tolerance policy for this behaviour,” Lindsey Scully, a spokesperson for Airbnb, told the Star. “We have removed the host from the platform while we investigate and are providing the guest with our full support.”
According to Airbnb policy, hosts are required to disclose if they have a surveillance device, regardless if it’s turned on or not.