Bystander nabs man for covert filming

A MAN thought to be secretly filming up a woman’s skirt in Lambton Quay has been collared by a member of the public.

Police say the man, in his 40s, followed a woman in her 20s along the central Wellington street yesterday with a camera in a bag pointed up her skirt.

A male member of the public noticed the bag, grabbed the man and called police about 2pm.

‘‘He was using a handycam in a bag,’’ Acting Sergeant Andy Guy said. ‘‘It was down the southern end, towards Willis St.

‘‘He’s followed a particular lady along the street. Another member of the public has witnessed that and grabbed him and called us.’’

The man has been charged with making an intimate recording and was scheduled to appear in court this morning.

The woman who might have been filmed has given a statement to police, as has the passer-by who grabbed the man.

Mr Guy praised the ‘‘excellent work’’ of the passer-by. ‘‘The camera was sort of hidden in a bag, but obviously he wasn’t too careful and someone’s spotted it and thought it looked a bit dodgy.’’

In recent months, there has been a string of prosecutions against men for secretly filming others in compromising situations.

A 36-year-old man was sentenced to home detention last month for making 1400 intimate recordings, some of which were filmed in Lambton Quay using a device attached to a briefcase.