SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Police Department arrested a suspect in connection to several incidents of recording individuals without their permission on March 25. The SFPD reported on November 15, 2022, a victim walked into Northern Police Station to file a police report regarding possibly being secretly recorded inside a dressing room of a clothing cleaners located on the 1100 block of Divisadero St.
The victim indicated that at approximately 11:50 a.m. on November 15, 2022, she entered the business to have a clothing item to be altered. While inside the dressing room, she noticed a clock inside. When she left, she discovered the clock was possibly a discrete camera used for home security and reviews mentioned that other women had been harassed by a male employee. The victim became concerned that other people had been secretly recorded including herself.
The SFPD Special Victims Unit (SVU) was assigned to investigate this Invasion of Privacy and Suspicious Acts Towards Females. The investigation revealed five other victims filed police reports documenting similar incidents in which the male employee placed a clock inside the fitting room and constantly adjusted it throughout their fittings raising suspicions about the use of the clock inside the fitting room. All of the victims expressed concern the employee was requesting that they undress for their clothes to be altered while being recorded.
Over the course of the investigation, the suspect was identified as Andrew Hong, 31, of San Francisco. On March 25, 2023, at approximately 8:30 a.m. investigators served a search warrant at Hong’s home and business. He was found on the unit block of Lobos St. and arrested by police on 6 misdemeanor counts of invasion of privacy (647(j) (1) PC). Investigators located and seized evidence as part of the search warrant.
Authorities are asking anyone who visited a cleaners on the 1100 block of Divisadero St. in the past year and if they have information to help the investigation to contact the SFPD Tip Line or SVU at 415-553-9225 and reference Case# 220787181.
The SFPD is asking anyone with information on the case to contact the SFPD 24-hour-tip line at 1-415-575-4444, or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD.
