Full Notification

Jason John Hanrahan, age 48, of Santa Barbara, was arrested for the crime of installing a hidden camera inside of a restroom, a misdemeanor.

On March 14, 2016 at 6:30 p.m., officers from the Santa Barbara Police Department responded to McConnell’s Ice Cream at 728 State Street to investigate a report that someone had installed a video camera inside of the business’s unisex restroom. Upon arrival officers contacted the reporting party, McConnell’s staff, and inside the restroom located a camera disguised as an electrical outlet that had been affixed to a wall with adhesive.

Investigation revealed the following. On March 9, 2016 at approximately 6:00 p.m., a McConnell’s employee observed the suspect, Hanrahan, enter the store, walk directly into the restroom, and then leave without making a purchase. The employee thought this was suspicious and subsequently inspected the restroom. Upon doing so she noticed that an electrical outlet that she had not seen before was present on one of the restroom walls. She initially assumed, though, that it had been installed during a recent renovation. Approximately an hour later, however, she observed Hanrahan enter the business again and in a similar fashion walk into the restroom and then leave. Upon looking into the restroom again the employee now noticed that the electrical outlet was gone. The employee notified her manager of the suspicious activity that she had observed and was instructed to call the police if the suspect returned.

On March 14, 2016 at 6:24 p.m. Hanrahan was once again observed by the same employee entering McConnell’s Ice Cream, walking directly into the restroom, and then leaving without making a purchase. The employee inspected the restroom and saw that the device that appeared to be an electrical outlet was once again affixed to the wall. The police were subsequently called. While officers were still on scene investigating they observed Hanrahan jaywalk across State Street and return to McConnell’s. Hanrahan walked through the doorway but immediately turned and exited upon seeing officers present. Hanrahan was stopped outside and upon being searched was found to be in possession of tools, adhesive, and an electrical outlet style camera housing similar to that recovered inside of the business’s restroom.

Hanrahan was arrested for installing a hidden camera inside of a restroom. His vehicle and residence were subsequently searched and computer hardware and memory devices were seized. SBPD Crimes Against Persons detectives will be analyzing this evidence in coming weeks to determine if additional crimes have been committed and if victims can be identified. If so, additional charges may follow.

Hanrahan was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on the aforementioned charge with a bail amount of $2,500.00.