A 42-year-old man has been arrested as the alleged perpetrator of multiple privacy-related crimes involving at least 38 customers, amid allegations that his business in central Palma used hidden cameras concealed in water bottles as people went to the bathroom.
The Superior Head National Police reported this on Wednesday, stating that the suspect marketed two covert recorders shaped like ordinary water bottles designed to capture images without the user noticing. The camera reportedly delivers clear image and sound through a special label that imitates a mineral water brand, and the liquid inside is said to render the device inconspicuous due to its advanced construction.
Authorities believe the man planned to install these devices in women’s restrooms, a pattern that would compromise privacy and bodily autonomy during bathroom use.
A hidden camera bottle was accidentally discovered by a customer, who reported the finding and handed it to the police. The investigation later confirmed a second bottle of the same kind had been found in 2020, this time with a camera that could be disabled by prior manipulation.
Agents from the Investigation Group of the National Police Central Police Station took over the inquiry, noting that the device operated on motion activation, recording whenever a woman accessed the toilet and storing footage on a micro SD card.
Forensic analysts began examining the SD card, which contained more than a hundred files. They confirmed that 38 different women were depicted by the device, and investigators observed the same man appearing repeatedly in multiple clips to verify the device’s operation.
After confirming his role as a partner in the company that owned or operated the devices, authorities arrested him on Tuesday. This followed the accumulation of evidence linking him to all the electronics found at both his home and the bar where the business was located.
In the building, investigators found a camera concealed behind the bar, alongside the two water-bottle devices and a laptop from which the suspect could apparently access the recordings. They also recovered 44 memory cards, most of them 32 gigabytes, intended for use with the camera.
Estimates suggest there may be around 5,000 videos in total, with investigators noting the number of potential victims could be in the hundreds. The exact scope remains uncertain, as identifying everyone involved posed significant challenges during the preliminary phase of the case.
At present, there is no expert analysis of tampered material indicating that the recordings were shared with third parties. As a result, the initial charges focus on the disclosure of intimate material as yet undetermined, rather than any explicit dissemination to others. The case remains under close review by law enforcement authorities, who continue to assess the full extent of the wrongdoing and its impact on victims. It is expected that further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses according to the National Police.
The alleged offender, a Spanish writer, attended court on Tuesday afternoon as part of ongoing proceedings.