Last Sunday, Feb. 23, Petaluma police were notified after an employee at Whole Foods discovered a hidden cell phone that was actively recording in the employee restroom. Rohnert Park resident Kendall Hansen-Keys, 26, was suspected of spying on female coworkers using the bathroom at the grocery store, and was arrested on invasion of privacy charges Sunday afternoon.

“The phone was hidden on a storage shelf with the camera lens pointed toward the toilet,” said Petaluma Cpt. Ryan Suhrke in a statement to the Press Democrat. “Hansen-Keys, who was working at the time, was interviewed and he allegedly admitted to positioning the phone to videotape an employee he was interested in.” 

When police searched the device, they found videos of two female coworkers. Hansen-Keys was booked into Sonoma County Jail on Sunday, but by Monday, it was unclear if he remained in custody.

The arrest occurred at the Whole Foods Market on the 600 block of East Washington Street in Petaluma, according to the Press Democrat article. Petaluma Police Department encouraged anyone with information related to this arrest or circumstance to contact 707-781-1293.

Although most people do not have an interest in viewing this sort of activity for pleasure, based on its availability online, it definitely is of interest to a niche group of people. Currently, in the United States, the sale, possession, and use of online pornopgraphy for consenting adults is considered legal. Hansen-Keys could have used the internet legally and freely to access videos of consenting adults engaging in restroom activities, if that is something that he is interested in.

There are always going to be people with “strange” fetishes and attractions, but rather than violate the privacy of a fellow coworker, Hansen-Keys could have legally accessed very similar videos. 

It is very concerning that Hansen-Keys specifically wanted videos of certain coworkers for unknown reasons–which he even admitted in an interview with authorities when he was brought into custody. The women were promptly notified after the videos were found, but it is difficult to understand the emotional impact this circumstance will have on the women affected. No one should feel unsafe in their workplace, but these workers have had their privacy completely violated by another coworker.

Presumably, the Whole Foods Market in Petaluma will address this issue of safety in the workplace and will take the correct steps to make their workers feel comfortable, respected, and safe at work. As an employer, Whole Foods Market is responsible for ensuring that their workers are not subject to harassment from other employees, and if it does occur, they should make efforts to correct the issue and help protect the victims. In the next few weeks, it is important to pay attention to how the community responds to this event and to assure that workers in Sonoma County feel safe at their workplace.