Hong Kong tourist charged in Australia after French woman finds hidden camera in Bondi Beach bathroom
- Device was concealed in deodorant stick on sink while woman was taking shower
- Police later found smashed remnants of camera when searching suspect
A Hong Kong man has been charged in Australia for allegedly hiding a camera in a deodorant stick in a hostel bathroom at Sydney’s popular Bondi Beach.
Local media reported on Tuesday that the 36-year tourist was arrested after a 27-year-old woman from France, who was sharing the en-suite bathroom, spotted the camera hidden in a deodorant stick on the sink after finishing her shower on Monday night.
She made a police report after taking photos of the device.
Staff at the hostel on Lamrock Avenue told reporters that officers came to the hostel to investigate but could not find the camera at first.
New South Wales police said on Tuesday that remnants of a smashed camera were found when the man was searched.
According to a police statement, the man has been charged with installing a device to observe or film others, and possessing surveillance devices intended for unlawful use.
“A search of the man’s property revealed numerous hard drives and storage devices, which police will allege contained further videos of women in private acts,” the statement said.
The Daily Mail Australia identified the suspect as Charles Chung.
He was reported to have been refused bail and was set to appear in Waverly Local Court on Tuesday.
In 2018, Canto-pop singer Hins Cheung, in partnership with Tourism Australia, highlighted Bondi Beach in promotional videos about Sydney.
In 2017, Hong Kong was Australia’s 10th largest inbound market for visitor arrivals and total spend and 11th largest for visitor nights, according to Tourism Australia.
