Police say people renting a Chandler home found a hidden camera in the house.
Chandler Court records show that residents in a home near Arizona Avenue and Germann Road discovered a camera hidden in the air conditioning vents of a bathroom after experiencing problems with their ventilation system.
Police report that there was a DVR device connected to the camera concealed in the attic, which had over 1,000 videos recorded on it.
“I pulled the vent down, and sure enough it was just a little camera dangling from in the vent,” said the homeowner who did not want to give his name or show his face on camera.
The family started invetigating their home further and found a camera mount in the A/C vent in the master bedroom.
The family says it took them weeks to feel comfortable in their home again.
“I have two young girls of my own that obviously use this restroom,” the homeowner said. “Seeing that camera up there freaked me out.”
Jason Mekelburg, 42, is accused of setting up the camera when he previously lived there.
Mekelburg told police he had set up and used the cameras from 2011 to 2012 to see if his wife was cheating on him. He admitted that the videos did not show any evidence of that.
However, the videos did record multiple people using the toilet, showering and grooming.
According to police documents, the videos did show Meklelburg's wife, child and another family member in bathrooms and hallways. The suspect is also seen on the recordings adjusting the camera through the air vent.
The videos did not include any of the home's current residents.
The home is managed by a real estate company which showed Mekelburg as a prior tenant in the home.
Mekelburg was arrested on Oct. 4. and charged with multiple counts of unlawful recording.
Mekelburg has since been released from jail. He is ordered to stay away from his wife and the other victims. He is also not allowed to return to his previous residence.
