Video Voyeurs in More Public Places

-- you you watched. It's a disturbing thought that a recent rash of boy terrorism cases suggest it's not just a paranoid question. Criminals are using tiny hidden cameras in public and seemingly... See More

-- you you watched. It's a disturbing thought that a recent rash of boy terrorism cases suggest it's not just a paranoid question. Criminals are using tiny hidden cameras in public and seemingly private places were still in many states these crimes are only misdemeanors. Meaning even peeping Toms who are cots are seriously punished. Here's ABC's Dan Harris with a look at prying. On -- -- These are boom times for peeping Tom who are watching you by hiding cameras in places you would never expect. You're looking at Jonathan willing police say this video shows him placing a tiny camera and it -- room at a health club where he recorded court naked -- And -- here is James -- -- Apparently placing his cell phone camera under an unsuspecting woman's -- And police say he did the same thing at a nearby thrift store. Aiming to land underneath the door of -- dressing room. And -- ten year old girl changes inside. The man is it was disgusting. Needs to be put away for good. Video lawyers armed with high tech low cost cameras like this one disguised as a pen -- this one disguised as a quote -- Are striking all over America and shockingly. -- -- often either getting away with it or getting off. Easy this is anonymous. This is the ability. To actually invade someone's privacy and steal their dignity here and -- here in changing it definitely don't expect anything like that to occur. It happened to the yawkey family from Virginia when they were in Washington DC this past -- We came up with family. To see the city very Easter weekend. When their five year old daughter needed to go to the bathroom they ducked into this Starbucks. And watch what happens in -- Which he said that is there's a camera do you think should make Canada. He kind of way -- and make sure there's not a camera and turn turnaround look and sure enough it is small camera it very distinct this next address their -- -- -- during. Going directly to vote as soon as you know walked around and I looked at -- and so little red light was on -- in my little red light turned on I was angered. You can see in the videotape as Andy -- the father blocks out entails the next woman in -- and and then storms up to the manager who calls the cops. When your mother there's no way to put into words that the protective feeling you have of your children it's like a mother bear. -- so many messes with you he patriots. Starbucks with thousands of stores all over the country seems to be a very popular target for boy -- We found seven reported cases including Williams offer -- Velasco who pled guilty for videotaping 45 women and children. At this Starbucks in Glendora California. And Jonathan -- -- Kennedy who pled guilty after being caught red handed on his own camera he knew -- New York. The jockeys are now suing Starbucks for a million dollars arguing the company should have been aware of this problem and should have done more to stop it. Well -- the play devil's advocate they could say we do our best to maintain our bathrooms but we can't check -- every twenty minutes to make sure some creep is not placing -- -- When you go to most public restrooms they have a checklist of items that they check to clean off and make you should target for -- -- not -- navy training employees. To look in those places check the air vents. Check. Behind the toilet. Starbucks has denied any wrongdoing in the lawsuit brought against it by the yuppies and has said in a statement. We monitor the seating areas and restrooms in our stores on a regular basis to identify potential safety or security concern. Privacy expert John Verdi says companies like Starbucks need to do much more to stop video -- Starbucks strictly controls the quality of the products sold in -- stores -- strictly control the types of furniture. Wall hangings in the music played in their stores. These two words do not typically contain -- items that customers just coming install themselves. But that's exactly what we're talking about with. The scouts he says -- problem is only going to get worse as cameras become more sophisticated and less expensive. Look at this camera found hidden in a roll of toilet Paper. In a Starbucks in -- -- tiny powered by -- nine volt battery -- able to stream live to the web. -- if you were peeping Tom back in the day need to actually sneak up somebody's house look in the windows. Now you've put a -- and stream -- live on the way. More years are simply adopting the technology. That governments companies and the military has developed and that is becoming increasingly available. And here's the most outrageous part when video -- errors are caught they're often not severely punished. In many states it's only a misdemeanor meaning less than a year in jail. And even when lawyers -- children on tape they're often not prosecuted for child pornography or added -- -- sex offender register. One of the most disturbing aspects of this lawyers and when it involves children is that it is often not treated has -- child sex crime or child pornography. -- as a result. The penalty if any doesn't reflect the seriousness of the. As for the -- five year old daughter caught on tape in that Starbucks bathroom the person who owns that camera still has not been caught. And the girl's parents say she will not get over her ordeal. Anytime soon. We went out to lunch we had to use about -- and public and she made sure she said mommy we have to make sure there's no cameras before we use the toilet. That's not him. And innocent victim of an increasing peril of modern life. For Nightline this is Dan Harris in Washington DC.