Man Accused of Filming 60 Victims in Northern Virginia Mall Dressing Rooms
Fairfax County VA January 6 2019 A man arrested on Christmas Eve after police say he secretly filmed a teenage girl in a Virginia store dressing room is now accused of filming at least 60 other women and girls.
Mumtaz Rauf, 39, is accused of using tiny cameras to film dozens of women and girls at the Forever 21 and H&M stores in the Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, plus the Old Navy store nearby, Fairfax County police said Thursday.
It is early in the investigation, and other stores may be identified in the more than 100 videos seized by police.
Many of the victims are young girls recorded in states of undress with their mothers, police said.
“This is a massive case,” Col. Edwin Roessler Jr. said at a news conference.
The recordings were made between Dec. 15 and Dec. 24.
Rauf was arrested on Dec. 24 and charged with unlawful filming of a minor, which is a felony because of the victim’s age.
The victim was inside the Forever 21 store at about 4 p.m. when she saw a black device pointing down from the wall of her dressing room.
“This young lady, on Christmas Eve, saw something that didn’t seem right and took the right step,” Maj. Ed O’Carroll said.
The girl told police she believed photos may have been taken of her.
A store employee then saw a man leave the store. Officers later found the suspect inside a dressing room of the H&M store.
Both stores are known for having young customers.
Officers found a pinhole camera, black tape and a battery-powered Bluetooth transmitter in Rauf’s possession. Investigators believe he was using the transmitter to remotely gather video and photos.
Police are investigating whether the images were shared or put online.
Robbie Stark, the general manager of the Fair Oaks Mall, said mall officials and store employees are keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Mall officials are working to educate employees and make sure they’re in touch with police, Stark said.
Rauf is being held pending trial. It’s unclear whether he has an attorney who could comment.
Police believe that some of the recordings were made at the following places, at the following times:
Dec. 22, 2018:
1:15-2:10 p.m., Fair Lakes Old Navy
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2:50-3:20 p.m., Fair Oaks Mall H&M
3:40-4:15p.m., Fair Oaks Mall Forever 21
4:25-5:45 p.m., Fair Oaks Mall H&M
Dec. 24, 2018:
12:30-2 p.m., Fair Oaks Mall Forever 21 and H&M
Also, police believe recordings were made 9:15-10 p.m. Dec. 22, possibly at the H&M and Old Navy at the Tysons Corner Center mall.
The list of locations and times is likely to grow, according to police.
If you think you may have been a victim of illegal filming, call police at 703-246-4600.
NBC Washington
