A customer at the popular Miss Portland Diner in the West Bayside neighborhood of Portland said she found a hidden camera in the bathroom Wednesday morning.
The customer, Cheyenne Farrell, told WGME that the camera was taped to the base of a chair in the corner of the stall, which was facing the toilet.
Tom Manning, a co-owner of Miss Portland, said in a statement Sunday afternoon that he called Portland police after Farrell told them about the camera. He said they are still investigating the situation.
“First and foremost, the safety, privacy and trust of our guests and employees are extremely important to us,” Manning wrote, adding that the diner turned the camera over to police and is cooperating with the investigation.
“The chair has been in our accessible bathroom stall for 18 years for customer convenience,” he said later.
Portland police confirmed Monday that officers had responded to the diner Wednesday morning. Department spokesperson Brad Nadeau declined to answer follow-up questions about the incident, which he confirmed remains under investigation.
Manning co-owns the restaurant with his wife, Stefanie Manning, who is the president & publisher of the Maine Trust for Local News, which owns the Portland Press Herald.
Staff Writer Morgan Womack contributed to this story.
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