Cops: Inwood supermarket worker arrested for trying to take up-skirt video
José Santana of Inwood was charged with second-degree unlawful surveillance. Credit: NCPD
A kosher supermarket employee was arrested Thursday and charged with unlawful surveillance after, police said, he attempted to take up-skirt cellphone video of a female customer whom he was assisting with her groceries.
José Santana, 20, of Ganser Avenue in Inwood, was arrested by Nassau County police Fourth Squad detectives and charged with second-degree unlawful surveillance, a felony.
Detectives recovered "multiple videos of the same nature involving other victims" — all believed to be taken by Santana at the KolSave Market on Lawrence Lane in Lawrence where he works, police said.
Santana was helping a female place groceries into her vehicle about 12:20 p.m. Thursday when she felt his hand between her legs, police said. The woman reported the incident, and police said responding detectives determined that he had placed his cellphone under her skirt. Further investigation led to the discovery of video of other victims, police said.
It was not immediately clear how many women may have been victimized, police said. The ages of the alleged victims also was not disclosed.
Santana was arraigned Friday in First District Court in Hempstead and held on bail of $10,000 bond or $5,000 cash, according to the Nassau County District Attorney's office. He is represented by Legal Aid and his next court date is Tuesday.
Police are asking anyone who believes they may be a victim of these or similar incidents to contact Fourth Squad detectives at 516-573-6453 or Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS. All calls will remain confidential, they said.
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
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