Arrest in Lewd Photos Case

A 30-year-old Canoga Park woman made a citizen’s arrest of a man she said used a hand-held mirror and camera to photograph underneath her dress while she browsed in a store in the Topanga Plaza Mall, police said Sunday.

Tony Chavarria, 29, was booked on suspicion of lewd behavior and is being held in lieu of $250 bail, according to Sgt. Dan Mastro of the West Valley Division of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Mastro said the woman, who was not identified, pointed out Chavarria to police about 8 p.m. Saturday after he allegedly bent down and used a small mirror to reflect her underwear and then took a picture of the image with a 35-millimeter camera.

The woman, who was informed of the man’s action by a bystander, called police. She and the bystander then followed Chavarria as he entered another store and photographed a second woman, police said.

Police cannot arrest a suspect for a misdemeanor they did not witness, so the woman made a citizen’s arrest by asking police to arrest Chavarria for his behavior. “He was just leaning down and sticking (the mirror) between their legs,” Mastro said. “These people are bent over, looking at things, shopping, and he slides in behind them.”

In the past, Mastro said, the division has handled reports of video cameras being used for lewd conduct, but never a mirror and camera.

“It’s very unusual,” he said. “This is the first time I’ve heard of it in 18 years.”