Calgary renovation contractor with church-connected clients is charged with voyeurism

As reported by Annalise Klingbeil of the Calgary Herald, December 17, 2014:

A Calgary contractor has been charged with two counts of voyeurism after residents found a hidden motion-activated camera inside a bathroom electrical socket allegedly installed during a contracted job, police say.

The accused was operating a renovation company called The Good Shepherd Group and the victims were referred to the contractor by word of mouth through their church congregation, according to police.

Const. Neil Macpherson of the Calgary police centralized general investigations section said a covert camera and recording device were found in the home’s bathroom around Nov. 14 by one of the residents.

“When the item was discovered, the victim was in her bathroom and she noticed that the newly installed electrical socket … one of the screws was overly worn,” he said.

“She also noticed that one of the electrical outlets didn’t work so she decided to remove the socket from the wall and she discovered the camera and the recording device inside.”

The camera was reported to police and investigators discovered it contained compromising images of the two female residents, one in her 20s and one in her 40s.

The victims are understandably upset, said Macpherson.

“They were shocked and they were very embarrassed,” he said.

The contractor, who began work at the home in August, returned to the house on approximately 30 occasions, said Macpherson.

“It appeared that every time he went to the house, he would tell the victims that he had found other work that was required to be done, which caused him to return approximately 30 times to the house,” Macpherson said.

One memory card was seized from the camera the victim found and the computer of the accused has been seized.

Investigators are still trying to determine if there are other memory cards that were potentially switched out when the contractor returned to the home.

Ting Kay Chu, 43, (who also uses the alias Tohmus Tikay Chu), has been charged with two counts of voyeurism and two counts of failing to comply with a court order.

Macpherson said investigators are trying to determine if there are other victims and police are asking anyone who may have work underway, or have concerns about work done by Chu or his company, to step forward.

Police are also working with Calgary’s licensing inspector as Chu doesn’t have a valid business licence, police say.