A passenger on board a China Airlines flight was arrested after installing pinhole cameras in the plane's business class toilets. 

The plane was flying from San Francisco to Hong Kong when the incident occurred. According to Oriental Daily News, a Hong Kong-based media outlet, the passenger who installed the cameras is a U.S. citizen of Taiwanese descent. 

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Flight attendants found the cameras and reported the incident to the plane's pilot. The captain then called the Taiwanese aviation authorities to apprehend the peeping Tom.

The culprit was identified only by his surname, Liu. He initially denied the allegations, but later admitted committing the crime when aviation authorities confronted him about four hard drives and six cameras they found in his luggage.

Two of the six cameras found in Liu’s luggage were already assembled. Authorities said that Liu might have planned to use the other four cameras aboard a flight from Taipei to Hong Kong.

Liu said that he secretly planted the cameras inside the toilet’s trash cans after getting on board the plane. He also admitted that he has planned to retrieve the cameras before the plane lands.

Meanwhile, the culprit refused to allow aviation authorities to access his hard drives. He said that they would have to wait until his lawyer arrived.

Although a U.S. citizen, Liu also did not allow the authorities to communicate with the American Institute in Taiwan for help. Reports said that Liu was afraid that his family in the United States would find out about his misdemeanor.

Authorities also speculated that Liu might have done the same in his other flights. Aviation police are further probing the matter.

A Taiwanese lawyer said that the culprit would be fined with US$10,000. Attorney Cheng Ko-sheng said Liu will be indicted on the bases of intruding privacy. If found guilty, he could face a sentence of three years imprisonment.

Cheng said that if authorities found out that the images collected from secretly planted cameras were sold, sexual morality charges could be charged against the offender. Cases against sexual morality carry up to maximum two years of imprisonment.

The production of pinhole cameras in China has become easily accessible. The price also became cheaper making it more affordable, according to detective Chang Ta-wei. Chang said that as it is difficult to hide pinhole cameras in a small aircraft, Liu might have dismantled several pieces and reassembled it.

Chang said that Liu may have created a thinner camera upon reassembling the original one.

TagsChina Airlines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Liu, Oriental Daily News, San Francisco, Cheng Ko-sheng, Chang Ta-wei