A Hanover man has been arrested for allegedly taking inappropriate photographs of women and teenage girls at the Derby Street Shops in Hingham, Massachusetts, according to local authorities.
Aedan Ford, 44, is accused of using his cellphone to take covert “upskirt” photos of unsuspecting victims while shopping with what appeared to be his young daughter, the Hingham Police Department stated in a press release. The alleged incidents occurred at Whole Foods, where a witness reportedly observed Ford’s behavior and notified store employees, CBS News reported.
“Especially when you’re in a public place, there’s other people around, and people wouldn’t be suspicious by someone carrying their phone. We all carry our phone in our hands,” Hingham Police Lt. Steven Dearth told the outlet.
According to court documents, Ford allegedly pretended to examine fruit displays while positioning his phone to capture images beneath victims’ clothing. Surveillance footage reportedly confirmed the activity. Further investigation revealed similar incidents occurred at a nearby Kohl’s store, including two involving victims under the age of 18.
“The evidence showed that there were two other incidents at Kohl’s, and two of the victims were minors,” Lt. Dearth said, according to CBS News. Police expressed concern that the alleged behavior would continue without legal intervention.
Ford was arrested at his home in Hanover and later pleaded not guilty during his arraignment. The court imposed conditions that prohibit him from returning to Derby Street Shops and from having unsupervised contact with minors, except for his own children.