A 39-year-old man has been charged with voyeurism following multiple reports of a suspect recording patrons inside the universal family changeroom at MacDonald Island Park.
Wood Buffalo RCMP responded to a call last Wednesday, at 11:05 a.m. regarding an unknown male allegedly using a cellphone to film inside the changeroom.
Another complainant reported that last Tuesday, between 9:30 a.m. and 9:45 a.m., they noticed a cellphone being placed under the door of a change stall while they were inside.
The complainant shouted at the individual, prompting the suspect to flee. Facility staff were immediately alerted.
During the investigation, police discovered that similar complaints had been made to staff throughout February, alleging that a male suspect had been recording both employees and patrons.
Authorities obtained surveillance footage of the suspect and, with assistance from staff, were able to identify him.
On Thursday, RCMP contacted the suspect, who later turned himself in without incident.
Hazem Abdelmaksoud, a resident of Egypt, was arrested and charged with voyeurism. He was held for a judicial interim release hearing and has since been released on a court-ordered release with conditions.
He is scheduled to appear in the Alberta Court of Justice in Fort McMurray on Wednesday.
The investigation is ongoing, with assistance from the Wood Buffalo RCMP Specialized Investigations Unit. Authorities are urging anyone who may have experienced similar incidents at MacDonald Island Park but have not yet reported them to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Wood Buffalo RCMP at (780) 788-4040. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com, or via the “P3 Tips” app available on Apple and Google Play.
RCMP continue to encourage the public to report any criminal or suspicious activity, noting that reports help police identify areas for patrol and potential suspects. If a crime is in progress, residents are urged to call 911. For online crime reporting and updates, the Alberta RCMP app is available for download on Apple and Google Play stores.
