July 18, 2023 update: Sunshine Coast RCMP have confirmed no camera was ever found. Read the full story here.
A weekend trip to the Sunshine Coast ended in shock after a woman allegedly discovered a hidden camera in the bathroom of the Airbnb they were staying at.
Kennedy Calwell and a group of 15 girlfriends had travelled from Vancouver to Gibsons for a birthday weekend when one of the girls decided to check the rental property for a hidden camera.
An outlet on a bathroom wall wasn't working. When the friend flashed a light towards the bottom socket, she claimed to have found a hidden camera facing the shower.
"We were having fun beforehand, but it just turned the night into this weird dark direction," said Calwell. "It's pretty unfortunate."
Calwell says the group had already stayed a night, with numerous guests using the shower.
"I was pretty creeped out," she said, noting they contacted the RCMP and Airbnb. "How long has that camera been in there? Were there children staying there in the past?"
A video Calwell posted about the incident on TikTok has already been viewed more than 5.8 million times and shared more than 113,000 times.
The Sunshine Coast RCMP confirmed it is investigating a reported incident of cameras being discovered within a local short-term rental home.
When contacted by a Glacier Media reporter, Airbnb noted that they refunded the party while they investigate the allegation. Undisclosed and hidden cameras are not allowed under the terms of the rental platform.
The listing has since been suspended.
Meanwhile, Calwell is warning others to follow suit and check future rental listings for hidden cameras — although she's skeptical of staying in one again.
"Always listen to your super paranoid friends," she said.
