One couple experience the nightmare of any Airbnb regular after they discovered hidden cameras throughout their apartment, and have subsequently sued the property owner for $75,000 in damages.
Arguably the biggest selling point of Airbnb is the comfort that staying outside of the hotel ecosystem gives you. It's almost like staying in your own home, as you often have multiple rooms, cooking facilities, and many places to relax.
Predatory property owners are an unfortunate side effect of that system though, and one couple found that out the hard way with a night they'll never forget.
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Kayelee Gates and her fiancé, Christian Capraro, have filed a $75,000 lawsuit against Airbnb host Christopher Goisse after discovering several hidden cameras in his property during their stay, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Shortly after engaging in intimate relations, the couple noticed something strange in the bedroom - a pair of smoke alarms. There was one situated directly above the bed in the center of the room, and another in the corner of the room.
On top of this there was also an identical detector found in the bathroom, and upon close inspection they discovered that these were not as they seemed, revealing instead to be hidden cameras.
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Understandably this was a horrible thing to find, and Gates describes that she "went into pure panic, pure shock mode."
"I can feel my heart start beating really heavy and fluttery whenever I start thinking about a situation. Whenever I start thinking about the situation - I get a little shaky even talking about it."
They quickly exited the Airbnb and opted to stay in a hotel room for the night instead, reporting the incident to the police shortly after.
Goisse's twin brother Larry has been arrested by officers from the Montgomery County Police Department after being accused of installing the cameras in the property, and it is alleged that he locked himself in a room to delete any footage before the authorities could investigate.
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Christopher, the property owner and Airbnb host, has denied any wrongdoing in response to the incident, suggesting instead that Gates and Capraro could have planted the cameras themselves in order to frame him.
The $75,000 lawsuit outlines an attempt to address the stress that the situation has put the couple through, but Gates outlines that she'll likely spend the rest of her life wondering what happened to the footage.
"It gives me the heebie-jeebies not knowing if someone looks at me weird if there's a potential they have seen it," Gates remarks of the footage that might have been captured. "That always lurks in the back of my head every time I meet somebody."
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Many are taking this as a sign to be extra vigilant when staying in an Airbnb, checking every possible location for a potential hidden camera - but that's not exactly the sign of a relaxing time that should accompany a stay away.