California man allegedly filmed over 50 nude women inside Planet Fitness tanning booths, but police say there may be even more victims

Police in California say a man secretly filmed dozens of women at a Planet Fitness gym without their knowledge, according to the Arroyo Grande Police Department. Authorities have publicly named the person they believe is responsible.

The Arroyo Grande Police Department identified the suspect in what it called an “electronic peeping” case as 40-year-old Kyle L. Combs, a man from Grover Beach. Police say he is accused of recording women inside the gym’s tanning area.

According to TMZ, investigators were able to identify Combs using surveillance footage along with reports from witnesses. Police say they later found more than 50 videos of women inside the gym’s tanning booths, who apparently did not know they were being recorded. 

He allegedly made the recordings last year 

According to KSBY 6, police say Combs would enter the room with the tanning booths and film women who were “nude or partially nude” without their knowledge. The recordings were reportedly made between January and December of last year. Cases like this can be unsettling, and in some places residents have reported peeping toms outside their windows as well.

The Arroyo Grande Police Department said it had not named Combs earlier because officials did not want to compromise the investigation. The department has now released his name as part of its public update on the case. So far, authorities say they have identified 23 of the people who may have been recorded, but officials say the total number could potentially be more than 50. Police say the investigation is still ongoing.

According to police, no official charges have been filed against Combs yet. The department said it plans to submit the case to the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office by the end of the week. Police say they are looking at charging Combs with using a concealed recording device in a private area. On a separate matter, officials have found hidden cameras disguised as bushes outside homes in California. 

Whether charges are filed in the Combs case would be up to the district attorney’s office to decide. The Arroyo Grande Police Department said multiple lawsuits have been filed in connection with the case. At least one of those lawsuits is said to be directed at Planet Fitness. Planet Fitness previously told KSBY 6 that the safety and privacy of its members is the company’s “top priority.” The gym also said it canceled the suspect’s membership.