New Lenox police say a routine bathroom break at Parkview Christian Church ended in an arrest Wednesday, after a woman spotted a hidden phone secretly recording her in a restroom. When she discovered the device, officers say a man grabbed the phone, but police later recovered it and brought the suspect in for questioning. Detectives report that the phone held video of the woman who came forward and of other people, including a juvenile. The man now faces felony charges and is being held in the Will County Adult Detention Facility while he awaits a pretrial detention hearing.
According to NBC Chicago, police identified the suspect as 28-year-old Nicholas Calombaris of Frankfort and say he made “incriminating statements regarding the incident” during an interview at the New Lenox police station. Investigators also found recordings of the reporting woman and others, including a juvenile, on the device, NBC Chicago reports.
Local reporting from Patch states that Calombaris was booked on three felony counts, including two Class 3 counts and one Class 4 count, of unauthorized video recording, and that officers recovered the phone at the scene. New Lenox police thanked Parkview Christian Church for its cooperation, Patch notes. He remains housed in the Will County Adult Detention Facility pending a pretrial detention hearing.
What Illinois law says
Under Illinois law (720 ILCS 5/26-4), it is illegal to knowingly make a video recording or place a recording device in a restroom without a person’s consent. The offense is generally a Class 4 felony and can be elevated to a Class 3 felony if a victim is under 18 or other aggravating factors apply, according to the Illinois Compiled Statutes. Prosecutors may pursue additional charges if images are disseminated or involve minors.
Similar cases across the suburbs
This incident follows other recent arrests tied to concealed recording devices in public restrooms. In March, Shaw Local reported a McHenry County man accused of secretly filming people at a Meijer in Sycamore, and FOX32 documented a 2025 case in Addison where a device was placed in a church restroom. Those arrests prompted local law enforcement to warn the public about hidden cameras and to urge vigilance in shared spaces.
Church response and next steps
Parkview supplied a written statement to ChurchLeaders saying, “During the Summer Jam event at our New Lenox campus, Parkview Church became aware of the existence of a recording device in a restroom designated for volunteers,” and that leaders contacted law enforcement immediately. Police say the investigation is ongoing and that the case will proceed through Will County courts as prosecutors and judges review the charges…