Police show gadgets inside man's pants

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WANE) - Police have revealed a network of gadgets found inside a Fort Wayne man's pants that they believe he used to take video up women's skirts at an Indianapolis mall.

David Delagrange, 40, was arrested in Indianapolis, Saturday, after police say he used a camera attached to his shoe to look up women's skirts in Castleton Mall.

According to Indianapolis Metro Police, one officer working part-time at the mall was told a man was approaching women in dresses and getting very close to them and would place his right foot under their dress.

When the officer approached Delagrange, he raised his arms and clinched his fist in front of the officer, nearly hitting him with his elbows.

The officer then tased Delagrange for two cycles because Delagrange was not cooperating.  He was then taken into custody.

Officers found Delagrange, an engineer, had a very sophisticated camera and audio recording system attached to his right shoe and controls for video and audio in his pockets which were wired to the shoe through his pants.

Police believe Delagrange had been taking video of women under their dresses and skirts without them being aware. One of the victims in the mall is also believed to be a juvenile.

"This is something that was designed specifically to invade somebody's privacy and to assault their dignity," said IMPD Sgt. Matt Mount.

District detectives were able to get search warrants for electronic storage devices in his home and vehicle. Fort Wayne police assisted in serving those warrants. Officers confiscated video surveillance DVD's, photos from a media card and the actual shoe camera system.

Delagrange is facing Voyeurism, Resisting Law Enforcement and C Felony Child Exploitation charges, although he may not get into any further trouble.

As NewsChannel 15 first reported in 2009, taking upskirt pictures or videos in a public place is not illegal under current Indiana law. Currently, the code only bans taking pictures of a person without his or her consent in a private place like a bathroom or dressing room.

That finding compelled Senator Tom Wyss to write a bill that would have made taking "upskirt" pictures anywhere in the state a felony crime punishable by up to a year in prison.

However, the bill did not get a hearing this session, because it could have increased costs to the state.

"It has a fiscal," Wyss told NewsChannel 15. "Any bill which has the potential to increase costs – no matter the amount – to the state has a fiscal determined by Legislative Services agency which is like the Congressional Budget Office of Congress. Any new felony has the potential of costs for incarceration. This is the first year I have ever had “any amount” be the deciding factor.

Wyss promises to bring the bill back next session, but is speaking out again, saying the recent Indianapolis case just goes to show how badly Indiana needs a new law.

"I think it proves what you (NewsChannel 15) and I have been talking about since I first introduced the legislation. And that is that there are other crazies out there doing the same kind of thing," said Wyss. "And that's why you need the law."

Delagrange is expected to be formally charged on Wednesday.