A North Miami Beach landlord is behind bars on voyeurism charges after a tenant discovered a hidden camera disguised as a smoke detector in her room. Elias Samuel Payan, 42, was caught after the tenant saw an image of her room on his phone and decided to investigate the smoke detector that had been recently replaced, according to an arrest report cited by Local 10.

The woman, who resides at the 1400 block of Northeast 175th Street with two children, had no reason to suspect until that revealing drive from the beach when she saw an image of the room on Payan's phone. Local police said Payan resides in the same home and installed the camera after the tenant asked to change out a beeping smoke detector. "It should be noted (that the victims) do not have a bathroom in the bedroom and they use that bedroom to change and strip down exposing themselves," the arresting officer's report stated, according to NBC Miami.

Upon discovery of the device, authorities were alerted and promptly arrested Payan. He faces two counts of video voyeurism against a child under 16 and one count for a person 19 or older. The intrusive camera captured a wide-angle shot of the entire bedroom, a detail that underscores the flagrant violation of privacy the victims have suffered. Payan admitted to the invasive act when he was taken into custody and transported to North Miami Beach Police Department.

During his appearance before Judge Mindy Glazer, Payan's bond was set at $2,500 for each count. He is currently held at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, and although he faces serious charges, the ordeal leaves an unsettling reminder of the fragility of the privacy in our own spaces, a space that should be inviolate but was compromised, laying bare the chilling reach of such technological intrusions.