Police did not intervene as Canada's most prolific voyeur was 'looking for more victims,' court records show

Police did not intervene as Canada's most prolific voyeur was 'looking for more victims,' court records show

Businesses in which voyeur broke bail conditions were never contacted by police, companies say

Saanich police watched but did not intervene for over a month as Canada's most prolific voyeur strode through businesses with a phone in hand in breach of bail conditions.

According to court records obtained by CBC News, a Crown lawyer claimed Yin Yeung Derek Chan was under police observation as the voyeur hunted for victims in locations like Fitness World and Value Village, where Chan had previously recorded hundreds of women and girls.

Chan, who filmed at least 652 women and girls in Greater Victoria in what officials claim is the largest case of voyeurism ever reported in Canada, was later sentenced to four and a half years in jail after being convicted of voyeurism and child pornography charges.

CBC News has listened to courtroom submissions in the case, which cast light on the Saanich Police Department investigation. Those records, along with victim impact statements and interviews with victims, raise questions about why police did not act to stop the voyeur sooner.

Saanich police did not answer questions from CBC News for this story, but said in a statement that the department's decisions took a trauma-informed approach to avoid "actions that could contribute to further victimization."

Businesses Chan visited while violating bail conditions say they were never contacted by police.

"We are deeply concerned by the reported conduct and the impact it had on those affected," said Value Village in a statement.

Police found thousands of images and more than 100 hours of videos of women and children in Chan's home prior to the voyeur's arrest in April 2024. Chan was released on bail that month, with a condition not to use a cellphone outside of the home.

Despite that condition, Saanich police observed Chan using multiple cellphones in public on at least three occasions over a month before Chan was re-arrested on Jan. 30, 2025.

On Dec. 27, 2024, police observed Chan using a cellphone at Uptown shopping centre, entering a Fitness World gym, and using the phone inside the gym.

Police watched as Chan returned to the gym on Jan. 7, 2025, and used a phone in the gym again.

On Jan. 9, Chan used two cellphones in a Tim Hortons parking lot and was seen on a phone at Fitness World. Then, police followed Chan to Value Village in Victoria where the voyeur spent an hour and a half with a cellphone in hand.

The majority of Chan's victims prior to his initial arrest — more than 400 women and children — were secretly recorded while at Value Village, according to statements made in court by Crown lawyer Paul Cheeseman.

"That's exactly where his offending behaviour was, at these gyms and at Value Village, so the circumstances of the breach was that he was … out looking for more victims," Cheeseman told the judge.

For years prior to arrest, Chan found ways to thwart court orders aimed at preventing further voyeurism. The voyeur secretly recorded hundreds of women while on bail following an arrest for voyeurism in 2019.

Chan served 60 days in jail for that offence in 2022. During that same year, Chan filmed more than one video every other day, breaching probation and failing to complete court-ordered counselling.

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Ashley Dryburgh, executive director of the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre, which has been helping victims impacted by Chan's crimes, believes the police didn't do enough to alert and protect the community from the risks Chan posed.

"I am deeply disappointed to hear that the perpetrator was on bail [for months] and police seemingly had evidence of his continuation of committing crimes and violating his bail conditions, and it took a month to re-arrest the perpetrator," she said.

"Were people being used as bait to build a case to support this person?"

B.C. attorney general says potential victims of Saanich voyeur have 'right to know' key details from police

Saanich police did not respond to specific questions from CBC News for this story, including how many people Chan recorded while out on bail.

But Deputy Chief Const. Damian Kowalewich said in a statement that the department shared information with the public where it could, but based decisions on what to release on an intention to protect victims' privacy and avoid causing them further harm.

"Throughout the investigation, our priorities were to identify victims, support those affected, protect their privacy, hold the offender accountable, and take reasonable steps to reduce the risk of further victimization," wrote Kowalewich.

"We recognized from the outset that these were deeply personal and intrusive offences, and our approach was guided by a trauma-informed commitment to minimizing further harm while supporting victims through the criminal justice process."

Police have a responsibility to prevent harm if they believe the public is at risk, said Ron MacDonald, the former chief civilian director of B.C.'s Independent Investigations Office, which is a civilian-led police oversight agency. In this case, he says voyeurism poses a "serious psychological harm."

"One could certainly make an argument that he ought to have been arrested as soon as he was seen outside of the home with a cellphone, because that's a clear violation of his court order," said MacDonald, who added that without full details from police it is difficult to know why they did not take this action.

As Chan's crimes came to light publicly for the first time in the wake of the sentencing, community group chats and social media comments bubbled with anxiety.

Women and girls across southern Vancouver Island wondered the same thing: am I or is someone I know a victim?

One victim, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, told CBC News it's a concern.

"I feel like every single woman and girl in Victoria, like anywhere, could have been a victim at any time during those years, and like, how are you supposed to know?" she said.

1st known victim of Saanich voyeur calls for police, court reforms to prevent future offences

About 40 victims were identified by police prior to the sentencing. Police will not say how many more victims they have confirmed since.

Officers uploaded images of women and girls to an AI model earlier this year to help find victims and additional videos created by Chan, according to a police report read at the sentencing hearing.

From this, one officer found a site where six videos, featuring known victims and one unknown victim, had garnered more than 100,000 views.

In the statement provided by Kowalewich, the deputy chief constable wrote that he understands Chan's crimes will continue to have effects long after the sentencing.

"We understand that some victims may still be seeking answers, information, or support as they continue to process the impact of these offences," he wrote.

"Our commitment to those affected remains ongoing, and support remains available for those who may require it."