Brooklynite inventor, Mr Mali, has been informed that his innovative new Snatchelator device is being banned from malls.

Originally designed for grabbing flyaway plastic bags from trees and buildings, the aptly-named Snatchelator has been repurposed by perverts who are using it on mall escalators.

They have been attaching a gopro-type camera to the end in order to obtain long-distance upskirt shots from ladies further up the escalator who remain oblivious to the use of the 21 foot painter's pole behind them that is the Snatchelator.

According to the New York Times, Snatchelator operators have been advertising their services on the Internet, posting shots on Instagram and leaving adverts for their service on magnetic business cards stuck to lamp posts all over the city.

In the NYT article, Mr Mali quoted Edmund Burke:

“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.” 

The Snatchelator is reported to be flying off the shelves in Japan where malls are more tolerant of this kind of activity and there is a thriving market in the sale of soiled underwear in plastic bags for supply to hordes of salarymen panty-sniffers.