Private Investigator Surveillance Techniques: Top 10 Tips

Article by: Robert C

I am a part-time private investigator and have been for several years. A great deal of what I do involves surveillance , How Home Security Monitoring Works from my vehicle. The cases I generally work involve insurance claims for injuries and infidelity issues.

Concerning the insurance claims, there is rarely a case where I don't find dirt on someone. I just worked a case where a young man went out with a back injury after 4 days on the job. On the 2nd day of surveillance, , Let's look at locks. I found him skateboarding.

I would like to share 10 surveillance/investigation techniques that I picked up along the way and from other private investigators.

1) Mini-vans are best for surveillance. , Safeguarding Your Personal Information From Identity Thieves Get tinted glass , How Safe are Your Possessions? so you can sit in the back, virtually unnoticed, most anywhere. I like the older mini-vans, like the Caravans, as they are more nimble and blend in better (they're everywhere) than newer ones. Once you've worked out of a van you'll never go back to a car.

2) Stay on the vehicle's bumper when tailing in the city, and allow a car between you as a buffer in slower areas. There are too many stoplights, stop signs and traffic in the city, making it easy lose the tail.

3) Lack of dew on a vehicle during morning hours could indicate it was moved sometime that night.

4) Verify address by looking at the mailbox for a name or peeking at the mail if it's sticking out.

5) Determine whether residence is a single or multi-family home , How Not To Be A Victim by counting # of electric , Thermal Imaging to See Inside Private Residences; Patriot Act? meters.

6) While tailing someone, you notice the person stopping i.e. in front of a house- you (as cover) continue past, turn into an empty driveway as if you belong there. Don't lose sight of person.

7) Take detailed notes via pen & paper or voice recorder. , What is Your Security Awareness IQ? Write date/times, make & plate of any vehicles there, any vehicle movement, anyone showing up, etc. Good notes are crucial for yourself , Home Security Systems - Protecting Against More Than Just Break-ins and for the report you give to the client. You, as a private investigator, may be asked to testify so accuracy is critical.

8) Accurately estimating the height of an individual can be difficult (that's why those height charts are on doors , Organizing an Arson Watch Program of convenience stores). You can get a good idea by comparing the individual's height to that of any vehicle that they get into or out of. This will become easier with practice.

9) When running video, there will be lots of stop starting of the camera , The Use of Light to Secure Your Home - create definite borders between clips by placing hand over camera , The Top 5 Home Security System Components at the end of each segment. Make sure a time & date stamp appears on tape (setting on camera). Aways obtain a panoramic video shot of location , Disaster Survival Kit Tips for You, Your Family, and Your Business and vehicle for video verification thatthe person was there.

10) Stake-outs can run several hours and occur in non-optimal situations i.e.no convenience store nearby, so keep a roll of toilet paper in your vehicle at all times.

Surveillance involves hours of nothing followed by minutes or even seconds of intense excitement. Make those small parcels of excitement pay off well by following proper investigative techniques.

Robert writes articles for Schmeg.com
He had help with this article from: Private Investigators | Boston Locksmith Tools , Burglar Proof your Windows Equipment

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