An inexperienced private investigator will likely learn video surveillance the hard way, on their first handful of attempts, by getting caught or noticed by their target. Here are a few actions that can result in poor outcomes while using surveillance as an evidence gathering tool and tactic.
Not Blending In
The idea is to act and look as natural as possible, so that your subject has no reason to make a double take. You want to be the fly on the wall observing as much as possible while drawing minimal attention. For this reason, it is preferable to wear context applicable clothing and drive an inconspicuous vehicle in the name of invisibility. For example, if you are wearing a suit and tie on a cruise to the Bahamas, you may draw unwanted attention to yourself. Likewise, it’s never a good idea to drive a brightly colored vehicle or sports car that draws attention from people.
Getting To Close
While the zoomed in approach may offer the best picture, it always leaves little to shield or disguise your actions. Since blowing your cover could result in a fruitless investigation, the key is learning how to piece together the picture from a distance. There will be opportunities to get close up shots if you are patient, but over-aggressiveness is a trait that will spell demise for any video surveillance investigator.
Flying Solo
While a single, jack of all trades investigator may seem ideal for cost purposes, the reality is that the job can be made less difficult with much better results when a multi-person team works together. We’ve seen so often where companies who attempt surveillance utilizing one investigator to perform surveillance get caught and cause more problems to the client than they had before; this is particularly true for more complicated cases, where child custody or alimony is on the line. Utilizing multiple investigators to conduct surveillance will dramatically better the chance of a successful outcome.
An investigation is best when performed under an air of invisibility, gathering information while the subject of the investigation is unsuspecting of your actions. If you have a need to uncover the truth through video surveillance, you need to choose a private investigator whose top priority is delivering results without getting caught.
