Surveillance techniques are something that should be mastered by anyone engaged in any surveillance activity. The following section gives more information about these and their implementation.
Surveillance is the act of closely monitoring or observing the whereabouts, activities, or behavior of a person. This activity is usually carried out by detectives as a part of their job.
Techniques used by Private Investigators
Following are some pre-requisites that should be kept in mind for carrying out any surveillance activity:
Before you begin the surveillance, know about the area you will be inspecting, well in advance.
Gather as much information about your subject as possible. Try to find out about their daily routine. It will be helpful to your investigation.
If you are tailing in a car, make sure you do not get noticed by your subject. If needed, stay a few cars away.
Keep a close eye on your subject. Monitor each and every action of theirs. And most importantly, be properly equipped.
Surveillance Tips
Surveillance techniques are, most of the time, employed by private investigators. Some of their modus operandi are listed below.
While filming a video of someone, make sure that the date and time are visible on the footage. Shoot some close-by landmarks so that it can be confirmed that the suspect was present at the scene at that time.
While you are following the suspect, if he/she stops, do not stop behind them. Continue going, and stop a little further away, without losing sight of the person.
As far as vehicles are concerned, get a car with tinted windows, so that you are not noticed. If possible, get a mini van or a truck, so that there is space to keep your spy equipment inside.
Get into the habit of taking detailed notes, with time, date, and location. If possible get a voice recorder in order to record crucial information.
Patience is a necessity. Surveillance can take a lot of time. It involves long hours of monitoring, and may have just a few minutes of actual action.
Counter Surveillance Methods
Counter surveillance is the act of preventing someone from surveying you. To employ counter surveillance techniques, first you need to know whether you are being watched by someone. A few techniques are
Be extremely vigilant at all times. This is very important. You must observe things around you and be aware of any unusual happenings. If you find that you are being watched, then pretend that you have not noticed. However, keep an eye on that person.
If you feel like you are being 'tailed' (tailing is the act of physically following someone) by some unknown person, then take a route that brings you back to the same place. If you still have the follower behind you, then you need to be cautious and vigilant.
To prevent audio surveillance, use a bug detector to detect any bugs which must have been placed near you. Bugs emit a radio frequency, and the bug detector detects this.
There are few ways to detect whether your phone has been tapped. This can be very useful for landlines. Hence, if you suspect that someone is spying on you, you may want to avoid talking about confidential information over the phone.
Remember that surveillance is an art, and those who learn these techniques will know how to make use of it. It is also important to be cautious and aware at all times