As a former NYPD detective and current NYC Private Investigator, I can tell you that I have tailed, tracked down, hunted, and otherwise gotten information on the whereabouts of hundreds of people – missing children, lost parents, a cheating husband or wife, and employees on “disability” who were out partying and working second jobs. I have seen it all.
What Is Surveillance?
Surveillance is simply the act of observing or monitoring someone. When following a “person of interest,” there are a huge number of different strategies to consider – especially when working in New York City or another major population center. For example, sometimes I or one of my other licensed investigators can follow by car without any suspicion. There is so much traffic in New York that a suspect will not notice that they are being followed. However, the situation can change very quickly when tailing in the city, so we may have to use several investigators in separate cars.
Other times we may need to follow by foot, motorcycle, even by bike. Occasionally, we conduct mobile surveillance by placing a GPS device on the person’s car or on some other object that they carry with them such as a purse or briefcase.
Team Surveillance
In complex cases, we have set-up an entire team of people to conduct a surveillance. This is especially important when a person thinks that he or she may be under suspicion. Very often, one PI can stop following the person as another PI begins, eliminating a person’s suspicion that he or she is being tailed.
Internet Surveillance
In other cases, such as a missing persons case, we may first investigate via phone and internet. Tracking down the whereabouts of the person using technology and then conducting the in-person surveillance, taking pictures to make sure we have found the person that you are looking for. The techniques that we use all depends on the case. We can also conduct internet surveillance in conjunction with our New York Computer Forensics Expert (insert link)
Is Surveillance by a Private Investigator Legal?
My customers often want to know if surveillance in New York City and elsewhere is legal. Yes, it is. The law does not prohibit surveillance. There is no general legal right to privacy from being observed – in public or private. One of my private investigators sitting in a car outside a home watching a suspect – and even video recording them – is not committing an offense. However, no one is allowed to invade someone’s privacy by recording bedroom, bathroom, or clothes changing area. Doing so is illegal and punishable.
Why Hire a PI to do Your Surveillance
In today’s litigious environment eyewitness testimony is often deemed unreliable and can be thrown out of court, leaving your case severely damaged. Video evidence is considered much more reliable and is often the best recourse to hold people responsible for their misdeeds. Plus, surveillance and covert video recording is often the only way to capture evidence of wrong doing such as cheating, stealing and insurance fraud.
What If the Surveillance Target Ends Up Being Innocent?
And if there is no wrong doing on the part of your “person of interest”? Great! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to gain the peace of mind to know that everything is OK? And they never need to know that you had them under surveillance. Your relationship with us is private.
On the other hand, a well-planned surveillance can potentially save you time and thousands of dollars in court costs. It’s good to know exactly what you are dealing with before going to court, filing for divorce or taking other action. Surveillance will let you know what you are dealing with.
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Scott Prendergast is the Owner and Principal Investigator of Cornelius Investigations LLC, a Licensed and Bonded NYS Private Investigator Agency. His firm is licensed to conduct investigations, domestic surveillance, background investigationsand provide security services, bail bond enforcement and other private investigator services Having worked at the NYPD for over 20 years Scott is skilled in a wide range of investigations including larcenies, frauds, finding runaway children, protecting abused children, and criminal and civil matters of all kinds. You can find out more about Scott and his company at NYC Private Investigator.