SURVEILLANCE OPERATIONS
Surveillance is best described as "the art of observing without
the subject of the observation having knowledge of the scrutiny".
This is easy to say but at times extremely challenging to accomplish
with a satisfactory result.
Our surveillance operations have included such processes as:
- Flying to Dallas TX on the same plane as our subject of
investigation
- Registering in the same hotel as the subject
- Being aware of the subjects’ activities over a three day period
- Flying back on the same plane as the subject
On a daily basis we do surveillance using a variety of vehicles,
as well as high powered video cameras for both day and night
operations. Conducting surveillance at odd times during the
evening and weekends is one of the reasons we have been successful
in insurance injury claims.
Blending in with the local landscape, keeping a low profile,
and having a keen awareness of neighbors are all-important
parts of any surveillance operations. Having a full size car
and being the only occupant when out on operations will most
certainly arouse suspicion. Using a truck or a smaller car
will usually alleviate suspicion especially if the vehicle
is not too clean.
At times, in order not to raise suspicion, an investigator
will be forced to to let the subject go and try picking them
up later or even the next day. Spending a short time period
in a neighbourhood is a much better technique than spending
an entire day.
All of this knowledge was necessary when conducting surveillance
in Cuba over a seven-day period. Surveillance is the same no
matter where you are or who the subject is but in Cuba this
was particularly challenging. The operating conditions were
fraught with government people, police, military and locals
who watched every city block of the area in which our investigator
was working.
After seven days of intensive work, our investigator was able
to get all the video needed and get back to Calgary. Any mistakes
made during that investigation would have had extremely dire
consequences.
