Conducting stationary and mobile surveillance yourself

Stationary and Mobile Surveillance

We will begin with what we call a stationary surveillance or if you like a "stake out." This type of surveillance occurs where a location, perhaps a home, apartment, office, warehouse, or maybe a park or a store is to be watched for specific activity.

This type of surveillance can be long and boring. The operative may have to remain stationary in a vehicle or a building or sometimes on a park bench or maybe even standing or lying on a street for 6 - 8- 10 hours or more while they try to ignore the natural necessities of eating, drinking, sleeping and using the restroom.

Most stakeouts that the ordinary citizen might encounter usually will involve only one operative, but a serious surveillance might use several, covering teams working in concert in the event that the stakeout is expected to become mobile. Stationary surveillance has only the imagination of the operative to limit how it might be conducted. And there are some very imaginative surveillance specialists out there.

Next is the mobile surveillance where the subject is moving from one location to another and the operative follows with a vehicle, car, truck, van, boat even bicycle and if it's high stakes enough aircraft could be used. There are also mobile surveillance methods to follow someone on foot.

In all types of mobile surveillance you may have only one operative looking at you or many. Disguised operatives on foot. A pregnant woman with a baby carriage that may contain a camera loaded and ready to take a photo of you and your friend without you knowing it.

Have you even given a second thought to that repair van sitting in front of your neighbors house all day? How about a survey crew in front of your driveway? Is that really surveying equipment he's looking through on top of that tripod? I have used each of these

techniques very successfully to gather information for clients when necessary. Before I move on to the higher tech methods there is one simple low tech method that is used everyday in countless locations against many of us in our daily lives. The device is the two way mirror. I have found these spying devices in department stores, grocery stores, clothing stores, post offices, hotels, motels and public bathrooms. Actually, I found one in a private residence once where the owner enjoyed watching activities in the guest bedroom. I don't go anywhere without checking the mirrors. To test a mirror simply touch the surface of the mirror with a pointed object. A pen, pencil, paper clip or even a toothpick will do.

If there is a gap of 1/8 to 3/16 inch between the pointed object and its reflection you're all right, but if they touch someone could be looking or even filming you. If you look hard enough you will eventually find such a mirror.