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The Do It Yourself Detective
Basic Tools of Surveillance
For any investigator, professional and licensed or amateur and untrained there are some very basic tools that can be very helpful. In this section we're going to examine a variety of surveillance gear, some of it quite sophisticated, some as simple as an inexpensive pair of binoculars.
We're going to look at devices designed to eaves drop on conversations and record them and we're going to look at camera technology that allows you to see and record what is going on in a room without being anywhere near the target location.
With all of the great technology that exists out there the one thing that every surveillance job must have is a patient operative. If the operative becomes bored they are not alert and may miss something important. If the operative is bored they will become careless and the chances of being burned are increased dramatically.
The point here really is that without the human component being in place and committed and prepared, no amount of fancy equipment is going to bring about a successful surveillance. With that admonishment out of the way let's discuss a basic tool bag for you to carry that all you have to do is grab and go.
I personally like to use a briefcase for several reasons. One reason is that a briefcase will protect your equipment from damage. Another is that an open briefcase allows you to access your gear easily when you need it. You can see everything at once, which is better that using a duffel bag.
Briefcases come in all sizes and price ranges. An inexpensive one with enough room for even a video camera can be found, all you have to do is look. Some equipment is nice to have but some I consider essential. A cellular telephone is important to a professional investigator, but I think that an amateur should quit before starting without one.
Foremost on the list of uses would be to call for help should any problem arise. Anything from mechanical breakdown to physical threats can be dealt with if you can call for help.
Cell phones are also very good communication between operatives if more than one is on the surveillance and cell phones are usually more secure that radios due to scanner use by so many people. The average scanner sold in electronics stores will not intercept cell calls, but will easily listen in on most radio frequencies. Another use for the cellular phone is one I use regularly and that is to call the target to see if they are actually where I am looking if I am not actually certain. Of course, I don't talk to them other than to give a little pretext for the call. I certainly do not identify myself and I'm also certain that my cell phone cannot be identified by caller I.D.
