Showing posts with label private detective. Show all posts
Showing posts with label private detective. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
The Life of a Private Eye Ain't What You See In Old Movies
By Adam Kent-Isaac, Bloom Magazine, 10/18/2012
Despite what film noir would have movie-goers believe, being a private investigator is not all that glamorous of an occupation. At least not for local gumshoe Don C. Johnson. His office is not dimly lit and smoky; his waiting room is not filled with provocatively attired women; and he does not live life on the edge.
“Almost every aspect of the media portrayal is incorrect,” Johnson says. “Our day-to-day work is routine—writing reports, doing research online. There are no high-speed car chases, no gunfights. There’s nothing to be gained from putting lives in jeopardy.”
In fact, Don works predominantly with businesses and attorneys, doing background screenings and insurance-fraud investigations.
Johnson’s investigative career began with the Air Force as an intelligence analyst. One of a select group of airmen sent to Indiana University by the U.S. Department of Defense to study Russian at the height of the Cold War, Johnson was eventually deployed to a remote “listening post” in Turkey, where he intercepted Russian air defense communications.
After leaving the service, he worked as assistant to a theater union executive, investigating contract violations and administering claims. Then it was on to Burns International Services, an investigation company in New York City. After some time with a firm in Indianapolis, he set up shop in Bloomington, founding Trace Investigations in 1990.
After more than a quarter century as a professional investigator, Johnson finds some things have gotten easier. “You used to need a two-way radio in the field,” he says. “Now cell phones take care of that. Cameras are pretty much all digital these days and getting smaller. Thousands of images can be stored on a media card.” And the Internet has transformed the research process.
What remains unchanged is the need for persistent surveillance skills, he says. Lengthy car tailing and stakeouts are not uncommon; intense patience and focus are a must. If an investigator is “burned”—if the target spots him—he must simply make an exit and return to the hunt later.
Having charisma helps, too, especially in digging up leads. “You can’t coerce people to give you information,” says Johnson. “It takes good manners. Make them want to help. You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.”
Despite what film noir would have movie-goers believe, being a private investigator is not all that glamorous of an occupation. At least not for local gumshoe Don C. Johnson. His office is not dimly lit and smoky; his waiting room is not filled with provocatively attired women; and he does not live life on the edge.
“Almost every aspect of the media portrayal is incorrect,” Johnson says. “Our day-to-day work is routine—writing reports, doing research online. There are no high-speed car chases, no gunfights. There’s nothing to be gained from putting lives in jeopardy.”
In fact, Don works predominantly with businesses and attorneys, doing background screenings and insurance-fraud investigations.
Johnson’s investigative career began with the Air Force as an intelligence analyst. One of a select group of airmen sent to Indiana University by the U.S. Department of Defense to study Russian at the height of the Cold War, Johnson was eventually deployed to a remote “listening post” in Turkey, where he intercepted Russian air defense communications.
After leaving the service, he worked as assistant to a theater union executive, investigating contract violations and administering claims. Then it was on to Burns International Services, an investigation company in New York City. After some time with a firm in Indianapolis, he set up shop in Bloomington, founding Trace Investigations in 1990.
After more than a quarter century as a professional investigator, Johnson finds some things have gotten easier. “You used to need a two-way radio in the field,” he says. “Now cell phones take care of that. Cameras are pretty much all digital these days and getting smaller. Thousands of images can be stored on a media card.” And the Internet has transformed the research process.
What remains unchanged is the need for persistent surveillance skills, he says. Lengthy car tailing and stakeouts are not uncommon; intense patience and focus are a must. If an investigator is “burned”—if the target spots him—he must simply make an exit and return to the hunt later.
Having charisma helps, too, especially in digging up leads. “You can’t coerce people to give you information,” says Johnson. “It takes good manners. Make them want to help. You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.”
Monday, November 12, 2012
Arizona Private Investigations: The Surveillance and Locate Specialists
Call us today at 480-318-9936 for a free consulation, or visit us on the web at www.azprivateeye.com for more information.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Junior Detective Solves Burglary in One Hour Through Facebook
By Daily Mail Reporter
It was a bit of detective work that even Sherlock Holmes would be proud of after a teenager tracked down a thief who burgled his family home - in just one hour.
Connor Kendall, 16, was told by police that there was little hope of ever finding the burglar who got away with a £1,000 haul - including a digital camera, camcorder, a laptop, and wristwatch - from his family home in Cornwall.
But he decided to take matters into his own hands and incredibly the amateur sleuth had things wrapped up in no time when he managed to track down the culprits himself.
Connor and three friends went into Bodmin near where he lives and began talking to local youngsters, friends and neighbours to find out if anyone knew anything.
After just 60 minutes of investigating the burglary, they discovered that someone was trying to sell his watch on a Facebook page.
Connor showed the page to police who arrested 22-year-old Jamie Fisher, from Roche, Cornwall - who has now been jailed for 28 months.
Connor said: "I contacted some of my mates and we found out that someone was trying to sell a laptop and cameras to people.
"We decided to go out and try to find the person who was selling them because they sounded like the things stolen from my house.
"We found some boys who said it was Jamie Fisher and the watch was on his Facebook. The whole thing took an hour."
Truro Crown Court heard Connor decided to take his own action after returning to his house and discovering the burglary on October 16. The kitchen window of the home was ajar and the back door unlocked.
Connor rounded up three friends Zak Landert, Jake Campbell, and Alex Long and began asking around until someone showed them the Facebook page.
Police gathered the information from their young helper and arrested Fisher, who admitted the burglary.
Connor’s father, water technician Kevin Kendall, 51, said: 'They went into town and asked people around their age if they knew whether the items were being sold somewhere.
"It’s a bit of a worry thinking about him talking to people who might know criminals but they all did an excellent job and I’m very proud."
Fisher told the court he entered the property because he had no money and was not in receipt of benefits.
The court heard Fisher sold the laptop for £30 to buy cannabis but the other items were recovered.
The total value of the laptop, two digital cameras and the wristwatch Fisher stole was £960 - of which £330 worth was returned.
Sentencing Fisher to 28 months in prison, Judge John Neligan said: "You may have got away with it but for the young man’s detective work."
It was a bit of detective work that even Sherlock Holmes would be proud of after a teenager tracked down a thief who burgled his family home - in just one hour.
Connor Kendall, 16, was told by police that there was little hope of ever finding the burglar who got away with a £1,000 haul - including a digital camera, camcorder, a laptop, and wristwatch - from his family home in Cornwall.
But he decided to take matters into his own hands and incredibly the amateur sleuth had things wrapped up in no time when he managed to track down the culprits himself.
Connor and three friends went into Bodmin near where he lives and began talking to local youngsters, friends and neighbours to find out if anyone knew anything.
After just 60 minutes of investigating the burglary, they discovered that someone was trying to sell his watch on a Facebook page.
Connor showed the page to police who arrested 22-year-old Jamie Fisher, from Roche, Cornwall - who has now been jailed for 28 months.
Connor said: "I contacted some of my mates and we found out that someone was trying to sell a laptop and cameras to people.
"We decided to go out and try to find the person who was selling them because they sounded like the things stolen from my house.
"We found some boys who said it was Jamie Fisher and the watch was on his Facebook. The whole thing took an hour."
Truro Crown Court heard Connor decided to take his own action after returning to his house and discovering the burglary on October 16. The kitchen window of the home was ajar and the back door unlocked.
Connor rounded up three friends Zak Landert, Jake Campbell, and Alex Long and began asking around until someone showed them the Facebook page.
Police gathered the information from their young helper and arrested Fisher, who admitted the burglary.
Connor’s father, water technician Kevin Kendall, 51, said: 'They went into town and asked people around their age if they knew whether the items were being sold somewhere.
"It’s a bit of a worry thinking about him talking to people who might know criminals but they all did an excellent job and I’m very proud."
The court heard Fisher sold the laptop for £30 to buy cannabis but the other items were recovered.
The total value of the laptop, two digital cameras and the wristwatch Fisher stole was £960 - of which £330 worth was returned.
Sentencing Fisher to 28 months in prison, Judge John Neligan said: "You may have got away with it but for the young man’s detective work."
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Private Investigators Duped by Clients on Restraining Orders to Lead Them to Victims
Alex White, Herald Sun, October 24, 2012
Private detectives admitted they were being duped by clients who were subject to restraining orders, and unwittingly leading the offenders to their victims.
The revelation sparked a call from Police Association secretary Greg Davies to amend privacy legislation to allow licensed investigators to access limited IVO information.
One investigator said he was approached by a man trying to track a woman living in a shelter in Melbourne's eastern suburbs.
Another investigator said he turned down requests from a client who was later involved in a murder-suicide attempt with a former partner in the city's southeast.
"All these IVOs are recorded on a database and licensed practitioners should be able to access limited details to see if there is an IVO," Sen-Sgt Davies said.
"That will solve it. If we have people unwittingly tracking down victims for potential offenders it is counter-intuitive."
Harjan Investigators owner Wayne Edwards said investigators were forced to rely on their gut instincts when vetting clients.
"I get a lot of inquiries regarding locating ex-girlfriends or wives and the common question I ask is whether there are any active court orders between the parties, and in most cases the answer is no," Mr Edwards said.
"We have a duty of care, we are registered by the police but we have no control.
"I try to vet these people the best I can by asking various questions to help identify any possible red flags."
Women's Domestic Violence Crisis Service interim chief executive Janene Evans supported the call by the Police Association.
"We are constantly working with police and justice to improve the system and any change will be a benefit," Ms Evans said.
"The IVO system works in most cases but we need to stop this small minority of men who have no respect for the law."
A Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed the names of both parties on an intervention order could not be released - even to private detectives - under current legislation.
"Legislation under the Victims Charter Act dictates that a victim's personal information is not to be disclosed by any person except in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2000," she said.
"Victoria Police work within a strict legislative framework to ensure the privacy of victims is protected.
"Police want victims of any crime to have the confidence to come forward and report with the knowledge that their personal information will be protected and their safety will be upheld."
Private detectives admitted they were being duped by clients who were subject to restraining orders, and unwittingly leading the offenders to their victims.
The revelation sparked a call from Police Association secretary Greg Davies to amend privacy legislation to allow licensed investigators to access limited IVO information.
One investigator said he was approached by a man trying to track a woman living in a shelter in Melbourne's eastern suburbs.
Another investigator said he turned down requests from a client who was later involved in a murder-suicide attempt with a former partner in the city's southeast.
"That will solve it. If we have people unwittingly tracking down victims for potential offenders it is counter-intuitive."
Harjan Investigators owner Wayne Edwards said investigators were forced to rely on their gut instincts when vetting clients.
"I get a lot of inquiries regarding locating ex-girlfriends or wives and the common question I ask is whether there are any active court orders between the parties, and in most cases the answer is no," Mr Edwards said.
"We have a duty of care, we are registered by the police but we have no control.
"I try to vet these people the best I can by asking various questions to help identify any possible red flags."
Women's Domestic Violence Crisis Service interim chief executive Janene Evans supported the call by the Police Association.
"We are constantly working with police and justice to improve the system and any change will be a benefit," Ms Evans said.
"The IVO system works in most cases but we need to stop this small minority of men who have no respect for the law."
A Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed the names of both parties on an intervention order could not be released - even to private detectives - under current legislation.
"Legislation under the Victims Charter Act dictates that a victim's personal information is not to be disclosed by any person except in accordance with the Information Privacy Act 2000," she said.
"Victoria Police work within a strict legislative framework to ensure the privacy of victims is protected.
"Police want victims of any crime to have the confidence to come forward and report with the knowledge that their personal information will be protected and their safety will be upheld."
Monday, September 24, 2012
Is the Private Investigations Industry Out of Control?
by PI Telegraph, September 22, 2012
I lament the article in today’s Daily Telegraph entitled ‘Private detectives are out of control in Britain’. Although the article, written by Jake Wallis Simons, a well-respected journalist and author, is an effective piece of persuasive writing; for me, the subject matter is somewhat tired and worn – an old chestnut which brings nothing new to the ‘table’ in respect of issues within our industry.
Whatever there is to say about the private investigation industry has already been adequately explored and analysed by public enquiries such as the ‘Leveson enquiry’. And as a consequence is in the process of being addressed by means of the implementation of a licensing scheme.
We are all more than aware of the previous activities of Southern Investigations as well as one or two other individuals that were employed by journalists; therefore to continue to bring their activities into play whenever a newspaper article is written only goes to show that Southern Investigations and those individuals are in the minority – illustrating that illegal activities are not the norm within our industry.
Contrary to what Jake Simons says, the reputation of the private investigation industry has by no means taken another turn for the worse this week; rather, it is the reputation of Southern Investigations that has slipped further into the mire. The majority of private investigators in the UK can still operate with their head held high knowing that what they provide is a valuable and entirely legal service to their clients.
As private investigators we are perhaps not familiar or comfortable in dealing with attention from the media. We naively believe that when we are contacted by a journalist for help with ‘their story’ that somehow it is a chance to get some PR – some free media exposure. Perhaps we will get a chance to appear on TV or maybe the name of our agency will appear in mainstream print.
Consider this before you ask an investigative journalist on a ‘ride along’: it is not the job of a journalist to act as your publicist. Why would a journalist, who is in search of a ‘scoop’, be concerned with your public image? Journalists are not there to write nice things about you or your agency – good news does not sell newspapers or hook viewers. Bad news and controversy is what sells news. The exposure that results from an ‘uninformed’ handling of the media very rarely results in positive PR – it more often than not ends in crisis for you and your business.
Next time you think to invite a journalist to ‘shadow’ you on confidential assignments or feel the urge to share your trade secrets – think again and be mindful that nothing is ever off the record.
I lament the article in today’s Daily Telegraph entitled ‘Private detectives are out of control in Britain’. Although the article, written by Jake Wallis Simons, a well-respected journalist and author, is an effective piece of persuasive writing; for me, the subject matter is somewhat tired and worn – an old chestnut which brings nothing new to the ‘table’ in respect of issues within our industry.
Whatever there is to say about the private investigation industry has already been adequately explored and analysed by public enquiries such as the ‘Leveson enquiry’. And as a consequence is in the process of being addressed by means of the implementation of a licensing scheme.
We are all more than aware of the previous activities of Southern Investigations as well as one or two other individuals that were employed by journalists; therefore to continue to bring their activities into play whenever a newspaper article is written only goes to show that Southern Investigations and those individuals are in the minority – illustrating that illegal activities are not the norm within our industry.
Contrary to what Jake Simons says, the reputation of the private investigation industry has by no means taken another turn for the worse this week; rather, it is the reputation of Southern Investigations that has slipped further into the mire. The majority of private investigators in the UK can still operate with their head held high knowing that what they provide is a valuable and entirely legal service to their clients.
As private investigators we are perhaps not familiar or comfortable in dealing with attention from the media. We naively believe that when we are contacted by a journalist for help with ‘their story’ that somehow it is a chance to get some PR – some free media exposure. Perhaps we will get a chance to appear on TV or maybe the name of our agency will appear in mainstream print.
Consider this before you ask an investigative journalist on a ‘ride along’: it is not the job of a journalist to act as your publicist. Why would a journalist, who is in search of a ‘scoop’, be concerned with your public image? Journalists are not there to write nice things about you or your agency – good news does not sell newspapers or hook viewers. Bad news and controversy is what sells news. The exposure that results from an ‘uninformed’ handling of the media very rarely results in positive PR – it more often than not ends in crisis for you and your business.
Next time you think to invite a journalist to ‘shadow’ you on confidential assignments or feel the urge to share your trade secrets – think again and be mindful that nothing is ever off the record.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Family Reunites After Woman's Disappearance Half a Century Ago
by Andrew Colgrove, WSAZ NEWS 3, September 15, 2011
If one of your family members disappeared, how long would you keep looking for them?
One family's persistence and unwillingness to give up hope finally paid off after their loved one vanished more than half a century ago.
Emma Dartey remembers the last day she ever saw her big sister Shelby.
"I remember her going up the street, taking the bicycle saying she was going to deliver the mail to somebody, and that's the last time I saw her," Emma said.
They say Shelby ran away on May 26, 1958 when she was 19 because she was in a bad marriage. She never came back.
"It was sad wondering if she was dead or if someone had hurt her," Emma said.
"It was hard,” Shelby’s other sister Linda Davis said. “I think she knew one day we'd find her. We never gave up."
The family, from Westwood, Kentucky, searched for decades with no success, but they recently hired a private investigator who was able to track Shelby down. She’s been working as a waitress in Phoenix, Arizona.
A few weeks ago, Linda flew out to see her at her restaurant.
"She didn't recognize me,” Linda said, “so she sat down at the table. She said, “Hun, I don't believe I know who you are,’ so I just got up and put my arms around her, told her I loved her, and I was her baby sister, and she broke down and cried."
Wednesday, for the first time in more than half a century, Shelby came home. She flew into the Tri-State Airport, where more than a dozen of her family members greeted her with kisses and hugs.
"I prayed every night that one of these days God would let me see them again,” Shelby said. "That empty feeling in my heart, it finally was filled."
Shelby says as the years passed, she wanted to return home, but was too afraid.
"When I left I was young,” she said. “I thought if I come back now, they have their own life, their own family, and they probably won't accept me, but I was wrong."
"I’m really happy to see her,” Emma said.
Now the family is adamant they won't let another half a century go by without being together again.
Shelby also had two children of her own here before she left. They were 3 and 2 years old at the time.
Her son is driving up from Alabama to reunite with her, and she'll be traveling to Georgia to see her daughter
If one of your family members disappeared, how long would you keep looking for them?
One family's persistence and unwillingness to give up hope finally paid off after their loved one vanished more than half a century ago.
Emma Dartey remembers the last day she ever saw her big sister Shelby.
"I remember her going up the street, taking the bicycle saying she was going to deliver the mail to somebody, and that's the last time I saw her," Emma said.
They say Shelby ran away on May 26, 1958 when she was 19 because she was in a bad marriage. She never came back.
"It was sad wondering if she was dead or if someone had hurt her," Emma said.
"It was hard,” Shelby’s other sister Linda Davis said. “I think she knew one day we'd find her. We never gave up."
The family, from Westwood, Kentucky, searched for decades with no success, but they recently hired a private investigator who was able to track Shelby down. She’s been working as a waitress in Phoenix, Arizona.
A few weeks ago, Linda flew out to see her at her restaurant.
"She didn't recognize me,” Linda said, “so she sat down at the table. She said, “Hun, I don't believe I know who you are,’ so I just got up and put my arms around her, told her I loved her, and I was her baby sister, and she broke down and cried."
Wednesday, for the first time in more than half a century, Shelby came home. She flew into the Tri-State Airport, where more than a dozen of her family members greeted her with kisses and hugs.
"I prayed every night that one of these days God would let me see them again,” Shelby said. "That empty feeling in my heart, it finally was filled."
Shelby says as the years passed, she wanted to return home, but was too afraid.
"When I left I was young,” she said. “I thought if I come back now, they have their own life, their own family, and they probably won't accept me, but I was wrong."
"I’m really happy to see her,” Emma said.
Now the family is adamant they won't let another half a century go by without being together again.
Shelby also had two children of her own here before she left. They were 3 and 2 years old at the time.
Her son is driving up from Alabama to reunite with her, and she'll be traveling to Georgia to see her daughter
Friday, May 13, 2011
How a Private Investigator Can Help You
The following was written by Jeff Kimble, P.I., owner of Arizona Legal Document Services, L.L.C. http://www.arizonalegaldocs.com/. It is intended to provide general information regarding the business of private investigations and should not be considered legal advice.
The public perception of the private investigator is varied and nebulous, both from the frequently exaggerated and inaccurate portrayals of "private eyes" in film and television, and also from the simple fact that, compared to other occupations, a relatively small percentage of citizens run across or require the services of a private investigator in the first place.
A simple yet precise definition of a private investigator is one who is employed to collect information. Once the drama, the mystique, and the ridiculous (just watch one episode of Magnum P.I. to get the wrong idea of the investigation business) are stripped from the fictitious versions of the job description, a private investigator is essentially a collector of information. He or she—if ethical, professional, and experienced—knows how to retrieve this information legally, whether through research, observation, or technical means, and then provides this information to his or her client for a fee.
Private investigators are hired by individuals, families, small businesses, large corporations, and even by government entities. Cases range from industrial espionage to lost pets, from criminal investigations to pre-employment screenings, and the types of P.I.'s and their specialties are as diverse as are the clients who hire them and the varied cases they present.
The first step toward determining whether a private investigator can help you is by clearly defining your reasons for hiring one in the first place. What do you want? Are you simply trying to find out the truth in a personal matter? Or are you planning to use the information you obtain from the investigation in court? Or both? These kinds of questions are important to ask yourself before you begin your search for a reputable investigator, as they may affect the outcome of your case, as well as its cost.
If you are considering litigation (going to court) you may want to hire an attorney before hiring a private investigator. The attorney should advise you as to whether your case requires the services of an investigator to be successful. There is no sense in making a financial investment in information that may ultimately not be useful or admissable in court.
If you are purely interested in "the truth" regarding a matter, then calling a P.I. directly may be your best option. A private investigator can be your confidential resource for what you cannot (or do not want to) ascertain on your own. He or she can be "your eyes" into matters the police may not be able to help you with, and can effectively be your agent or representative in matters familial, civil, and/or personal in nature.
Always keep in mind that different investigative agencies offer different services, and those services can vary greatly in cost and scope. A large agency with hundreds of operatives may not be economically appropriate to help you find a long lost relative, but may be perfect to handle a complicated case of corporate fraud. A small agency may be ideal to help you determine if your spouse is unfaithful, but may be the completely wrong choice for the countersurveillance needs of a Fortune 500 Company. Investigate your investigator first. Research online, contact the Better Business Bureau, read client testimonials, and thoroughly review the agency's licensing and qualifications. (See: Things You Should Know before Hiring a Private Eye in the May 2010 archive of this blog.)
Once you feel satisfied with your choice, meet the investigator(s) in person. How do you feel about him, her, or them? Do they handle themselves professionally? Do they appear trustworthy? What is your "gut reaction"? Do you feel comfortable with them in general? These are valid questions, and often the best test when making the final determination. You could very well end up having a long and intimate business relationship with this person or persons, and they may see your significant other, family, friends, business associates, and acquaintances at their best or worst. If you don't feel completely comfortable trusting him or her with your personal and/or business information—look elsewhere.
Once you have determined that you require the services of a private investigator and have made your choice from the many agencies available, what are some of the specific services private investigators have to offer?
My company, Arizona Private Investigations, a subdivision of Arizona Legal Document Services, L.L.C., offers the following:
Child Custody and Infidelity Investigations
Pre-Employment Screening
Criminal History Reports
Individual Background Profiles
Adult and Youth Caregiver Abuse/Neglect Investigations
Teen Whereabouts/Lifestyle Investigations
Premarital Screening
Tenant Screening
Missing Persons /Skip Traces
Witness Location
Witness Interviews (statements and affidavits)
Police Interviews
Expert Witness Research and Interviews
Evidence Collection
Surveillance (physical, photographic, and GPS tracking)
Testimony/Deposition
Location and Recovery of Property (including replevins)
Threat Investigations
Criminal Investigations
Hiring a private investigator can be one of the most valuable and life changing choices you ever make. To further appreciate what a private investigator can do for you, contact Jeff Kimble at 480-318-9936, or visit the Arizona Legal Document Services, L.L.C. website at:
http://www.azprivateeye.com
"The Truth will set you free..."
The public perception of the private investigator is varied and nebulous, both from the frequently exaggerated and inaccurate portrayals of "private eyes" in film and television, and also from the simple fact that, compared to other occupations, a relatively small percentage of citizens run across or require the services of a private investigator in the first place.
A simple yet precise definition of a private investigator is one who is employed to collect information. Once the drama, the mystique, and the ridiculous (just watch one episode of Magnum P.I. to get the wrong idea of the investigation business) are stripped from the fictitious versions of the job description, a private investigator is essentially a collector of information. He or she—if ethical, professional, and experienced—knows how to retrieve this information legally, whether through research, observation, or technical means, and then provides this information to his or her client for a fee.
Private investigators are hired by individuals, families, small businesses, large corporations, and even by government entities. Cases range from industrial espionage to lost pets, from criminal investigations to pre-employment screenings, and the types of P.I.'s and their specialties are as diverse as are the clients who hire them and the varied cases they present.
The first step toward determining whether a private investigator can help you is by clearly defining your reasons for hiring one in the first place. What do you want? Are you simply trying to find out the truth in a personal matter? Or are you planning to use the information you obtain from the investigation in court? Or both? These kinds of questions are important to ask yourself before you begin your search for a reputable investigator, as they may affect the outcome of your case, as well as its cost.
If you are considering litigation (going to court) you may want to hire an attorney before hiring a private investigator. The attorney should advise you as to whether your case requires the services of an investigator to be successful. There is no sense in making a financial investment in information that may ultimately not be useful or admissable in court.
If you are purely interested in "the truth" regarding a matter, then calling a P.I. directly may be your best option. A private investigator can be your confidential resource for what you cannot (or do not want to) ascertain on your own. He or she can be "your eyes" into matters the police may not be able to help you with, and can effectively be your agent or representative in matters familial, civil, and/or personal in nature.
Always keep in mind that different investigative agencies offer different services, and those services can vary greatly in cost and scope. A large agency with hundreds of operatives may not be economically appropriate to help you find a long lost relative, but may be perfect to handle a complicated case of corporate fraud. A small agency may be ideal to help you determine if your spouse is unfaithful, but may be the completely wrong choice for the countersurveillance needs of a Fortune 500 Company. Investigate your investigator first. Research online, contact the Better Business Bureau, read client testimonials, and thoroughly review the agency's licensing and qualifications. (See: Things You Should Know before Hiring a Private Eye in the May 2010 archive of this blog.)
Once you feel satisfied with your choice, meet the investigator(s) in person. How do you feel about him, her, or them? Do they handle themselves professionally? Do they appear trustworthy? What is your "gut reaction"? Do you feel comfortable with them in general? These are valid questions, and often the best test when making the final determination. You could very well end up having a long and intimate business relationship with this person or persons, and they may see your significant other, family, friends, business associates, and acquaintances at their best or worst. If you don't feel completely comfortable trusting him or her with your personal and/or business information—look elsewhere.
Once you have determined that you require the services of a private investigator and have made your choice from the many agencies available, what are some of the specific services private investigators have to offer?
My company, Arizona Private Investigations, a subdivision of Arizona Legal Document Services, L.L.C., offers the following:
Child Custody and Infidelity Investigations
Pre-Employment Screening
Criminal History Reports
Individual Background Profiles
Adult and Youth Caregiver Abuse/Neglect Investigations
Teen Whereabouts/Lifestyle Investigations
Premarital Screening
Tenant Screening
Missing Persons /Skip Traces
Witness Location
Witness Interviews (statements and affidavits)
Police Interviews
Expert Witness Research and Interviews
Evidence Collection
Surveillance (physical, photographic, and GPS tracking)
Testimony/Deposition
Location and Recovery of Property (including replevins)
Threat Investigations
Criminal Investigations
Hiring a private investigator can be one of the most valuable and life changing choices you ever make. To further appreciate what a private investigator can do for you, contact Jeff Kimble at 480-318-9936, or visit the Arizona Legal Document Services, L.L.C. website at:
http://www.azprivateeye.com
"The Truth will set you free..."
Friday, September 24, 2010
Private Eye Accused of Planting Evidence in Oklahoma Moves to Arizona
Originally published in Victoria Advocate.com.
Nine years after a fatal shooting, a Texas private investigator nicknamed "The Rhino" reported to the slain woman's parents that he had found new evidence.
He told the parents he'd found an unfired .25-caliber bullet last year in the backyard of the crime scene. He told police the same thing.
In a report to the parents, James Leroy Richards promised to have the bullet checked for fingerprints. He wrote he firmly believes the bullet was from "the murder weapon."
Police allege he is a liar.
Richards, 58, goes professionally by the name Richard Lee James and also is a bounty hunter.
Richards was charged Sept. 9 with a misdemeanor - obstructing an officer in the performance of his official duties. Oklahoma County prosecutors say they are disappointed they couldn't charge him with a felony.
Midwest City police still are investigating the death of Nancy Probst. The partially nude woman was shot in the head inside her house on Nov. 16, 2000. She was 32. Her baby girl, in a nearby crib, was unharmed.
Prosecutors charged her husband, Matthew J. Probst, with first-degree murder but later dismissed the case because of insufficient evidence. Police said last year he has never been cleared as a suspect.
Richards told the victim's parents he dug up the bullet last year during a search of the backyard of the house where the victim lived. He reported it was "buried in the soil in the area where the storage shed used to be."
Police reported Richards had a long excuse for why he had not turned the bullet over to officials.
Police said the house's current tenant reported the investigator spent only a brief time in the backyard, never dug there and did not remove anything.
Midwest City Police Detective Lacky J. Harkins reported the homicide investigation was slowed and valuable time and resources were wasted "due to the lies" the private investigator told him and a police lieutenant.
The detective said Richards admitted in a phone conversation in March that he had lied about the discovery. Then, the detective reported, Richards at one point stated, "Let's just say it was planted." Finally, the detective reported, Richards admitted he had brought the bullet with him.
"He wanted me to just drop the whole incident. I told him I thought it was sorry of him to have taken the family's money and make this up. He agreed it was sorry," Harkins said.
Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater said restitution will be sought from Richards if he is caught and convicted.
The victim's parents, Carl and Alberta Helmle, have hired several private investigators to look into their daughter's death. They paid Richards more than $5,000. They later fired him. They declined to comment.
Richards has lived in Texas, but he wrote on Twitter he was moving to Arizona. Because he faces only a misdemeanor, he will not be arrested in another state and extradited.
"But if he ever comes in the state of Oklahoma and he gets pulled over on a traffic ticket ... he can be held and we can go down and transport him up from whatever county he got arrested in," Prater said.
In an e-mail Saturday, Richards wrote he is being harassed by Midwest City police. He did not respond to a question about the charge.
"I've said it before and I'll say it again: investigate your investigator first. Get to know him or her, do a little research, and save yourself potential grief and wasted funds. Please refer to my July 2010 article in this blog, 'How A Private Investigator Can Help You.' for more information."
Jeff Kimble, P.I.
Nine years after a fatal shooting, a Texas private investigator nicknamed "The Rhino" reported to the slain woman's parents that he had found new evidence.
He told the parents he'd found an unfired .25-caliber bullet last year in the backyard of the crime scene. He told police the same thing.
In a report to the parents, James Leroy Richards promised to have the bullet checked for fingerprints. He wrote he firmly believes the bullet was from "the murder weapon."
Police allege he is a liar.
Richards, 58, goes professionally by the name Richard Lee James and also is a bounty hunter.
Richards was charged Sept. 9 with a misdemeanor - obstructing an officer in the performance of his official duties. Oklahoma County prosecutors say they are disappointed they couldn't charge him with a felony.
Midwest City police still are investigating the death of Nancy Probst. The partially nude woman was shot in the head inside her house on Nov. 16, 2000. She was 32. Her baby girl, in a nearby crib, was unharmed.
Prosecutors charged her husband, Matthew J. Probst, with first-degree murder but later dismissed the case because of insufficient evidence. Police said last year he has never been cleared as a suspect.
Richards told the victim's parents he dug up the bullet last year during a search of the backyard of the house where the victim lived. He reported it was "buried in the soil in the area where the storage shed used to be."
Police reported Richards had a long excuse for why he had not turned the bullet over to officials.
Police said the house's current tenant reported the investigator spent only a brief time in the backyard, never dug there and did not remove anything.
Midwest City Police Detective Lacky J. Harkins reported the homicide investigation was slowed and valuable time and resources were wasted "due to the lies" the private investigator told him and a police lieutenant.
The detective said Richards admitted in a phone conversation in March that he had lied about the discovery. Then, the detective reported, Richards at one point stated, "Let's just say it was planted." Finally, the detective reported, Richards admitted he had brought the bullet with him.
"He wanted me to just drop the whole incident. I told him I thought it was sorry of him to have taken the family's money and make this up. He agreed it was sorry," Harkins said.
Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater said restitution will be sought from Richards if he is caught and convicted.
The victim's parents, Carl and Alberta Helmle, have hired several private investigators to look into their daughter's death. They paid Richards more than $5,000. They later fired him. They declined to comment.
Richards has lived in Texas, but he wrote on Twitter he was moving to Arizona. Because he faces only a misdemeanor, he will not be arrested in another state and extradited.
"But if he ever comes in the state of Oklahoma and he gets pulled over on a traffic ticket ... he can be held and we can go down and transport him up from whatever county he got arrested in," Prater said.
In an e-mail Saturday, Richards wrote he is being harassed by Midwest City police. He did not respond to a question about the charge.
"I've said it before and I'll say it again: investigate your investigator first. Get to know him or her, do a little research, and save yourself potential grief and wasted funds. Please refer to my July 2010 article in this blog, 'How A Private Investigator Can Help You.' for more information."
Jeff Kimble, P.I.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Facebook Postings in Legal and Financial Arenas
Written by Phil Villarreal - September 8, 2010 - Arizona Daily Star
http://www.azstarnet.com/
Comments and pictures parents post on Facebook can come back to haunt them during custody battles, debt-collection efforts and job applications.
A compromising Facebook post "is like a smoking gun in that you can't destroy it," said attorney Shawn Kenney, the law department team leader at Thrush Law Group.
Kenney said he's seen custody cases hinge on arguments of parental incompetence stemming from Facebook posts. He recalled a case in which a father posted a picture of himself proudly displaying a 3-foot acrylic bong. In another case, Kenney said a mother wrote about how she'd been out with her girlfriends "getting trashed for the third time this week."
"When people put information on Facebook it may not be in their best interest and does come back to haunt them in ongoing litigation involving custody," Kenney said, adding he's also seen a mother call her young boy "my pimp" and a father post a picture of himself baring tattoos while posed with a butcher knife, joking that he was a killer.
Divorce attorney Robbie Lewis, who owns the Law Offices of Robert G. Lewis, P.C., has also seen Facebook rear its often-ugly head in custody battles.
"The whole face of discovery in divorce has really changed over the last few years," Lewis said. "I can't tell you how many times clients have found out about extramarital affairs through looking through their spouses' telephones in the middle of the night, or checking their spouses' e-mail or Facebook accounts."
Lewis said in the past, clients would hire private investigators to dig up dirt on spouses. Now the evidence can be found with a few mouse clicks.
"People put silly things on Facebook accounts - pictures of themselves or other people in bars doing inappropriate things" that end up presented at trial, Lewis said.
Attorney Grady Wade, who, along with his work in other legal fields, defends clients in debt-collection cases and sometimes collects debt for creditors, said while he doesn't personally use Facebook to investigate debtors, anything people post publicly on Facebook is fair game.
"If they put stuff up there, it's pretty much for public use," Wade said. "If they don't make the page private, then it's for public use and they don't have any expectation of privacy."
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which prohibits abusive behavior and restricts the methods collectors can use to locate debtors, doesn't prohibit using social networking sites.
Wade said third-party debt collectors aren't allowed to publicly shame debtors. For instance, a collector couldn't become a friend of a debtor under a false pretense and then post something on his wall about him owing money.
The restrictions don't apply to the creditors themselves, Wade said, adding that he'd advise clients to record any contact with a third-party collector.
Tucsonans applying for jobs at the University of Arizona, the region's second-largest employer, had best clean up their Facebook profiles.
UA human-resources manager Chris Wolf said managers dig up whatever information they can to vet job prospects, and Facebook is within limits.
"If a candidate regularly references violent behavior, then that may be a red flag," Wolf said. "It's more likely that a hiring manager will discover that someone references topics such as their political views - irrelevant when it comes to determining whether they can perform well, yet it may create an unintended bias."
No matter the context, Kenney said people should stop thinking of Facebook posts as semi-private announcements to close friends. He recalls a mentor's advice from decades ago, advising him to be careful about what he put in writing and says it applies to social networking sites:
"Never put anything on there you wouldn't want on a billboard on the highway," he said.
http://www.azstarnet.com/
Comments and pictures parents post on Facebook can come back to haunt them during custody battles, debt-collection efforts and job applications.
A compromising Facebook post "is like a smoking gun in that you can't destroy it," said attorney Shawn Kenney, the law department team leader at Thrush Law Group.
Kenney said he's seen custody cases hinge on arguments of parental incompetence stemming from Facebook posts. He recalled a case in which a father posted a picture of himself proudly displaying a 3-foot acrylic bong. In another case, Kenney said a mother wrote about how she'd been out with her girlfriends "getting trashed for the third time this week."
"When people put information on Facebook it may not be in their best interest and does come back to haunt them in ongoing litigation involving custody," Kenney said, adding he's also seen a mother call her young boy "my pimp" and a father post a picture of himself baring tattoos while posed with a butcher knife, joking that he was a killer.
Divorce attorney Robbie Lewis, who owns the Law Offices of Robert G. Lewis, P.C., has also seen Facebook rear its often-ugly head in custody battles.
"The whole face of discovery in divorce has really changed over the last few years," Lewis said. "I can't tell you how many times clients have found out about extramarital affairs through looking through their spouses' telephones in the middle of the night, or checking their spouses' e-mail or Facebook accounts."
Lewis said in the past, clients would hire private investigators to dig up dirt on spouses. Now the evidence can be found with a few mouse clicks.
"People put silly things on Facebook accounts - pictures of themselves or other people in bars doing inappropriate things" that end up presented at trial, Lewis said.
Attorney Grady Wade, who, along with his work in other legal fields, defends clients in debt-collection cases and sometimes collects debt for creditors, said while he doesn't personally use Facebook to investigate debtors, anything people post publicly on Facebook is fair game.
"If they put stuff up there, it's pretty much for public use," Wade said. "If they don't make the page private, then it's for public use and they don't have any expectation of privacy."
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which prohibits abusive behavior and restricts the methods collectors can use to locate debtors, doesn't prohibit using social networking sites.
Wade said third-party debt collectors aren't allowed to publicly shame debtors. For instance, a collector couldn't become a friend of a debtor under a false pretense and then post something on his wall about him owing money.
The restrictions don't apply to the creditors themselves, Wade said, adding that he'd advise clients to record any contact with a third-party collector.
Tucsonans applying for jobs at the University of Arizona, the region's second-largest employer, had best clean up their Facebook profiles.
UA human-resources manager Chris Wolf said managers dig up whatever information they can to vet job prospects, and Facebook is within limits.
"If a candidate regularly references violent behavior, then that may be a red flag," Wolf said. "It's more likely that a hiring manager will discover that someone references topics such as their political views - irrelevant when it comes to determining whether they can perform well, yet it may create an unintended bias."
No matter the context, Kenney said people should stop thinking of Facebook posts as semi-private announcements to close friends. He recalls a mentor's advice from decades ago, advising him to be careful about what he put in writing and says it applies to social networking sites:
"Never put anything on there you wouldn't want on a billboard on the highway," he said.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Beware Of the Credit Card Skimmer Scam
written by Michelle Ye Hee Lee - Aug. 1, 2010, The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic
The Arizona Department of Weights and Measures is warning consumers to take extra precautions to protect their identities because of an increase in the use of illicit credit-card readers at gas pumps.
Police departments around the state have reported at least 30 cases related to "skimmers" - illegal reading devices attached to legitimate credit-card readers - found at gas stations in the past six months, said Shawn Marquez, director of compliance programs for the state agency.
Skimmers have been reported in Maricopa, La Paz and Mohave counties, and in the cities of Phoenix, Lake Havasu City, Bullhead City, Kingman, Glendale and Surprise, the agency said.
According to police departments in the counties that reported skimmer activity, cases have cropped up sporadically over the past year, but not in a concentrated area. It appears the scammers moved in and out of each area quickly.
The tiny devices are surreptitiously installed into or onto gas pumps, copying the electronic data in the magnetic strip of credit or debit cards as people swipe them at the pump. The information can then be used to counterfeit credit or debit cards. Skimmers also are commonly planted in ATMs, authorities said.
The devices are not planted by the business owners, but by scammers adept at placing them at key locations.
Last month, Gov. Jan Brewer directed the Department of Weights and Measures to increase training and inspection efforts to search for skimmers.
Over the next few weeks, state inspectors will increase the number of inspections on gas pumps, hold training seminars for its officers on technology used to detect skimmers and work with professionals in the petroleum industry to collaborate on detection and protective measures, Marquez said.
Because skimmers often are placed inside the pumps, it is difficult for consumers to detect them, Marquez said. But he urged people to report any suspicious devices on or around any gas pump.
Skimmers are about 2 inches long, with electrical wires attached.
The problem is not restricted to gas pumps. Jeno Erdelyi, 46, a Californian working in the restaurant business, said skimmers are common enough that even waiters sometimes hide the devices in their wallets or belts to secretly swipe cards.
Erdelyi, who was recently visiting Phoenix, said he withdraws cash to buy gas. He uses oil-company credit cards only when he travels for work.
Gouinda Das, 36, a Phoenix Shell gas-station attendant, said most patrons use cards to purchase their gas. Only about 30 to 40 customers a day pay with cash, usually when they buy other items at the convenience store, he said.
Miljan Rakic, 21, who was gassing up recently at a Phoenix station, said he routinely checks his online statements and uses credit cards with fraud-protection guarantees to avoid identity theft.
Rakic, a former credit-company employee, said he has encountered customers whose identities were stolen after running their cards through skimmers attached to gas-pump card readers. The devices resembled small lock boxes, he said, so patrons assumed the skimmers were a part of the card reader.
Like Rakic, consumers should regularly monitor their credit- and debit-card statements and check their credit scores, said Steven Katz, senior director of corporate communications at TransUnion, a national credit company.
Before draining an account, identity thieves may charge a few small transactions to see if card owners are monitoring their accounts, said Jennifer Leuer, general manager of ProtectMyID, an identity-protection service with Experian.
Any discrepancies in bank statements should be reported immediately to the bank, police and credit bureaus, because the amount card owners are liable for may increase the longer they wait to report fraud, Leuer said.
Consumer liability is limited to $50 for credit cards once the card is reported lost or stolen. But for debit cards, the liability fee is dependent on the number of days consumers wait to report it. According to the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, consumers could be responsible for all the money lost in their accounts if they wait longer than 60 days from the date the bank statement is mailed.
The Arizona Department of Weights and Measures is warning consumers to take extra precautions to protect their identities because of an increase in the use of illicit credit-card readers at gas pumps.
Police departments around the state have reported at least 30 cases related to "skimmers" - illegal reading devices attached to legitimate credit-card readers - found at gas stations in the past six months, said Shawn Marquez, director of compliance programs for the state agency.
Skimmers have been reported in Maricopa, La Paz and Mohave counties, and in the cities of Phoenix, Lake Havasu City, Bullhead City, Kingman, Glendale and Surprise, the agency said.
According to police departments in the counties that reported skimmer activity, cases have cropped up sporadically over the past year, but not in a concentrated area. It appears the scammers moved in and out of each area quickly.
The tiny devices are surreptitiously installed into or onto gas pumps, copying the electronic data in the magnetic strip of credit or debit cards as people swipe them at the pump. The information can then be used to counterfeit credit or debit cards. Skimmers also are commonly planted in ATMs, authorities said.
The devices are not planted by the business owners, but by scammers adept at placing them at key locations.
Last month, Gov. Jan Brewer directed the Department of Weights and Measures to increase training and inspection efforts to search for skimmers.
Over the next few weeks, state inspectors will increase the number of inspections on gas pumps, hold training seminars for its officers on technology used to detect skimmers and work with professionals in the petroleum industry to collaborate on detection and protective measures, Marquez said.
Because skimmers often are placed inside the pumps, it is difficult for consumers to detect them, Marquez said. But he urged people to report any suspicious devices on or around any gas pump.
Skimmers are about 2 inches long, with electrical wires attached.
The problem is not restricted to gas pumps. Jeno Erdelyi, 46, a Californian working in the restaurant business, said skimmers are common enough that even waiters sometimes hide the devices in their wallets or belts to secretly swipe cards.
Erdelyi, who was recently visiting Phoenix, said he withdraws cash to buy gas. He uses oil-company credit cards only when he travels for work.
Gouinda Das, 36, a Phoenix Shell gas-station attendant, said most patrons use cards to purchase their gas. Only about 30 to 40 customers a day pay with cash, usually when they buy other items at the convenience store, he said.
Miljan Rakic, 21, who was gassing up recently at a Phoenix station, said he routinely checks his online statements and uses credit cards with fraud-protection guarantees to avoid identity theft.
Rakic, a former credit-company employee, said he has encountered customers whose identities were stolen after running their cards through skimmers attached to gas-pump card readers. The devices resembled small lock boxes, he said, so patrons assumed the skimmers were a part of the card reader.
Like Rakic, consumers should regularly monitor their credit- and debit-card statements and check their credit scores, said Steven Katz, senior director of corporate communications at TransUnion, a national credit company.
Before draining an account, identity thieves may charge a few small transactions to see if card owners are monitoring their accounts, said Jennifer Leuer, general manager of ProtectMyID, an identity-protection service with Experian.
Any discrepancies in bank statements should be reported immediately to the bank, police and credit bureaus, because the amount card owners are liable for may increase the longer they wait to report fraud, Leuer said.
Consumer liability is limited to $50 for credit cards once the card is reported lost or stolen. But for debit cards, the liability fee is dependent on the number of days consumers wait to report it. According to the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, consumers could be responsible for all the money lost in their accounts if they wait longer than 60 days from the date the bank statement is mailed.
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