When Nature Calls...

Surveillance cases can mean long and arduous hours sitting in place with eyes on an address waiting for the subject to make an appearance.

Sometimes really looooooong hours.

And while you are sitting, baking in the heat, you need to keep your fluid intake up otherwise risk dehydration.

All that fluid has to go somewhere, right? And eventually it does, most likely in an inopportune moment. Life's funny that way.

Holy Perestroika, Batman.

I'm not a sexy spy posing for a men's magazine and I don't play one on TV, but that's how they roll in Mother Russia these days.

While totally ineffectual as a spy, I'm guessing Anna Chapman (somewhat surprisingly, that *is* her real name) is going to be more successful as a pin-up girl fueling the masturbatory fantasies of 13 year-old boys everywhere.

Those crazy Russians. What shenanigans will they get up to next?

All the better to fight crime: must-have gadgetry

Now anyone who knows me will tell you that I like to spend money on non-essential items. They will insist upon referring to these items as toys when the correct nomenclature is tools.

This alone demonstrates their shallow depth of understanding my trade.

Anyway, recently I have discovered this product. A smartpen that electronically stores not only everything written but also records what was said at that time (and links the written text with the recorded voice). It also has a range of other features but those the the main ones.

Open Case Files

This week is turning out to be a fairly hectic one. I've got a number of cases I'm working outside the routine (bread and butter) work I do as an agent for several out-of-town companies.

Case A: Surveillance on a sex offender who may be breaching his parole conditions.

Case B: Background investigation into a possible fraudster who is also threatening to kill family of victim if she ends her relationship.

Case C: Further work on Mrs Crusoe's case.

And if that wasn't enough to keep me occupied, which it is, even my 'routine' cases are anything but. A simple field visit regarding payment defaults has now also turned into a fraud investigation as many details provided in credit application have since turned out to be entirely false.

Putting a dollar value on violence

I have a bit of a dilemma, Dear Reader. I have been contacted by a Reputable Businessman who has been unfairly treated by another gentleman and seeks (in)appropriate recompense.

The other party is a dubious character of some ill-repute around this city, a shady businessman known as Marky Sales (not his real name).

Now the Aggrieved Party and Marky Sales had a verbal agreement about the provision of some goods and services which, in essence, were to be paid in full upon completion of said services.

The Aggrieved Party did not have a sales contract or written agreement with Mr Sales, because Marky gave his word. I know you are asking what could possibly go wrong with this gentlemanly arrangement...?

Unreasonable friends

You know, sometimes when you try to do the right thing you still get shit for it.

Hardly seems fair.

Take my friend Manson (not his real name). I've been using his place over the past few weeks to crash or otherwise avail myself of the facilities when needed - thanks Manson - but today I was in a bit of a bind.

I'd just been helping out another friend with some moving and then had a meeting with some lawyers I hadn't done any work for previously, and was somewhat in need of a shower and change of clothes. As Manson was away at work and hadn't left the spare key out, I just did what any other Resourceful PI does in this situation...

Happy to be wrong!

Over the last few weeks I'd been wondering whether I had become, like many of my clients, a victim...

Yes, it pains me to admit it but this Clever Investigator made an online purchase of a reasonably expensive electronic item (all the better to fight crime and not a toy etc etc) and then grew increasingly worried when said item failed to arrive and the emails from the seller just stopped.

Happily, the purchase was finally delivered personally by the seller after much chasing and many emails and phone calls. I am relieved.

And vindicated.