Facts and Myths About Our Surveillance Services
According to Merriam-Webster, myth is “an idea or story that is believed by many people but that is not true.” We consider myths as the storybook versions of surveillance, where everything always turns out perfectly all the time. The subject we are watching does exactly what we are expecting, we know every single thing happening inside every building, all people can be easily identified, and everything is caught on camera. We love this story. It makes our job easier, and our clients get what they want. While it sometimes does happen that way, a lot of things are outside of our control, especially the subjects themselves.
However, you should not be discouraged for surveillance is an extremely powerful tool in almost all cases. We are more than willing to discuss the specifics of your case, identify any challenges, and be honest about what we think it will take for it to be successful. What we have below are just several fun facts that can serve as reality checks for all of us.
We Do Not Have Superhero Powers (But We Sure Wish We Did)
We Cannot Fly
Our team drives vehicles just like everybody else. We also follow the same traffic laws and conditions as the subjects we are following. These include being stuck at red lights, getting cut off in traffic, and even getting into accidents.
We Are Not Invisible
To remain undetected while maintaining visual contact with the subject, we need to position ourselves from the safest distance possible. Unfortunately, we cannot always sit with a perfect view of the target, and doing a periodic drive-by is the nearest we can be.
We Do Not Have X-Ray Vision
We cannot see through walls. If it is feasible and within the scope of our investigation, we could follow someone into an establishment. Otherwise, we won’t be able to report what they purchased at the store or what they were doing inside.
We Cannot Be in Two Places at the Same Time
The only way we can achieve the same effect of this power is by having a second investigator. This can be extremely useful in certain situations. For example, there’s an apartment complex where we don’t have visuals on the front door, we have no information about what the subject is driving, and there are two parking areas near the apartment. Another example is trying to locate a subject in several locations. Or we need to follow someone from work and they park in contract parking where we can’t go, and there’s more than one exit from the parking garage.
We Cannot Stop Time
In surveillance, everything can happen in a flash. Some people get into buildings quickly or drive fast. We do our best to capture everything on video, but sometimes it is simply impossible. It takes four seconds to turn on a video camera and begin recording, and this is after we park in the same parking lot, stop the vehicle, and pick up the camera.
We Cannot Read Minds
We do not have any means to know what our subject is thinking, where they might go, or who they might meet. However, we do our very best to anticipate and be prepared for anything.
We Are Humans
Despite being exceptional at what we do, we still make mistakes. You need quick thinking, anticipation, and skill to make your surveillance effective. Sometimes, it also involves a lot of luck. One of the most frustrating things that can happen to an investigator is when they do all of the right things, but luck is just not on their side. There was a moment when there was a car between our vehicle and the subject. They then went through a yellow light, and the car in front of us stops. We were forced to watch our subject drive away.
It can be painful, but it happens. In addition, we have to make various difficult decisions on cases that do not have a right or wrong answer. We then use our experience and knowledge to make the best decision for the current situation.
This is Not TV or the Movies
Unlike the fictional stories in TV and movies, perfect opportunities do not always present themselves, our technology is limited, and we simply cannot always use our charm to solve cases. Let us provide you with some practical examples of real surveillance:
When following someone into a restaurant or any establishment, an open table right next to the subject with a clear view for video is not always guaranteed. While we do have equipment for covert videos, using them inside establishments is not always practical.
We do not have any software or database that can instantly recognize the subject through videos or images. Our company relies on vehicle license plates and addresses when it comes to identifying people, and it is not always successful.
When watching someone in a rural area, having a country store right next to their property where we can go unnoticed would be ideal. However, it usually does not happen. We simply cannot just park on the side of the road and assume that the subject will not notice us. Rural surveillance can be challenging since we often have to position ourselves further away than preferred.
We Are Not a Government Agency
Our resources for surveillance are limited, and we still need to abide by all state and federal laws. We don’t have some of the state-of-the-art equipment the government might utilize for surveillance. What we do have are covert cameras and GPS tracking for various situations. Our team utilizes one or two surveillance investigators unless the situation needs more. We charge our hourly rates per investigator, per hour.
If You Need Surveillance, You Should Call Liberty Investigations of Alabama
Our consultations are always free, and we are here to assess your specific situation to determine if surveillance is right for you. Contact us by phone at 256-373-5000 or by email at mike@libertyinvestigationsofalabama.com.