Private Investigators - ever met one, ever used one ?
Discussion
Hi All,
I've just been watching 'Strike' on TV.
Previously in the armed forces, a private investigator wafts around London and moves effortlessly between low & high society, solving complex cases that have eluded the police. Much of the time, he's aided by a lovely assistant.
No-one that they meet, evinces surprise at meeting a private investigator - it seems to be a commonplace occurrence. Clearly, here in rural Shropshire, I'm missing out, because not only have I never met a private investigator, I don't know anyone who has.
So please tell me, what are your experiences with private investigators - have you ever met or used the services of one ? Do people make a good living from such work ?
Apart from on TV, has a PI ever solved a case that has baffled the police ?
I've just been watching 'Strike' on TV.
Previously in the armed forces, a private investigator wafts around London and moves effortlessly between low & high society, solving complex cases that have eluded the police. Much of the time, he's aided by a lovely assistant.
No-one that they meet, evinces surprise at meeting a private investigator - it seems to be a commonplace occurrence. Clearly, here in rural Shropshire, I'm missing out, because not only have I never met a private investigator, I don't know anyone who has.
So please tell me, what are your experiences with private investigators - have you ever met or used the services of one ? Do people make a good living from such work ?
Apart from on TV, has a PI ever solved a case that has baffled the police ?
Hired one once on behalf of a former boss who was convinced an employee who was working his notice was up to no good.
Hired from a site on Google that used local contractors.
Package included a GPS tracker on the company car for a week and one day of surveillance.
The employee didn’t leave the office for the day so the poor person just sat in their car all day.
As it happened he was up to no good, had a business before joining us, kept it running, took clients and jobs from us and used our equipment and staff to do those jobs, all the time we were paying a wage to him, his wife and rent on the office he owned.
Ended up going to the high court, some how I ended up being the main contact for the solicitor (I’m in IT, not legal) and rather enjoyed it all. In the end he settled on the last day after our barrister spent two days pulling him apart (deer in headlights came to mind) he paid us £40k cash and gave us the office which sold for £300k
Hired from a site on Google that used local contractors.
Package included a GPS tracker on the company car for a week and one day of surveillance.
The employee didn’t leave the office for the day so the poor person just sat in their car all day.
As it happened he was up to no good, had a business before joining us, kept it running, took clients and jobs from us and used our equipment and staff to do those jobs, all the time we were paying a wage to him, his wife and rent on the office he owned.
Ended up going to the high court, some how I ended up being the main contact for the solicitor (I’m in IT, not legal) and rather enjoyed it all. In the end he settled on the last day after our barrister spent two days pulling him apart (deer in headlights came to mind) he paid us £40k cash and gave us the office which sold for £300k
pubrunner said:
Hi All,
I've just been watching 'Strike' on TV.
Previously in the armed forces, a private investigator wafts around London and moves effortlessly between low & high society, solving complex cases that have eluded the police. Much of the time, he's aided by a lovely assistant.
No-one that they meet, evinces surprise at meeting a private investigator - it seems to be a commonplace occurrence. Clearly, here in rural Shropshire, I'm missing out, because not only have I never met a private investigator, I don't know anyone who has.
So please tell me, what are your experiences with private investigators - have you ever met or used the services of one ? Do people make a good living from such work ?
Apart from on TV, has a PI ever solved a case that has baffled the police ?
Hired a small number in a professional capacity - handy for when it’s either something sensitive that perhaps you want confirmed/stopped but don’t want public. They’ll also get involved in matters that the police perhaps won’t - this plus their willingness to follow people abroad means they can provide an insight that the police can’t. Not all the information gathered would be considered admissible in court, however, it’s very powerful to be able to demonstrate you have detailed knowledge of someone’s movements - puts them on the back foot. I've just been watching 'Strike' on TV.
Previously in the armed forces, a private investigator wafts around London and moves effortlessly between low & high society, solving complex cases that have eluded the police. Much of the time, he's aided by a lovely assistant.
No-one that they meet, evinces surprise at meeting a private investigator - it seems to be a commonplace occurrence. Clearly, here in rural Shropshire, I'm missing out, because not only have I never met a private investigator, I don't know anyone who has.
So please tell me, what are your experiences with private investigators - have you ever met or used the services of one ? Do people make a good living from such work ?
Apart from on TV, has a PI ever solved a case that has baffled the police ?
After watching hours of footage, all I can say is that it must be a very boring job... you also realise how boring other people’s day to day routines are as well.
Nothing as exciting as the above but met a PI who was ‘incognito’ enquiring about the two children who lived next door to us at the time. Turns out they roughly fitted the description
Of two children that had been taken by the PI’s client’s estranged wife and hence was hired to try and locate them. So was a false lead for him.
He was as subtle as a brick through a window.
As hIs behaviour was a little odd (staring at the house then asking me (15 at the time) if I knew anything about the children) the neighbours ended up contacting the police.
Of two children that had been taken by the PI’s client’s estranged wife and hence was hired to try and locate them. So was a false lead for him.
He was as subtle as a brick through a window.
As hIs behaviour was a little odd (staring at the house then asking me (15 at the time) if I knew anything about the children) the neighbours ended up contacting the police.
I never used a P.I., but when I left my wife in the late sixties, I rented a small apartment in East Dulwich, where I lived alone, but regularly entertained the girl that I’d left my wife for.
One evening I came home and parked the tractor unit of my articulated truck outside in the street.
As I walked past a car, a guy sitting behind the wheel picked up a notepad and wrote something, while glancing at me.
Intrigued, I tapped on the window and asked if I could help him.
He said that he was a P.I., working for my wife’s solicitor, and was there to try and confirm that I was in a relationship with another woman.
I said, “So if you can affirm to the divorce court that I, John Doe, am in an adulterous relationship with Miss Jane Doe, the divorce will go through quicker, is that right?”
He agreed, I said, “ Come in and have a coffee, she’ll be here around 8.00 p.m.”
He wrote it up, and a couple of months later I was at the Divorce Court, and in and out in around 40 minutes.
One evening I came home and parked the tractor unit of my articulated truck outside in the street.
As I walked past a car, a guy sitting behind the wheel picked up a notepad and wrote something, while glancing at me.
Intrigued, I tapped on the window and asked if I could help him.
He said that he was a P.I., working for my wife’s solicitor, and was there to try and confirm that I was in a relationship with another woman.
I said, “So if you can affirm to the divorce court that I, John Doe, am in an adulterous relationship with Miss Jane Doe, the divorce will go through quicker, is that right?”
He agreed, I said, “ Come in and have a coffee, she’ll be here around 8.00 p.m.”
He wrote it up, and a couple of months later I was at the Divorce Court, and in and out in around 40 minutes.
Spin off question from this, there are lots of fiction books / TV / films where the amateur detective are called in by the police and solve the problem (Poirot, Marple, Wimsey, Temple, Holmes etc) - did this ever happen in real life?
Seems unlikely that it did - makes good entertainment, but is a bit far fetched!
Seems unlikely that it did - makes good entertainment, but is a bit far fetched!
KAgantua said:
Guy I know left West Midlands fire service due to injuries recieved in a fire, then moonlighted as a Bodyguard and PI.
Kept himself pretty busy - he also ran a Western-themed Motorcycle courier firm.
It must have been a real boon to be able to diversify into a new careerKept himself pretty busy - he also ran a Western-themed Motorcycle courier firm.
john2443 said:
Spin off question from this, there are lots of fiction books / TV / films where the amateur detective are called in by the police and solve the problem (Poirot, Marple, Wimsey, Temple, Holmes etc) - did this ever happen in real life?
Seems unlikely that it did - makes good entertainment, but is a bit far fetched!
I’ve often wondered why there isn’t a TV show that turns it all around.Seems unlikely that it did - makes good entertainment, but is a bit far fetched!
For example, an antiques dealer is having real trouble valuing a piece until they call in a professional copper who happens to be a part time furniture restorer and “solves” the valuation.
Unexpected Item In The Bagging Area said:
KAgantua said:
Guy I know left West Midlands fire service due to injuries recieved in a fire, then moonlighted as a Bodyguard and PI.
Kept himself pretty busy - he also ran a Western-themed Motorcycle courier firm.
It must have been a real boon to be able to diversify into a new careerKept himself pretty busy - he also ran a Western-themed Motorcycle courier firm.
Crossflow Kid said:
john2443 said:
Spin off question from this, there are lots of fiction books / TV / films where the amateur detective are called in by the police and solve the problem (Poirot, Marple, Wimsey, Temple, Holmes etc) - did this ever happen in real life?
Seems unlikely that it did - makes good entertainment, but is a bit far fetched!
I’ve often wondered why there isn’t a TV show that turns it all around.Seems unlikely that it did - makes good entertainment, but is a bit far fetched!
For example, an antiques dealer is having real trouble valuing a piece until they call in a professional copper who happens to be a part time furniture restorer and “solves” the valuation.
I often think the same when musicians take a political stance, telling the PM they have it all wrong. Why doesn't the PM stand up in parliament and say "I've just listened to their new album, and there's not enough base on track 3, and the vocals on track 7 need to be beefier.
Also, what I don't get in all police tv shows, is that the boss is always an idiot. Strange in Morse, Haskins in The Sweeney, and every other detective show ever, our genius detective is trying to solve the case but his/her boss just can't see it and keeps telling them to drop it and move on.
How did they ever get to be the boss in the first place if they are so f
king useless at police detectoring stuff?? KAgantua said:
Guy I know left West Midlands fire service due to injuries recieved in a fire, then moonlighted as a Bodyguard and PI.
Kept himself pretty busy - he also ran a Western-themed Motorcycle courier firm.
I have never watched Boon, but now I'm tempted to watch it, just to see what a 'Western-themed motorcycle courier firm' looks like Kept himself pretty busy - he also ran a Western-themed Motorcycle courier firm.
Knew one that had one arm, not sure that's relevant but hey, when he was not sat in his car watching people suspected of cheating on their OH he was serving court papers.
Why they don't show 45 hours sat in your 15 year old focus waiting for some fat bird to meet up with some fat bloke on TV I'll never know.
Why they don't show 45 hours sat in your 15 year old focus waiting for some fat bird to meet up with some fat bloke on TV I'll never know.
Sheets Tabuer said:
Knew one that had one arm, not sure that's relevant but hey, when he was not sat in his car watching people suspected of cheating on their OH he was serving court papers.
Why they don't show 45 hours sat in your 15 year old focus waiting for some fat bird to meet up with some fat bloke on TV I'll never know.
While TV and books over the years have portrayed the interesting and exciting lives of a PI such as Magnum or more recently Strike, the truth I suspect, is very much more like your example.Why they don't show 45 hours sat in your 15 year old focus waiting for some fat bird to meet up with some fat bloke on TV I'll never know.
45 hours a week sat in a gently rusting Ford Focus hoping the job you are currently working on will pay the bills this month.
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