Surveillance buys peace of mind, say private eyes
‘‘More often than not, your suspicions are valid.’’ Danny Toresen from The Investigators
Paying a private investigator to provide incontrovertible proof your partner is cheating on you costs in the thousands of dollars, but Kiwis who use such services consider it money well spent.
Between $2000-$3000 is the price of a ‘‘typical peace of mind domestic surveillance job’’, says private investigator Danny Toresen from The Investigators.
That price bought ‘‘manned surveillance’’ by two licensed private eyes, Toresen said.
And, contrary to popular belief, clients are more likely to be men trying to catch their partner cheating – 70-80 per cent of people being monitored are women.
When investigators are hired, the most likely first move will be to plant a tracking device on the car of the person being watched. Surveillance undertaken by licensed private investigators, many of whom used to work for the police or military, is legal.
Photographs can’t be taken inside private property such as a bedroom, but private investigators can follow any person while they are in public, and photograph them in public places.
‘‘Our investigations can gather irrefutable proof if cheating is occurring, and assist our clients in making informed decisions as to their relationship, and how to deal with the fallout,’’ Toresen said.
The trigger to hire a private eye to shadow a partner was often a little thing, including spending which is hard to understand, working unusual hours, or secrecy about mobile phone messages.
‘‘As Private Investigators, we want to reassure you that no, you are not going crazy, and more often than not, your suspicions are valid and your partner is hiding a relationship from you,’’ Toresen said.
Investigators interview the clients to gather information about the person they are monitoring, including about their workplace and their vehicle, and then work out a date for surveillance.
As they work, they keep a log detailing ‘‘activity of interest’’ such as places visited, people visited, and vehicle registrations at places they visit.
In some cases, Toresen said, paying for surveillance can save a client from making a terrible mistake. In a recent case a woman had suspicions about a man she was due to marry, and hired The Investigators, who proved her concerns were justified.
She used the proof to end the relationship, saving her making a terrible mistake. In that case, the proof may have saved a much more costly affair later – a divorce.
But while proof positive may end up in divorce, it doesn’t always mean a break-up.
Toresen said in another case, a man had paid to confirm his belief that his wife was cheating on him. She was followed when he took a work trip overseas.
‘‘Within two hours of his leaving the country, she was with her lover,’’ Toresen said.
But the knowledge did not end their relationship.
Toresen warned there were risks with DIY surveillance.
‘‘It may seem like a cost-saving exercise but it often ends in trouble, occasionally involving the police.’’