When you are in a position that calls for undercover investigative work, especially in establishments such as restaurants or stores, there is no better way to get the proof you need than with a husband and wife private investigative duo. That is because when two people enter an establishment, they often do not draw attention when acting casually. However, if you send a single person into an empty establishment, such as a gas station or convenience store, it can tend to draw attention – especially if they spend more than a couple of minutes inside.
We have found that we have the most success when working a case with two people versus one person. There are many reasons for such success and many uses for having two people instead of one work a surveillance case. All scenarios have different needs that must be fulfilled in order to have the best possible outcome. Here are just a few examples out of countless situations that could benefit from being worked by a couple:
- Dating in Darien. We had the assignment to follow a potentially cheating spouse. The husband worked in Danbury, CT and he and his family lived in Darien, CT. Every Tuesday evening he would “hang out with the guys” and play poker. At least that is what he told his wife. She became suspicious when he would come home late and she could smell cigarette smoke on his clothing. None of their friends smoked, and he was a fitness nut, so she knew something was off. She hired us to find out where he was actually going on Tuesday nights, so we got to work. We set up at his work location in Danbury. We used two vehicles and both stayed at opposite ends of the street to be able to follow him from either direction and cover the two possible exits from the building. When he left the building, one of us followed and signaled to the other to catch up. We played the “tag your it” move. Basically took turns behind him while the other stayed further behind. Then we switched spots so as not to burn the case. We eventually followed him to a small bar/restaurant in Trumbull, CT where he met with a woman (not his wife). We parked and planned what we would do before leaving our vehicles, then acted like we just met up in the parking lot and headed inside. We found a spot near the couple in question and proceeded to get all the evidence we needed. As far as everyone there was concerned, we were just a couple out for the evening on a date night. Nothing brought attention to us and it was never even a passing thought by the couple in question, which was obvious by the footage we got of them. It was also obvious by the way that the servers were acting with them that they were regulars to this establishment. When we returned to our vehicles, we also noticed that we both smelled of cigarette smoke, since this establishment also had a smoking area in the back that was not well-ventilated. Case closed.
- Co-Mingling in Cos Cob. We had a case a while back where we needed to find out if someone’s ex was living with someone, which could mean that our client would no longer need to pay his ex alimony. The home was on a quiet street in the Cos Cob section of Greenwich, CT that did not typically have “on-the-road” parking. However, it was on a cul-de-sac so there was only one way in and out. My husband and I headed over to the area to figure out a plan. We found a little park that was close to the road where the subject was living. We grabbed our dog and then proceeded to “take the dog for a walk” down the road. We did this every day for about a week. After a while, no one seemed to pay attention to us since this seemed to be a “local couple” that was getting some exercise in the nice Spring weather. It worked perfectly. Every morning around the time that people were leaving for work (especially the subjects of this case) and in the evening as they were returning, we would be out on a leisurely walk around the neighborhood with our dog. We would often appear to stop to “take a picture of the flowers” in random spots when in reality we were getting photos and videos of the ex and her “friend” coming and going every day from the home. This was enough proof to show that she was in fact living there with the ex and the client was able to address this with his lawyer. Now instead of that large monthly payment, he went and got himself a boat. I’m still waiting for the invite to go out on it, but I won’t hold my breath.
- New Job In New Canaan. We were hired to find out if an employee at a small business (who was out on worker’s comp) was working somewhere off the books. This woman was claiming a lower back injury from falling over a box that was left on the floor in the office where she did the bookkeeping. She had been out and collecting a paycheck from her boss for over a year. She claimed that she was in constant pain and could not drive, sit or stand for long periods of time so she could not go back to work. He offered to make whatever accommodations were necessary for her to be able to return, but she said no. Due to her injury, she was unable to come back to work yet. The boss was told by another employee that she was working in New Canaan while still collecting from the client. So we went to her neighborhood in Milford, CT with two vehicles and parked once again at either end of her road in order to follow her. She exited the house (walking without the cane that she used when she went to her doctor appointments), got into her vehicle, and drove all the way to New Canaan, CT to a real estate office. We waited outside for about 30 minutes and then went inside. The subject was at the reception desk, dressed well (including 3-inch heels that she must have had in the bag she carried out of the house with her that morning). She immediately stood up to greet us. We said that we were interested in seeing some properties and would like to make an appointment to meet with someone. She happily walked off to see if anyone was available. All this time we had our cameras running. She said that someone would be with us shortly and offered us a cup of coffee. We accepted and watched as she bent down to retrieve the cream from the mini fridge located below the coffee maker, then bent down again to return it when she was finished. When the realtor came out to meet us, we explained that we did not have much time today, but would like to come back in a few days to look at some homes. We commented that his receptionist was excellent and he smiled. He said that she was indeed a find. She had been working with them for months and they could not be more pleased. We made an appointment to return and asked the receptionist if she would be working that day because she made a great cup of coffee. She said absolutely and that she looked forward to seeing us later that week. I’m guessing she will be down to one income now instead of two.
The main point that I am trying to make, is that people tend to envision the Private Investigator as falling under the category of a few stereotypes, such as the guy hiding in the shadows, or sitting alone in a car for days with a pair of binoculars staring intently at a house on your block. No one would ever imagine it could be the middle-aged couple sitting at the table next to you at your favorite restaurant, or walking a dog down your block, admiring the flower bed that you worked so hard on. You were so happy with yourself when you saw them taking pictures of them when they walked by, assuming they would be their next Instagram post.
In this modern world of Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, it has become perfectly normal to take pictures of everything, like you are a world-renowned photographer. Keep it up. It makes it all that much easier for us PI’s to do our thing. Believe me, we are very good at what we do. We were even interviewed recently by Matt Spaier for his “PI Perspectives” Podcast. He is one of the elites among Private Investigators and we were thrilled to be invited on his show, as he only meets with the “best of the best”. Feel free to check it out here – Investigreat Interview on PI Perspectives.
But I digress. My point is, that when you hire a husband and wife team, you are getting the advantage of two Private Investigators that can “hide in plain sight” and have a much better chance of obtaining the results that you are looking for. Feel free to call us to discuss your investigative needs….after you watch our interview of course.
Investigreat, LLC is a recognized full service Private Investigation Agency that is fully licensed, insured and bonded, handling cases all over Connecticut as well as Queens NY, Brooklyn NY, Bronx NY, New York City, Staten Island and Long Island NY. Terri, along with her husband Adam, have been working cases for Legal Teams, Insurance Companies, Private Businesses, Municipalities, School Systems and general investigation services for the public since 1992.
Investigreat, LLC | Private Investigators serving Connecticut, Long Island City, Jamaica NY, Brooklyn NY and Queens NY | Office Numbers: 860-899-1710 or 718-412-1845 | Text: 718-309-1269