By: Kym Pasqualini, Feature Crime Writer for Lauth Investigations
The days of red and blue handkerchiefs, baggy pants, graffiti, rap-music, and drive-by shootings are no longer such a popular sub-culture. Believe it or not, the new kind of gangsters hold college degrees, work and hold jobs in offices, warehouses, even government positions and police departments. They are a more sophisticated criminal and have infiltrated corporate America.
No more baggy pants. Today, you are more apt to find a gang member wearing black patent leather shoes.
If you think this is not a possibility in your own company, think again. No industry or company is exempt. A University of Chicago study found gangs have increasingly adopted a clean-cut appearance while replicating techniques used by organized crime.
Described as “very sophisticated and well organized” by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), they estimate there are 33,000 violent street gangs with 1.4 million members nationwide. You can safely double that number if you count affiliates and wannabes. The number has risen steeply, up from 1996 where an estimated 400,000 gang members were accounted for in the University of Chicago study.If you think this is not a possibility in your own company, think again. No industry or company is exempt. A University of Chicago study found gangs have increasingly adopted a clean-cut appearance while replicating techniques used by organized crime.
Well-known companies, Chicago Police Department, the United States Post Office, major pharmaceutical companies, and even the Social Security Administration have found gang members within their ranks carrying out complex illegal operations netting millions annually.
According to the FBI 2015, National Gang Report (NGR), gangs have gained employment in the U.S. Military, law enforcement, corrections, and even judiciary.
From the Streets to a Global Crime Empire
Typically, gangs are known for drug trafficking, robbery, gun trafficking, intimidation rackets, prostitution, human trafficking, fraud and other crimes you may think would not infiltrate a common company. Now, they are. However gangs are concentrating their efforts on white-collar crime due to weaker sentencing guidelines and ease of making money.
The term “gang activity” involves identity theft, credit card fraud, prescription drug fraud, trafficking stolen goods, money laundering, mortgage fraud, Social Security Administration fraud, tax fraud, counterfeiting, and securities marketing manipulation. Where there is access, there will be individuals willing to participate in capitalizing and even selling their access to those interested in exploiting the system.
In New Jersey, the 111 Neighborhood Crips used a machine to make gift cards they distributed to grocery stores, pharmacies and other stores. Grand larceny accounts for 40% of all crime in the United States during 2014.
In 2015, the Outlaw Gangsta Crips in NYC made approximately $500,000 in a paycheck fraud scheme by obtaining a legitimate paycheck from an employee and using the information to create and cash counterfeit checks.
From 2004 through 2009, fraud investigations alone increased 33%, bringing losses associated with those schemes into the billions of dollars.
According to Fox Business, Gangs such as the Bloods, Crips and La Nuestra Familia are undertaking white-collar crime. They are recruiting members that possess the necessary skill-sets, according to the FBI.
When you think gangster, images of Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro, maybe even Snoop Dog, may come to mind, not the impeccably dressed executive working in a high finance position. Or, the nicely dressed woman at the bank who knows how much you deposit weekly or the amount of your company’s payroll.
In a Workforce Magazine article, “Have Gangs Invaded Your Workplace,” during 1995, California, Silicon Valley firms alone were hit with more than 50 armed robberies of microchips and electronic components with the average heist netting the robbers $400,000. “There’s a growing level of sophistication and opportunism,” says Keith Lowry, a detective in the High-Tech Crime Unit of the San Jose Police Department.
Gang members are becoming harder to weed out in the hiring process, much of the time because we commonly think of “gang members” as looking like street thugs, and these old stereotypes are costing companies billions annually.
Weeding out white-collar gang members has become increasingly difficult.
Any company can become a target or an opportunity to engage in illegal activities, like dealing drugs, theft of property or personal information, extortion. Gangs have learned they can make a lot more money by being well-dressed, educated, and articulate.
For instance, electronics firms are easy targets. A microchip or computer processor weighing less than an ounce can score several hundred dollars on the street. The sentence for being charged with a stolen microchip much less than selling an ounce of drugs.
Some gangs plant members within a company in specific department such as infiltrating dispatching, shipping or the financial departments. They can also pose as temporary workers or work for outside vendors to gain access to numerous companies.
In addition, the growing trend toward outsourcing can often lead to less control over merchandise, files, and information.
According to a Fox Business article “From the Streets to Cyberspace: U.S. Gangs Turn to White Collar Crime,” the FBI says, “Gangs are more adaptable, organized, sophisticated, and opportunistic, exploiting new and advanced technology as a means to recruit, communicate discreetly, target their rivals and perpetuate their criminal activity.”
Facebook has become the preferred method for gang members to communicate according to the FBI. “The proliferation of social networking websites has made gang activity more prevalent and lethal – moving gangs from the streets to cyberspace,” says the FBI.
Arming Your Human Resources Department
Much of the solution lies in ensuring Human Resources procedures are effective. Of course, background checks and screening procedures are vital but is there more to be done to detect a potential criminal trying to infiltrate your workforce? The first thing to keep in mind – you get what you pay for and being lax can cost you.
Local criminal checks are almost worthless; however, a full criminal screening can pay off. In addition, many applicants may have earned their GED in prison, with some digging, their history can be discovered.
Many companies cut corners and haphazardly follow procedures when screening applicants not realizing dealing with the aftermath can result in costing more when you compare it to properly vetting applicants the first time around.
Additionally, letting your applicants know you will be conducting a thorough background, previous employment, driving records, verifying degrees, criminal record check, and reference checks can also discourage many applicants from pursuing the position in the first place, which ultimately saves your company time and costs associated with the screening process.
What is important to consider is applying an effective screening procedure to contractors, consultants and temporary employees depending upon how much access they may be granted, as well as, the time they will be spending at your company.
Trusting a “temp agency” is conducting the appropriate background checks is a potential liability for your company.
Educating your employees on how to spot gang activity and how to handle it is crucial. Some companies have found having training sessions and employee meetings add to their success combatting gangs in the workplace.
Experts agree loyalty to gangs overrides loyalty to an employer. Even though they may try hard to blend in they may still slip occasionally and there are some recommendations or even subtle things to monitor.
Does your employee reside in a known gang area?
Is your employee responsible? Too much time on the phone or arrive late?
Does your employee go by a nickname and have nicknames for friends?
Do the clothes, colors or insignias stay consistent?
Does your employee have visitors at work, friend or family?
Have you noticed any graffiti in or around your workplace?
Does your employee use verbal, hand or walking mannerisms that could be associated with gang activity?
Is your employee on parole or probation?
Being a girlfriend of a gang member or being a current or former gang member is not against the law, but it could be a sign of other activity that could be detected if your HR department is cognizant of the many issues that face companies if infiltrated.
Using Private Investigators to Combat Gang Intrusion in the Workplace
Private investigators are a commonly used tool in the arsenal to combat “gang intrusion” along with malingering, theft or fraud in the workplace.
Along with surveillance and providing evidence, they can also evaluate your HR department’s policy and procedures through undercover placement or working along with the HR department to tighten up the reigns to reduce incidents of crime.
Many times, it is recommended to have a private investigator apply for employment without informing anyone in your company to best determine where weaknesses exist in the hiring process. Were all the references called? What questions were asked? Were the proper background checks completed?
It may be necessary to start at the beginning of the hiring process. In addition, private investigators can be placed in certain departments where there have been discrepancies identified to collect evidence admissible in a Court of law. It is an extra layer of protection when investigating activities at your company without violating privacy laws.
When a company suspects criminal activity, it is advantageous to hire a professional who will work with police if the legitimate criminal activity is, in fact, detected. Abuse of sick leave or malingering costs companies billions of dollars a year. This is enough to warrant the hiring of a private detective to legally document the behavior.
From filming a guy talking about starting his new business and hinting at using the employer’s database, to a meat manufacturing plant taking a cut of the supplier’s delivery, to the employee watching porn on the company computers, a private investigator can take the care needed to conduct an internal investigation legally, ultimately protecting your company and saving you a lot of money.
Natalie Bollinger found shot to death on December 29, 2017.
An arrest has been made in the murder of Natalie Bollinger, 19, who was found shot to death in a wooded area of Adams County, Colorado, on December 29, 2017, approximately 26 hours after she had been reported missing.
Joseph Lopez, 22 was arraigned and formally charged on Wednesday, February 13, 2018. Lopez was charged with first degree murder after deliberation.
Lopez, a resident of Northglenn, Colorado, was arrested on the evening of the February 8, 2018 after an interview with Adams County Sheriff’s investigators. His claims regarding the alleged motive are described as shocking.
Investigators stated Lopez claims he did not see Bollinger die, changed his story to “she committed suicide”, then changed his story again, claiming she had solicited someone to kill her/help her commit suicide on Craigslist.
According to an arrest affidavit, Lopez told investigators he met Bollinger on December 28, 2017 after responding to a Craigslist ad entitled, “I Want to Put a Hit on Myself.” This ad was in the “Women Seeking Men” section of the online marketplace website. He claims he met Bollinger for the first time that day.
Bollinger’s autopsy report states Bollinger died from a gunshot wound to her head, noting she had a lethal level of heroin in her blood. The medical examiner found fresh needle marks on her arms.
Adams County Sheriff Michael McIntosh announced the arrest during a Friday news conference, referencing Lopez as the sole suspect advising, “Just because we have a suspect in custody, doesn’t mean the investigation is over.”
Jasmine Moody, 22, vanished on December 4, 2014, during a visit to Detroit, Michigan
In late November 2014, Jasmine, a Texas Woman’s University honor roll student, went to visit a friend in Detroit, Michigan. She disappeared, December 4, 2014, at approximately 7:30 p.m. leaving her friend’s home, around the 3700 block of Baldwin. This location is situated in the Van Dyke and Mack area of Detroit. Her disappearance has baffled police and her family is convinced foul play is involved.
Moody was scheduled to return home to Texas on December 5, 2014
According to a Detroit Fox 2 report, “Mystery of what happened to Jasmine Moody continues 1 year later,” private investigator Scott Lewis said, “It was a December night, it was cold outside, 7:30 at night.” Lewis was hired by Moody’s family in a desperate search to find her. “Jasmine left the home with no tablet, no telephone, no money, no credit card, dressed in a sweatshirt. And she’s never been seen again,” Lewis added.
Moody was wearing a white hoodie with a burgundy “University of Texas” logo on the front and blue jeans.
“I thought she went for a walk. I went for a walk to grab a cigarette and came back, but Jasmine didn’t,” her friend Brittany Gurley told Detroit News. “I don’t know anything. I went searching myself and came up with literally nothing,” she said.
Internet Relationship
During mid-2014, while living in Texas, Jasmine had pursued an Internet relationship with Brittany Gurley who lived in Detroit. She decided to travel to Gurley to spend the Thanksgiving holiday, arriving on November 25th. She had visited Gurley at her east side residence in Detroit several times before.
The girls had met on Twitter and had a romantic relationship for approximately two years.
Moody was scheduled to return to Texas December 5th. Gurley stated, “She and Moody got into a fight over a Facebook post.” She continues on claiming Moody “stormed” out of the house. Gurley went out for a cigarette and when she returned several minutes later, Moody was gone. The following day, Moody’s mother Fa’Lisa Nichols desperately tried calling Moody but there was no answer. The calls became more frantic as Nichols talked to her daughter every day on the phone.
Moody’s mother did not know her daughter was missing until a week later because Gurley and her family never called her to inform her of the incident. Nichols believes Gurley knows more than she has told police.
In November 2015, Moody’s mother along with Moody’s stepfather Patrick Kidd went to Detroit and joined volunteers who searched a mile radius around the location where Moody was last seen, hoping someone would come forward with information.
“It’s been a year,” said Kidd, Jasmine’s stepfather, “I haven’t heard her voice. I don’t know if she is alive or if she is dead.”
Moody’s parents have gone to Detroit several times to search for their daughter. Photo courtesy of Detroit News 7.
Morton is not alone in her assumption Gurley is hiding information about Moody’s disappearance.When Fox 2 Detroit News asked a volunteer, Chelsea Morton, if they felt Gurley had something do to with Moody’s disappearance she responded, “Of course. How could she just walk out in the cold? No shoes, no phone, no nothing.”
“Someone knows,” said Malik Shabazz, a community activist. “I believe the people in that house right there,” as he pointed to Britney Gurley’s family’s home.
Moody is described as a stable young lady by her parents. During an interview with Tamara Thompson of “Real Talk with Tamara,” Nichol’s was asked if she felt her daughter’s disappearance is suspicious. “I do, I do. I do feel it was suspicious. If she was the type who ran away or disappeared from time to time, I might not be as worried as I am right now. But that doesn’t describe her at all . . . so, with that being said, it is suspicious,” said Nichols.
Nichol’s and her daughter spoke every day on the phone. “This is just not right. I know something is just not right,” Nichol’s said.
Days pass, months, now years – for a mother desperate to know what happened to her daughter.
Moody’s phone, laptop and everything she had with her was found at the home of Gurley. “Jasmine would go nowhere without her phone,” said Nichols.
Her mother had discouraged her from traveling to Detroit telling her daughter she had a bad feeling. Moody responded, “Mom, you are so dramatic!”According to family, Moody knew no one else in Detroit and would have felt uncomfortable alone; therefore, she would not have left on foot.
It has now been three years without hearing her daughter’s voice. “It just hurts me to know somewhere out there knows something and people can be so cruel and sleep at night and know someone is hurting over their loved one,” said Nichols, “I know something has happened to her.”
Gurley’s friends and her family have not cooperated with police according to Nichols. In fact, when Nichols called and spoke to Gurley’s mother to ask what happened with her daughter the night Moody disappeared, Nichols believes their stories sounded rehearsed.
“Somebody did something. Her mother knows something,” said Nichols. “This has gone on way too long.”
Nichols describes a very close relationship with her daughter and having a very disturbing experience the night Moody vanished. While sleeping, the night of December 4th, Nichols suddenly awoke and heard her daughter’s voice say, “Help me, Momma.” The following day she couldn’t dismiss the feeling and arrived at work with tears in her eyes. She called her daughter’s phone. No answer.
Nichols describes that day beginning a 3 year nightmare and turning her entire life upside down.
Nichols claims, “In the beginning, the detectives from the Detroit Police Department did not stay in touch regarding the case. No updates, no return calls and they had not even entered Moody’s information into the FBI National Crime Information Center (NCIC) correctly. Since then, a new detective was assigned who calls to check in and has been very responsive making each passing day “not knowing” a little easier.
Where is the attention?
A young black woman goes missing. Where is the national media attention? Moody’s disappearance generated some local media attention initially; however, no mention on national news.
Families of African American Missing feel the disparity and claims it is nothing new. With the help of Black and Missing, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit, Moody was profiled in the November 2015 issue of Essence Magazine, “Bring Her Home for the Holidays: Jasmine Moody.”
In comparison to other missing person cases such as Natalie Holloway, Chandra Levy, and Laci Peterson, the news media coverage has been minimal.
Black and Missing Foundation works with the families of the missing, media and law enforcement nationwide to ensure equal attention and resources are available to every black missing adult and child. The nonprofit has become well-known for addressing the disproportionate amount of media attention and cited in hundreds of articles throughout the United States.
According to statistics on the Black and Missing website, as of 2011, there were 692,944 entries of missing persons in the FBI’s NCIC system, of that 33% were black missing persons totaling 229,736.
There is a $2,500 reward offered for information leading to the whereabouts of Jasmine Moody and the prosecution of anyone involved in her disappearance. If anyone has information about the whereabouts of Jasmine Moody, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.
Reality of Sex Trafficking and Kidnapping in the US:
Corinna Slusser Missing Since 2017
Corinna Slusser was last seen in New York City in September 2017
Corinna Slusser, 19, was last seen at the Haven Motel in Queens, New York the morning of September 20, 2017. New York Police Department (NYPD) fears she was kidnapped by a sex trafficking ring and friends and family fear the worst.
According to relatives, in early 2017, Slusser had dropped out of her Bloomberg, Pennsylvania high school and moved to New York City with a 32-year old man she had hoped was giving her a “fresh start.”
Police instead suspect the man, turned “pimp”, lured her into prostitution.
Police fear Corinna Slusser has been kidnapped into a sex trafficking ring
The pimp, whose name has been withheld by police, was arrested and held on a $1000 bond.
Court documents revealed on August 25, 2017, police had responded to a 911 call at 1:15 am from the Harlem Vista Hotel and found Slusser “crying and shaking”. She told officers her pimp had stolen $300 from her while she was in the shower. He began strangling her when she confronted him, slamming her against the wall, making it hard for her to breathe.
The court issued a temporary “Order of Protection” to Slusser and a copy was mailed to the address she listed on file at her mother’s home back in Pennsylvania.
Slusser’s mother, Sabina Tuorto, opened the mail to find a copy of the order several days later. Fearfully, she called her daughter to ask what was going on; however, Slusser told her mother not to worry.
When Slusser did not show up at her grandfather’s funeral in Florida, her family reported her missing on September 12th.
On September 20th, an anonymous individual called the NYPD and told them Slusser had been seen leaving a hotel in Queens. Police have confirmed; however, she has not been seen since, elevating concerns of family and police.
Mysterious Instagram Post
On September 10th, Slusser posted a puzzling message and mysterious photograph on Instagram featuring a young woman wearing a black baseball cap and smoking a joint in the middle of heavy traffic on a city street. It was her last post since she was reported missing.
An avid social media user, Corinna Slusser’s last Instagram post on September 10, 2017
NYPD’s Vice Human Trafficking Team fear Slusser has been kidnapped by a sex-trafficking ring and passed to different pimps since her disappearance. Investigators suspect sex-traffickers kidnapped Slusser after she reported her pimp to police, a rule not to be broken in the underground world of sex-trafficking.She tagged the picture, “The Bronx”, but friends and family both have said the picture looks like it was taken somewhere in South America rather than New York.
Prior to her disappearance, a cheerleader and popular student in high school with future dreams of becoming a makeup artist, Slusser suddenly moved out of her mother’s home at age 17 and dropped out of school. While staying at a friend’s home near her mother, Slosser began suffering from depression and attempted suicide. While recovering in the hospital, she met the man who lured her to New York in March.
While in New York, Slusser sent home photographs of her new apartment in the Bronx telling family she was working “customer service” on weekends.
According to Slusser’s aunt Becker-Calfa, Slusser’s social media posts were becoming more provocative and inappropriate.
She told Oxygen, “People have come forward saying she was boasting that she was making a lot of money doing things called dinner dates but saying there was no sex involved – that was when she first moved out there – and that meant they were just paying to take her to dinner. [Police] believe that escalated into actually being a call girl. She was still being treated well and apparently was able to get her own apartment. When she wanted to go home the next day, that was when they believe she was abducted.”
On October 10th, Slusser’s mother posted a plea on Facebook, “My daughter was a great student, a cheerleader. She had many friends and lived her life as a normal teenager. I need her home and I can’t bear any more days like this, I fear the worst, but I pray for the best and her return home.”
A source told Daily News, “There is no indication she is subject to foul play,” but added nothing is certain. Slusser’s name has come up in several vice investigations giving some hope she is still out there.
As an avid social media user, there have been no posts from Slusser since September 2017.
The Toll of Human and Sex Trafficking
Human trafficking is defined as the exchange of money for services that have been obtained by force, fraud or coercion. There is little to no difference in the definition of sex trafficking.
Thomas Lauth, CEO of Lauth Investigations International, has worked missing persons, human and sex-trafficking cases for over twenty years. “Human trafficking is a hidden crime because victims are often afraid to come forward,” said Lauth. “They fear the wrath of the traffickers and may also fear law enforcement.”
A sex-trafficking victim profiled in a BBC report, “Shandra Woworuntu: My life as a sex trafficking victim,” had arrived in the U.S. hoping to start a new career in the hotel industry. Instead, she was trafficked into prostitution, sexual slavery, forced drug-ingestion and extreme violence.
Shandra Woworuntu, a human sex trafficking survivor now runs Mentari, helping other survivors.
“Customer service is the key to this job, I was told,” said Woworuntu. A graduate of finance, she passed the tests for employment and accepted the job working in the U.S. for $5,000 per month.
“I arrived at JFK airport with four other women and a man and we were divided into two groups. Johnny took all my documents, including my passport, and led me to his car with two other women,” said Woworuntu.
The driver proceeded to take her to another driver, they exchanged money and demanded they switch cars. This happened three more times. They were taken to a house where they were exchanged, yet again, to a driver with a gun.
“After just a few hours in the U.S. I was forced to have sex,” Woworuntu said. “I did what I was told.”
The traffickers who participated in Woworuntu’s kidnapping were American, Indonesian, Taiwanese, and Malaysian Chinese. One man even had a police badge though she does not know to this day if he was really an official.
She was then taken up and down I-95, to various brothels, apartment buildings, hotels and casinos on the East coast. Woworuntu said, “I was rarely in the same place, and I never knew where I was going.”
The traffickers made her take drugs like meth, cocaine and weed at gunpoint, along with alcohol. Some customers were violent, white guys, black guys, Hispanics guys, old men and even university students.
The traffickers had told Woworuntu she had to pay back $30,000 before freedom would be granted. She would have to service, at least, 300 men to afford this amount. She felt hopeless.
With all the strength she could muster, Woworuntu found an opportunity to escape. She went to police as well as the Indonesian consulate but received no help. She found herself sleeping on the Staten Island Ferry, the NYC Subway and Times Square when a man listened to her story and called the FBI.
Eventually, “Johnny” and others were arrested due to Woworuntu’s testimony. Several other women were freed because of Woworuntu’s courage.
The rest of the story is now history and Woworuntu is a success story. “The FBI connected me with Safe Horizon, an organization in New York that helps victims of crime and abuse, including survivors of human trafficking,” said Woworuntu.
The group helped her get housing and secure a job. For her cooperation with the FBI, she was granted permanent residency.
Now, 17 years later, Woworuntu runs Mentari, a Human Trafficking Survivor and Empowerment program.
The organization offers:
Art Projects
Career Coaching
Children’s Educational Books
Culinary Art Training
Mentorship
Survivor Leadership
Peer to Peer Support
Policy Advocacy
Support Groups
Training and Lectures
Job Assistance
Transitional Housing (planning)
“When we find victims of sex-trafficking, ensuring they have the proper resources gives them a better chance at overcoming the trauma of being a victim,” says Lauth. “Programs like Mentari are giving victims a fighting chance.”
As a private investigator, there are certain covert tools–spy tools–you must have under your belt in order to complete missions in a safe and efficient manner. Let’s face it, the job comes with a lot of risks. Tact, stealth, cleverness and a keen eye are just a few of the traits required. In many cases, simply relying on your instincts alone just doesn’t cut it.
Not to worry, though, Lauth Investigations International, Inc. has you covered! Below are the 5 most important spy tools we, at Lauth, believe every private investigator should have if they plan on creating a career in the business.
Camcorders
Camcorders are an investigator’s best friend. They’re probably one of the first spy tools you should purchase. They’re not only great because they provide proof of illegal activity, but they can also be used for surveillance as well. What’s even better, there are several different types of cameras and a myriad of options to choose from.
The three main types of cameras you will need include: 1) a digital camera to record interviews, stakeouts, etc. 2) a concealed camera for more covert missions and 3) a dashboard camera to make your surveillance vehicle even more of a spy tool.
Digital Cameras – Handheld digital cameras have gotten smaller over the years and with features like optical zoom and night-time recording being improved with every new model, it’s easier than ever for private investigators to get the evidence they need.
The camera you pick doesn’t have to be complicated. The main features you need to ensure your camera has is a long optical zoom and high ISO settings. Optical zoom provides clear pictures and videos when zooming in because the lens physically moves closer towards your target. Note: optical zoom is different from digital zoom, which is a feature where the electronics in the camera magnifies the image by increasing the pixels seen on the screen, creating a more distorted picture as you zoom in. Without getting too technical, ISO is a feature used to enhance the brightness of the image you see on the screen, making it easier to capture usable pictures and videos in the dark.
Concealed Cameras – What about the situations where you can’t be parading around with a camera? You’re going to need a spy tool to capture footage discreetly. Luckily, there are several mini cameras available that are camouflaged as regular objects, making them hard to detect. Some of these cameras can even be worn on your person without looking obvious, such as spy cameras inside baseball caps and glasses. Others look like chargers, outlets and fire detectors, just to name a few, which can be used to capture footage without you ever being in the room.
Dashboard Camera – Now, you may be thinking of police vehicles when you hear dashboard camera; however, they can also be of benefit to private investigators. While on the road, a dash cam provides a hands-free solution for capturing videos when you need to focus on driving. Not to mention those long stressful stake outs. With a dash cam, you have an extra eye to cover you in case you happen to miss something.
Surveillance Vehicle
Another spy tool you should consider investing in is a surveillance vehicle. You’re going to be spending a lot of time on the road and you will need a quick, convenient way to get around town. The vehicle you choose for surveillance is one of the most important spy tools potentially making or breaking your investigation.
When choosing a vehicle, bare in mind you need to appear inconspicuous. In fact, it’s best to pick a forgettable vehicle in the general area you plan on conducting the majority of your investigations. You do not want something sticking out like a sore thumb.
Think about the most common make and color of vehicles you most often see in your area and select a similar one. Remember, if you can’t decide on a color, you can never go wrong with silver.
A few other things you will want to consider is the size of the vehicle, how comfortable it feels to you, the amount of miles to the gallon and the amount of tint on the windows.
Larger vehicles are easier to spot while smaller ones are easier to maneuver as well as fit into tight spaces. However, a particular kind of vehicle may work in one area and fail in another depending on the kind of people Living in the neighborhood, so again, be sure to look around you and take notes before making your decision.
The vehicle you select must be comfortable as well because you will be seated in there for hours at a time. Not only when driving, but also during stakeouts. Consider the kind of material used in the interior and the amount of space inside.
Voice Recorder
Voice recorders are great for capturing conversations which will come in come in handy later down the line, whether it be getting a confession out of someone or helping with notes. Just like camcorders, voice recorders come in very small sizes.
Since this is a spy tool, we suggest getting one of the voice recorders disguised as everyday items such as a lighter, usb drive or even a pen. A lot of the models out there now are almost impossible to detect!
GPS Car Tracker
All too often Private Investigators get distraught clients who are worried about their husbands cheating. A GPS car tracker can discover the husband’s whereabouts without staking him out. It’s also useful to pick up on suspicious behavior as most GPS trackers can store a long history, which can be used to pick up a change in regular patterns and routines.
Personal Protection
The last type of spy tools you will need as a private investigator are a set of very important tools. Spy tools for your personal protection. The truth is your job doesn’t come without risks. You may be investigating a criminal which has the potential to be very dangerous.
We recommend you at least have pepper spray on you when conducting an investigation. However, a great tool to consider investing in for your safety is the Olympian 3 in one self-defense. It comes equipped with pepper spray, a stealth stun gun and a flashlight for those night time missions. You can find this and other great spy tools online at the PI Mall website.
Conclusion
All of these spy tools are important if you’re looking to become a more efficient private investigator. Take the time to build up your tool kit. Trust us, it will be worth the investment. Every case is different so be sure to choose the right tools for your particular investigation.
Thank you for taking the time out to read this article. We hope this list has you helped you. Let us know which tool on the list you think is the most important. If there are any important spy tools we missed be sure to leave them in the comments. Lauth Investigations is always looking for new tools to assist us in our investigations. www.lauthinveststg.wpengine.com
When investing in a new market, there is always an inherent risk. However, when you are doing business in an emerging market, this risk is amplified greatly, as is the feeling of uncertainty you may have before taking the plunge. There are a lot of reasons why emerging markets are attractive right now: with the globalized world, increasing your reach to be more international is a strategic and sometimes necessary move. Emerging markets can often offer you with economic opportunities that are unheard of domestically, and offer you somewhat uncharted territory to expand and grow. However, in doing this, there are a lot of things to take into consideration. You need to know what exists already in the market, what your contribution is going to signify, and, perhaps most importantly, who you are working with.
Emerging markets, including Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Hungary, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey, offer great opportunities. However, when it comes to entering into business with someone who already lives or works in the emerging market in question, or investing in these foreign stock markets, there are obvious questions that arise. First of all, this person is possibly not from the same culture, and does not conduct business the same way. Second, this person is assumed to be physically far from you, so the ability to work with them face-to-face may be impossible. Third, because of the different laws, processes, and infrastructure in the foreign country, it may be harder for you to “check out” the person properly before you begin working.
This is why so many people turn to private investigators to help them research their potential partners before entering into an emerging market. This blog post outlines 3 specific things that a private investigator can help you discover and understand before going into business with someone- things you probably cannot figure out for yourself.
Is Your Plan Really Possible? Sometimes we have an idea, and it seems possible, and even plausible, because we are working on incorrect context. Unfortunately, this is often the case with people who want to invest in emerging markets. We often think that we have an understanding of how life and business works in a foreign place, but in reality, we are acting on stereotypes or misconceptions. Something that a private investigator can help you do is to give you appropriate context to decide if an investment is actually a good idea. A PI that specializes in the region you are hoping to invest can give you an idea of how things work in the area, and how the reality might be different from your ideas or preconceptions. Common misconceptions could be: -What government of the country you are hoping to invest in is like, and how it might interfere with your plans. -Whether or not outside investors will be allowed to participate in the investment at all. -How the foreign currency operates and how it will hold up in the future.
Is the Deal What You Really Think It Is? Another issue when it comes to doing business in an emerging market is communication. In order to make a smart and productive decision, you need to have access to all of the necessary information to make sure you know exactly what you are getting into. This can be difficult in countries that have less resources available. An emerging market country may have loose accounting standards and less publicized information in general, which will make getting the information you need more difficult. In addition to that, the information may be in a different language, and will be according to the laws and codes of that specific country. All of these differences can add up and make it very difficult to get the information you need quickly and efficiently in a standard investment. Communication issues are prevalent even in situations where everything is correct, but in the case that you are faced with a fraudulent or corrupt investment, it is even more difficult to discover the fraud because of all of these practical differences between countries. This is why many people hire a private investigator before making a decision in an emerging market, to protect their assets and make sure they know exactly who and what they are working with.
Is the Market Really There For You? Lastly, many people make mistakes in emerging market deals because they overestimate the opportunity that is available in the market. Most of the time, this means that people are choosing the wrong time to invest. Emerging markets follow very different trends than stocks in developed countries, and you need to be sure that what looks like a good investment actually is. Getting stuck with an investment that quickly falls apart, or one that you have a hard time liquidating in the future, can be just as deadly to your prospects as getting involved in business with a corrupt investor. This is why it is always best to hire a private investigator that specializes in emerging market analysis before you invest. If you are looking for a PI to help you make your emerging market investment decisions, consider Lauth Investigations. You can learn more here!
Joseph Lopez, 22 was arraigned and formally charged on Wednesday, February 13, 2018. Lopez was charged with first degree murder after deliberation.
Adams County Sheriff Michael McIntosh announced the arrest during a Friday news conference, referencing Lopez as the sole suspect advising, “Just because we have a suspect in custody, doesn’t mean the investigation is over.”
Digital Cameras – 
Voice recorders are great for capturing conversations which will come in come in handy later down the line, whether it be getting a confession out of someone or helping with notes. Just like camcorders, voice recorders come in very small sizes.