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In this article we will tell you how to properly set up surveillance and follow a person (pedestrian, car). But from the very beginning I want to touch on the issue of the legality of surveillance of a person. So, Article 5 of the law "on private detective and security activities in the Russian Federation" allows private detectives and detectives to conduct covert surveillance to obtain the necessary information. Along with oral questioning and inquiries.
Therefore, this article is aimed specifically at private detectives with a license for private detective activities. For everyone else, the article will be useful and interesting solely as a counter-surveillance measure.
It is necessary to follow people for a specific purpose:
A person performing surveillance should have, if possible: an inconspicuous appearance, a good memory, good endurance, steel self-control, lightning-fast reactions, 100% vision, excellent hearing, a pronounced ability to improvise and navigate the situation.
Considering that the periodic appearance of the same people can alert the target, it is necessary to alternate means of disguise - false glasses, bags and packages that can be removed, jackets that can be turned inside out, constantly updated headwear. It is necessary to remember that sometimes it is preferable to lose the target of surveillance than to be noticeable and ultimately be discovered.
How to establish surveillance?
In professional, high-class surveillance, as a rule, three to eight people and a number of cars participate. In each of the cars, there are usually two or three people, and it is desirable that one of them is a woman. The agents communicate with each other by means of radio communication (which is sometimes very difficult to do in public), simple remote control of local electric shocks, and, of course, by means of a special visual code thought out and discussed in advance.
All the signs of the code used in surveillance are oriented towards naturalness and in one of the advertised versions look, for example, like this:
Any encroachments of the object of surveillance and his contacts (route, car numbers, train schedule) are dictated, if possible, to a miniature pocket dictaphone, and after the surveillance is completed, they are meticulously written down on paper.
How to follow a person?
An agent conducting surveillance and surveillance must be able to spot his pursued object in a crowd of people and, guided by the data collected so far, know his daily wardrobe, gait, preferred routes, residential addresses (relatives, dacha, friends and acquaintances): typical daily routine, frequent contacts, brands, colors and numbers of cars used.
Surveillance of a person
Covert surveillance of a person of interest to you should be carried out with a specific task in mind, since a general attitude towards surveillance is less productive than a clearly defined task. The method of visual control depends significantly on your personal capabilities and the existing goal, as well as on the accompanying conditions, including the degree of alertness (sophistication) of the pursued object.
Surveillance methods when tracking a pedestrian
In a chain
Only 1 agent directly monitors the pursued object, and all the others are behind in an extended chain, with each subsequent agent orienting themselves by the previous one. Contact between the links of the agency is carried out by radio (preferably satellite) or visual code, and the distance between them depends on specific external factors (on empty, deserted streets - more, on fairly crowded ones - less ...). If the main lead agent is accidentally exposed, he must immediately give way to the second agent and, avoiding visual contact, use personal camouflage.
Double chain
This option is used on crowded streets with a large number of people, and is characterized by the fact that the trackers walk on both sides of the main road, occasionally crossing from one side to the other. Sometimes they can walk along parallel streets, marking the object of observation at street intersections and maintaining contact with the main agent by radio.
With advance
In this method, the trackers sometimes get ahead of the pursued object, which thus ends up between them, which provides the most dense, and therefore the most effective surveillance.
With connection
The pursuers occupy (usually transfer by transport) optimal places on the path of the expected movement of the object and actively join the surveillance at various points of its movement. This is advisable in situations where it is very difficult not to attract unnecessary, stranger attention.
Network
In unpleasant moments of sudden loss of the pursued object, the entire nearby area is covered by a ring, which after finding the cherished goal again stretches into the previous standard chain.
Tightly with backup
Being present in places with the greatest concentration of people (at train stations, in shopping centers, in subways or metro) you can not avoid approaching the pursued object closely, which is usually carried out by one or two agents, while others are outside and passively exercise control over all entrances and exits. Here, as always, it is not recommended to intersect with the observed eye.
One-time with transmission
An agent from the surveillance group enters a cafe, restaurant or pub together with the target, sits down not far from him and, without simply entering into any conversations, leaves the establishment immediately after him. After leaving, the target is “handed over” to other agents, and the controller who was spotted here is removed from the next surveillance, if possible.
Sometimes it happens that an experienced person tries to “check himself out”, trying to identify people who are constantly appearing nearby or to notice some strangeness in the actions of certain people around him, or some unnatural behavior. Counter surveillance is carried out with the involvement of another individual or without the help of others, using reflective surfaces (mirrors, shop windows), surveillance from buildings (from an apartment window or a stairwell), and simply through a reasonable turn of the head (examination of products on a tray, imitation of the loss of some important item).
Unusual behavior of neighbors is sometimes revealed by sharp "zigzags" of their movements (sudden changes in direction and pace; leaving the cinema hall at the beginning of the session) with the reaction of people around them noted.
Methods of surveillance when tracking a car
Surveillance of a moving car is essentially similar to watching a pedestrian. Here, as a rule, several cars are used, of different colors and dull appearance, some of which move along parallel streets and connect to the work situation using a radio. "Sitting on the tail" of the car driving in front is permissible only for hundreds, at most - a couple of thousand meters, after which it will be necessary to break away and connect to the surveillance of the next car. In order to avoid annoying surprises, you should know very well all the technical capabilities (turning radius and speed of acceleration), road characteristics of the road in a given section of the area, the level of professionalism and habits of the driver.
Car stalking
When a cautious target of surveillance is overly cautious or afraid of something, he may try to evade the expected control by using template techniques, for example: changing the rhythm, direction and type of movement; creating certain barriers behind him; lulling the vigilance of the followers.
Quite often, such tricks as:
If the object of surveillance suddenly disappears, it is advisable not to act without thinking, but to wait a little and take careful control of all possible places where he may appear.
Therefore, this article is aimed specifically at private detectives with a license for private detective activities. For everyone else, the article will be useful and interesting solely as a counter-surveillance measure.
It is necessary to follow people for a specific purpose:
- their detailed development for the intended recruitment, exposure (theft, espionage, treason), etc.;
- contact with the wanted person, who may have contact (or may have contact) with the object;
- detection of the object's like-minded people.
A person performing surveillance should have, if possible: an inconspicuous appearance, a good memory, good endurance, steel self-control, lightning-fast reactions, 100% vision, excellent hearing, a pronounced ability to improvise and navigate the situation.
Considering that the periodic appearance of the same people can alert the target, it is necessary to alternate means of disguise - false glasses, bags and packages that can be removed, jackets that can be turned inside out, constantly updated headwear. It is necessary to remember that sometimes it is preferable to lose the target of surveillance than to be noticeable and ultimately be discovered.
How to establish surveillance?
In professional, high-class surveillance, as a rule, three to eight people and a number of cars participate. In each of the cars, there are usually two or three people, and it is desirable that one of them is a woman. The agents communicate with each other by means of radio communication (which is sometimes very difficult to do in public), simple remote control of local electric shocks, and, of course, by means of a special visual code thought out and discussed in advance.
All the signs of the code used in surveillance are oriented towards naturalness and in one of the advertised versions look, for example, like this:
- "the object is standing" - arms crossed behind the back;
- “the object turned left” – the left hand rests on the left thigh;
- “the object turned to the right” – the right hand rests on the right thigh;
- “the object crosses the street” – half turn to the side with one arm bent at the chest;
- “the object has turned around and is walking in the opposite direction” – one hand is raised to the head;
- “the object is out of control” – both hands rise to the head;
- “I need to be changed” – a focused look at the watch with mock surprise.
Any encroachments of the object of surveillance and his contacts (route, car numbers, train schedule) are dictated, if possible, to a miniature pocket dictaphone, and after the surveillance is completed, they are meticulously written down on paper.
How to follow a person?
An agent conducting surveillance and surveillance must be able to spot his pursued object in a crowd of people and, guided by the data collected so far, know his daily wardrobe, gait, preferred routes, residential addresses (relatives, dacha, friends and acquaintances): typical daily routine, frequent contacts, brands, colors and numbers of cars used.
Surveillance of a person
Covert surveillance of a person of interest to you should be carried out with a specific task in mind, since a general attitude towards surveillance is less productive than a clearly defined task. The method of visual control depends significantly on your personal capabilities and the existing goal, as well as on the accompanying conditions, including the degree of alertness (sophistication) of the pursued object.
Surveillance methods when tracking a pedestrian
In a chain
Only 1 agent directly monitors the pursued object, and all the others are behind in an extended chain, with each subsequent agent orienting themselves by the previous one. Contact between the links of the agency is carried out by radio (preferably satellite) or visual code, and the distance between them depends on specific external factors (on empty, deserted streets - more, on fairly crowded ones - less ...). If the main lead agent is accidentally exposed, he must immediately give way to the second agent and, avoiding visual contact, use personal camouflage.
Double chain
This option is used on crowded streets with a large number of people, and is characterized by the fact that the trackers walk on both sides of the main road, occasionally crossing from one side to the other. Sometimes they can walk along parallel streets, marking the object of observation at street intersections and maintaining contact with the main agent by radio.
With advance
In this method, the trackers sometimes get ahead of the pursued object, which thus ends up between them, which provides the most dense, and therefore the most effective surveillance.
With connection
The pursuers occupy (usually transfer by transport) optimal places on the path of the expected movement of the object and actively join the surveillance at various points of its movement. This is advisable in situations where it is very difficult not to attract unnecessary, stranger attention.
Network
In unpleasant moments of sudden loss of the pursued object, the entire nearby area is covered by a ring, which after finding the cherished goal again stretches into the previous standard chain.
Tightly with backup
Being present in places with the greatest concentration of people (at train stations, in shopping centers, in subways or metro) you can not avoid approaching the pursued object closely, which is usually carried out by one or two agents, while others are outside and passively exercise control over all entrances and exits. Here, as always, it is not recommended to intersect with the observed eye.
One-time with transmission
An agent from the surveillance group enters a cafe, restaurant or pub together with the target, sits down not far from him and, without simply entering into any conversations, leaves the establishment immediately after him. After leaving, the target is “handed over” to other agents, and the controller who was spotted here is removed from the next surveillance, if possible.
Sometimes it happens that an experienced person tries to “check himself out”, trying to identify people who are constantly appearing nearby or to notice some strangeness in the actions of certain people around him, or some unnatural behavior. Counter surveillance is carried out with the involvement of another individual or without the help of others, using reflective surfaces (mirrors, shop windows), surveillance from buildings (from an apartment window or a stairwell), and simply through a reasonable turn of the head (examination of products on a tray, imitation of the loss of some important item).
Unusual behavior of neighbors is sometimes revealed by sharp "zigzags" of their movements (sudden changes in direction and pace; leaving the cinema hall at the beginning of the session) with the reaction of people around them noted.
Methods of surveillance when tracking a car
Surveillance of a moving car is essentially similar to watching a pedestrian. Here, as a rule, several cars are used, of different colors and dull appearance, some of which move along parallel streets and connect to the work situation using a radio. "Sitting on the tail" of the car driving in front is permissible only for hundreds, at most - a couple of thousand meters, after which it will be necessary to break away and connect to the surveillance of the next car. In order to avoid annoying surprises, you should know very well all the technical capabilities (turning radius and speed of acceleration), road characteristics of the road in a given section of the area, the level of professionalism and habits of the driver.
Car stalking
When a cautious target of surveillance is overly cautious or afraid of something, he may try to evade the expected control by using template techniques, for example: changing the rhythm, direction and type of movement; creating certain barriers behind him; lulling the vigilance of the followers.
Quite often, such tricks as:
- Long winding around in crowded places (clothing markets, metro, train stations).
- Using passageways, courtyards or apartments and other “back” entrances.
- Constant change of vehicles.
- Transfers in the metro from one line to another.
- Using labyrinth routes.
- A sudden acceleration after turning a corner with the intention of going significantly further than would be expected at a normal walking speed.
- Sudden abandonment of a moving vehicle.
- Unpredictable driving through a red traffic light or under a lowering railway barrier.
- Creating the impression among those accompanying you that you are moving in a well-known direction and then suddenly disappearing from the intended route.
- Entering and exiting public transport abruptly when its doors are closing.
- Changes in appearance and gait during short periods of justified evasion from visual control (in the entrance, in the toilet, with friends).
- Open aggression towards an identified agent with the prospect of inciting a public scandal.
If the object of surveillance suddenly disappears, it is advisable not to act without thinking, but to wait a little and take careful control of all possible places where he may appear.
