by Jamersons | Jun 21, 2025 | missing persons
We find missing persons. Police usually deal with cases of missing vulnerable persons, such as children the elderly and those with disabilities. However, capable adults are perfectly entitled to disappear without notice if they choose, and many do.
Some of the more common reasons for adults to go missing include relationship difficulties, mental health problems, drugs, or just a desire for a fresh start.
Private investigators are often retained by parents and other family members wanting to trace a missing son, daughter, or parents. Approximately 180,000 missing persons cases are reported every year in the UK.
The success of a missing persons case often depends on the information the investigator can obtain on the individual. Knowledge of their physical appearance is obviously important, but this is little use on its own without knowledge of the missing person's friends, family, hobbies, hangouts and personality type.
by Jamersons | Jun 20, 2025 | Background Checks, Due Diligence, Research
We carry out research on people and property. This is sometimes referred to as ‘Due Diligence,’ ‘Vetting,’ or ‘Background Checking.’ In plain English, due diligence means doing your homework.
Some of the questions commonly asked by during this process include:
"Are the company's assets valued correctly and fairly?"
"Are there any hidden liabilities?"
"Are profits going up or down?"
"Does the business have a healthy cash flow?"
Research can be requested for a variety of reasons. A business person may be considering a partnership with another professional and want to know that person’s financial standing and integrity. One business may be considering buying out another and they may require extensive details on company directors’, trademarks and business assets.
Another example may involve a medium size business wanting to vet a potential employee who, if hired, will have access to critical and confidential company data. The greater your knowledge, the lesser your risks.
by Jamersons | Jun 18, 2025 | Criminal Investigations
We investigate crimes, including burglary and theft. Crimes like these are usually reported to the police initially. However, common high volume crimes, such as burglary, frequently remain unsolved. National police data from 2013-2017 showed the number of suspects caught and punished for burglary had halved from 6% to 3%, with a total of almost 450,000 reported burglaries in the year 2017-18.
Private investigators also investigate more serious crimes, like murder and sexual assault. Again, this can be due to the victim's dissatisfaction with police efforts or due to a case being shelved by authorities due to the passage of time and a lack of leads.
If a member of the public feels that police can’t, or won’t, investigate further, they may retain the services of a private investigator or detective. P.I.’s can follow up on leads and locate potential witnesses, suspects and stolen goods. The end of the police investigation doesn’t mean the case is over.
by Jamersons | Jun 16, 2025 | Interviewing
We interview witnesses. A large part of any investigator’s or detective’s job involves interviewing people. This often takes place in a person’s home, workplace or at a police station. Interviews are frequently recorded and can result in a written statement signed and dated by the interviewee.
When dealing with compliant witnesses and suspects investigators typically employ cognitive interviewing methods. This involves the interviewee closing their eyes and recounting as much detail as possible, both in chronological and reverse-chronological order. Additional open questions, followed by closed questions, can then be asked. Leading questions should always be avoided.
Non compliant interviewees may not be suited to the above approach. In this case, the conversation management technique can be useful. This technique requires the interviewer to manage the flow and direction of the interview by asking probing, open ended questions and addressing doubts and inconsistencies in the interviewee's recall of events.
Private investigators don’t interrogate people. Their aim is to obtain the facts of the case in a respectful and non-oppressive fashion. Witness interviews are an important form of evidence in both civil and criminal proceedings. So…may I ask you a question…?
by Jamersons | Jun 15, 2025 | Court, Professional Witness
We give evidence in court. Private detectives frequently testify in front of judges’ and juries. We keep meticulous notes and records so that giving evidence in court goes as smoothly as possible. Our job is to report the facts to the court with accuracy and impartiality. This allows will enable your legal counsel to represent you to the best of their abilities.
Private detectives can be called to give evidence as ‘Expert Witnesses, though they are more commonly designated ‘Professional Witnesses.’ A professional witness helps the court establish the facts. They may be called to give first-hand oral evidence or be asked by the court to give their professional interpretation of the facts.
by Jamersons | Jun 14, 2025 | Debugging, Fraud, Prisons, Road Traffic Collisions, Tribunals
Private investigators also do a host of other things too numerous to list in full. Some of these activities may include mapping traffic accident scenes on behalf of insurers, investigating corporate fraud, debugging offices and homes, assisting prison inmates with appeals, working on employment tribunal cases, preventing IP theft and examining unsolved murders. So, what can we help you with today?