Unlike accident injury or domestic cheating partner surveillance, investigative surveillance can take weeks to gather the necessary evidence for the client. Deploying more than our usual three-man team and being prepared to change the team over the period. This type of surveillance is often lengthy and at the same time costly for the client, that is why we always stick to our hourly rates, but you must remember you cannot make surveillance happen !
Surelock has carried out numerous successful investigative or corporate surveillance operations, either for private clients, law firms or indeed the authorities, where we gather evidence of wrong doings in order that appropriate action can be taken, often resulting in the arrest of offenders or other legal proceedings.
Core Surveillance Methods
• Static Surveillance: Long-term observation of a fixed point - such as a building, doorway, or vehicle - used to monitor who visits, when they arrive, and how long they stay.
• Mobile & Foot Surveillance: Following a subject dynamically through public places, vehicle traffic, or pedestrian areas, often using multiple operatives in coordination to maintain uninterrupted contact.
• Electronic & Technical Surveillance: Deploying tools such as high-resolution optical-zoom cameras, timestamped video recorders, audio devices, or GPS vehicle trackers.
• Digital & OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence): Monitoring a subject’s public-facing digital footprint, social media activity, and online behavior patterns for inconsistencies.
• Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM): Sweeping environments to detect and neutralize unauthorized listening devices, hidden cameras, or rogue GPS units.
Evidence Produced
• Timestamped Audio-Visual Footage: Unedited video and photo evidence with embedded metadata proving a subject's presence, actions, or physical capabilities at a specific date and time.
• Chronological Logs: Detailed written field notes recording minute-by-minute movements, interactions, and environmental conditions.
• Digital & Financial Trails: Corroborated records linking online habits, communications, or asset movements to physical observations.
Common Uses
• Insurance & Injury Fraud: Documenting a claimant’s actual physical capabilities versus reported limitations.
• Corporate Investigations: Investigating employee misconduct, theft of intellectual property, or breach of non-compete agreements.
• Civil & Family Law: Assisting in cohabitation disputes, divorce/infidelity inquiries, or child-welfare assessments.
• Litigation Support: Securing verifiable proof to support legal arguments or cross-examinations in court.
About Investigative Surveillance
What is investigative surveillance?
Surveillance carried out by an experienced team to gather specific evidence or intelligence to prove a specific crime, for this type of surveillance we often have to use a larger team so as not to be compromised.
Is surveillance legal?
It is particularly important for this type of surveillance conducted in a public place, to be in accordance with RIPA.
Although as a private company this is not actually necessary, it is best practice. It may be necessary to follow the subject for a long period of time, whilst in a public place, on foot, in a vehicle, on public transport, entering shopping malls, pubs and restaurants. It is very important to identify people they meet and if possible, record the conversations, but sometimes they meet with people who have nothing to do with the assignment, care must be taken not to identify them, the same with children. The camera never lies!
What is the purpose of this surveillance?
A full briefing from the client is essential to establish what they are trying to prove and to ensure this is legal and in accordance with privacy laws and data protection - the Human Rights Act 1998, Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Specialist Equipment
Our teams use the most up-to-date equipment that can be covertly installed in a vehicle or body worn, so as not to identify them. On occasions we have used drone technology on premises that are not easily viewed, with aerial images observing exactly what they are doing, this was praised by the Police team we were working with.
Assignments
Some assignments can literally go on for weeks, following the same people around for hours on end, from the moment they leave home in the morning until they return in the evening. It is therefore essential there is no compromise, this is why we would need to use sufficient operatives, to cover any eventuality. If a crime is suspected, it is possible to use a tracking device, but great care must be taken to ensure it is legal and only used as an aid to actual surveillance – Surveillance is not easy and definitely not like you see on TV.
What intelligence / evidence do we supply?
With all our surveillance operations, we supply a detailed log of events that show the movements, people they meet, times and places, captured by camera, we can also supply an unedited copy of this recording. Our evidence can be used in any legal proceedings, and the operatives attend court on your behalf. We often keep clients up to date by sending images via WhatsApp.
What are the costs?
We work strictly to an hourly rate, our costs are £70 per hour per operative, plus travel, mileage and necessary expenses, so an average day’s surveillance for a three-man team would cost £2100.00 which is well within the norm for this type of work.
What should I do next?
If you have any fears do not hesitate to contact us, we will discuss all the options, so you know the costs and exactly what is involved. Surveillance is not easy, it has to be intelligence led, we will always strive to offer the best possible service. Ron Harrison, our MD, has over 50 years of experience in this type of work so there are not many situations we have not successfully dealt with.
Learn more about Surelock.
Looking for more information? Contact Surelock today!
If you would like to know more about Investigative / Corporate Surveillance and how this could benefit your business, our team can help! Get in touch today for more information or to arrange this specialist service! We’re only a phone call away and can’t wait to hear from you, we are happy to discuss your needs and offer the best possible solutions.
C: www.surelock.org/contact-us
T: 0333 6000 300
