Setting Up Surveillance- Is the Claimant Home?

I am doing a surveillance job for a workers' compensation case. (I'm fairly new to the business)

The objective is to observe/record the subject's activity level. I have a few small problems, though. First of all, after a day and a half of watching the residence, I have yet to see him come or go. When I had someone call the home tosee if he was there, they said he wasn't there "right now." The subject is not supposed to be working.

Is there a shortcut I might be missing? Is there a better pretext I could use?

I just don't want to go back to my client with an invoice for three days of surveillance without even knowing if the subject was even there. Any direction would be welcome and appreciated. -PB

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Brother, I know how it is, but if you have been faithfully out there, then there is not much more you can do. Some ideas are:

1.Put a "disabled" vehicle out there with a time lapse recorder.2. If don't have time lapse recorder, go at different times during the day and evening to document that you have attempted at all costs to locate him at home.3. Tell the Client you need more time. Surveillance is a touch and go business and he should understand.4. Try to retrieve his trash to establish this as a "residence".

Hope these help, if I can be of any further help, just holler. -ST

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First let me say that we do not do many WC investigations and in many cases were prohibited from pretexting. However, if you have some idea of who all lives in that residence, that will help you get a handle on if he is there. Example: if he lives alone or is not married and the phone is answered by a male he is home, if it is answered by a female chances are he is home.

What time you are setting up on him is also important. We at one point hade some surveillance and found that very early and very late didnt work. A check of the neighbors said that they lived there. We then found that mid-day was the time of activity and finally caught the subject going to work at 3.... she simply was working a 3-11 shift.

The pretext used is important and there are some on the list here who are phenomenal at pretexts.

Since this is a WC you are probably prohibited from doing a neighborhood survey and door knocking but I would put my mind to traps that can be used. Is there a car setting out. Go buy a cheap watch etc.

Just some thoughts. I am sure that some of the list members will have much better solutions. Best of luck. -BG

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We have done a lot of worker's compensation surveillance work. I've found one of the most effective ways to catch a SUBJECT is to get there early in the morning so you're sure he/she doesn't leave before you arrive4.. If he does, you can follow and find out if he's working somewhere else. A pretext I've often found to be very effective is the "oops, wrong number" pretext. just to find out if there is someone at the house. Of course you might not find out if your SUBJECT is there, but at least you won't be sitting on and "empty hole" from which the rabbit has already fled. -GG

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Never fun not knowing if they are home. If doing a worker's comp, Call the adjuster and find out when the next Doctor's appointment is; and do surveillance there to catch him. ALso, if doing a pretext call, make it someone they would want to talk to. My personal favorite is as a document courier with a package that must be signed by your claimant. Surprisingly it works. If all else fails, and this is a one time shot W/ NO CAMERA. go buy some candy cheap, gift, restaurant certificate and put on a pullover shirt with docker' and a clipboard with fictitious signatures and knock on the door and have a delivery to the claimant. Do not allow anyone else to sign for it. tell them you are new and the boss said the person listed has to sign. Greed ia a wonderful thing in our business, they will probably make him appear or tell you exactly when he will be there. If it is against the rules of your client....what they don't know won't hurt 'em, if no documented evidence occurs. -VC

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Everyone has really great ideas, but alas, I find fault with all of them, not completely but my two cents are as follows.Use an untraceable phone, call and ask for the person, IF he does answer, you know he's home. If you call and ask for him and anyone else answers that does not necessarily mean he is home (or even lives there) Hey, he might be on vacation or took a trip. If he answers the phone himself and you ask for him,her/ say something like "This is Mary White?" When your subjects name is Mary Trujillo. Oops, got the wrong Mary. Excuse the ring!

I found going out early does not always work.

I found that packages don't always work (but second choice though.)

The phone is elusive in that you can simply hang up.

Trash doesn't help, he shreds everything.

Time lapse takes to much time.

He gets his check at the address you believe he lives, BUT actually lives elsewhere........

Don't waste you time going back and forth several times during the day to document he was there or not. Like I said, he may not even live there. -BG