I have always thought that the Yelp “model” works more or less for high volume businesses such as restaurants where over time fairness and averages reflect consumer experience. Where Yelp tends to fail is with service businesses such as ours. Keep in mind that for employing private investigators, not a lot of consumers want to […]
(The following is part of a chapter from my book draft Private Eye Confidential. I reflect on where I have been because it has shaped the person and private investigator I am today.) With my right arm in a cast up to my shoulder, I tooled around on my Honda 400 motorcycle on the night […]
For the last few months I have been writing a short book that will likely be published in the not too distant future by a small professional publishing venture. I’m excited and enjoyed writing and trying to organize stories and lessons I’ve learned on the job the last 17 years and more. Here is a […]
On Monday, two incidents came up that involved the same subject. The one was international and macro, the Boston Marathon bombing, and the other was micro,my new case of a client robbed at gunpoint in Oakland’s Glenview district. Video surveillance, or lack thereof, link the two. Authorities identified the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing […]
Strangers often help, comfort and protect accident victims I’ve investigated traffic accidents for about 15 years for personal injury lawyers. You name it, I’ve had it. I’ve had bike on pedestrian, car on car, car on pedestrian, truck v. pedestrian, truck v bike, even bike v bike and all permutations of motorcycle v everything. It’s […]
I used to do surveillance in this…. I started in the business in 1994-1995 in the San Francisco Bay Area driving a 1970s Dodge Dart that I bought for $500 from a guy I used to see play guitar in a blues band at Eli’s Mile High Club in Oakland. I bought the car […]
Being an effective private investigator means knowing how to blend. In certain neighborhoods there is no better prop than man’s best friend. Over the years I have used my pooch on several cases. Just last month Agent Daisy notched a crucial serve of legal papers. The attorneys came to me after Garden Variety Process Server […]
“All that is necessary for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing.” Sam still thinks his son is out there, a happy boy named Jason. Sam, an apartment manager from San Francisco, is 63 years old and sounds intelligent, vulnerable and naive all at the same time. He has viewed internet photos of […]
PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS v. PROCESS SERVERS … Virtually anyone can become a working California registered process serverwith $250. and a few free hours. State licensed private investigatorseither have law enforcement backgrounds or 6,000 hours of qualifiedexperience working as a private investigator. Private investigators aretrained professionals who are state-tested in “process service” and on their“knowledge of laws […]
My apologies for taking a leave from my beloved blog. I have had a paid advertising arrangement the last 12 months with Alive East Bay magazine. The contract is over so I can return to Private Eye Confidential. Alive proved a good outlet for introducing a new audience to what we do as private investigators. […]
