Patrick Kurtz, owner of Kurtz Detective Agency Munich, gave an interactive radio interview to reporter Monika Werner in the summer of 2015. Below is a transcript of Part 1 of this interview.

Modern Munich Detectives: Pipe and Sherlock Holmes?

Moderator: "When you think of private detectives, what image comes to mind? The image that immediately appears for me is Sherlock Holmes with his pipe and hat – a funny hat back then, a kind of checkered cap. But how do detectives work today and what do they look like? Monika Werner wanted to find out and is today at Kurtz Private Detective Agency Munich. Moni met the head of the agency in one of his detective offices. Moni, what does it look like there?"

 

Monika Werner: "A bit nostalgic. You immediately feel like you’re in a Sherlock Holmes movie because at the desk you have, Patrick Kurtz, a lot of pipes – around 20 of them – do you actually smoke them?"

 

Patrick Kurtz: "Yes, I smoke them daily. I’ve been a pipe smoker since I was 14."

 

Monika Werner: "Really! And also a Sherlock Holmes fan? Seeing the books here..."

 

Patrick Kurtz: "The stories have always fascinated me. That fascination from my youth carried into my detective work and certainly influenced my choice of career."

Do Private Detectives Need to Be Physically Fit?

Monika Werner: "Otherwise, your age and appearance, Patrick Kurtz, are less like Holmes. I’d guess you’re around 30, well-trained – it looks like a gym body?"

 

Patrick Kurtz: "Gym now and then."

 

Monika Werner: "Is that necessary for a detective or just personal preference?"

 

Patrick Kurtz: "I know many colleagues who are a bit heavier, so it’s probably not essential."

 

Monika Werner: "But it’s certainly helpful if you have to run after someone as a private detective in Munich – has that happened?"

 

Patrick Kurtz: "Yes, it happens, and in those situations fitness is very helpful."

Legal Knowledge Is Essential for Detectives

Monika Werner: "If you want to reach Kurtz Detective Agency Munich, it’s best via the internet. You’ll find a phone number. Can you meet people quickly? You clarify some facts beforehand?"

 

Patrick Kurtz: "Yes, because in order to work a case, there must be a legitimate interest. If that exists, we can meet in private."

 

Monika Werner: "Legitimate interest? Translate that for me."

 

Patrick Kurtz: "It’s a term from German law, vaguely defined. It basically means the client’s interest in an investigation must outweigh the protectable interests of the person being observed or investigated. Naturally, the target also has personal rights, which are inevitably affected by our detectives’ work."

 

Monika Werner: "Where’s the big law book? Under the pillow? You have to be completely familiar with it."

 

Patrick Kurtz: "The law books are on the shelf, and I take them down when needed."

 

Monika Werner: "So we’re operating in a gray area. Next, I’m curious about detective equipment – what’s allowed and how. I’ve already peeked into the backpack – this will be exciting."

Detective Equipment | Technical Tools Used by Private Detectives

Moderator: "Today, we’re with detectives in Munich, specifically Monika Werner, who goes where we cannot and fortunately reports it on the radio. Moni is with a detective today. She’s at Kurtz Detective Agency Munich. There are original Sherlock Holmes editions, a pipe collection, and law books. But what does a detective take with them to work?"

Optical Tools

Monika Werner: "A good camera, an SLR, and a telephoto lens. How far can you shoot?"

 

Patrick Kurtz: "With clear line of sight – depending on weather conditions – 400 meters is no problem."

 

Monika Werner: "Do you also use a tripod? Like in crime movies, hiding somewhere all night?"

 

Patrick Kurtz: "A tripod is used for low-light operations."

 

Monika Werner: "And a small binoculars? That looks a bit nostalgic."

 

Patrick Kurtz: "Actually, it belonged to my great-grandfather, probably from the 1930s, made by Carl Zeiss."

Disguise | Masking During Operations

Monika Werner: "A mask? Seriously? And a wig?"

 

Patrick Kurtz: "The mask is rarely used, but when we are in the car and cannot rotate investigators, it helps conceal identity as it changes the face entirely."

 

Monika Werner: "By the way, it’s an old-man mask."

Use of GPS Technology by Detectives

Monika Werner: "And then there’s this plastic case, about the size of a camera."

 

Patrick Kurtz: "That’s a GPS tracker. In most cases it’s illegal, but there are exceptions. For example, if our Munich detectives have a vehicle that’s been embezzled, we may use a tracker legally because it belongs to the client."

 

Monika Werner: "So it attaches to a car and you can track it via phone?"

 

Patrick Kurtz: "Exactly: smartphones, computers, tablets – several options exist."

Forensics | Evidence Collection Kit

Monika Werner: "Then there’s another case?"

 

Patrick Kurtz: "That’s my forensic kit. We can detect and collect traces."

 

Monika Werner: "Let’s test it: I put a thick fingerprint on the desk. Dust it with powder, spread gently with a fine brush – perfect result."

 

Patrick Kurtz: "We could lift the print with adhesive tape, attach it to a carrier, and the trace is preserved."

Court Admissibility of Evidence Collected by Munich Detectives

Monika Werner: "But what is accepted in court?"

 

Patrick Kurtz: "Ideally, we also need witnesses. Generally, our Munich detectives’ statements are admissible, as we are objective observers and no success-based fees exist."

 

Monika Werner: "Speaking of observers: Our next job is a surveillance – I’m joining in now."

Part 2 of “Moni unterwegs” with Patrick Kurtz

The second part of the interview can be found here.

Contribution by MDR 1 Radio

 

Kurtz Detective Agency Munich

Landsberger Straße 155 | Haus 1

D-80687 Munich | München

Tel.: +49 89 7007 4301

Mob.: +49 163 8033 967

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenchen.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-muenchen.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-muenchen