Surveillance work by private investigators in Munich: Radio Interview – Part 2
Patrick Kurtz, owner of Kurtz Detective Agency Munich, gave an interactive radio interview to reporter Monika Werner in the summer of 2015. Below you will find a transcript of Part 2 of this contribution. Part 1 is available here.
Feigned Illness? Surveillance of an Employee
Presenter: “Finding missing persons, solving thefts, uncovering infidelity – these are typical tasks for private detectives here in Germany. Monika Werner, our reporter for special assignments, is out today with a private detective from Kurtz Investigations Munich. Today’s case concerns a man who is to be monitored. He is on sick leave but allegedly working on the side. That means observation and surveillance. Moni, you set off by car earlier — how far have you got?”
Monika Werner: “We’re just near the destination, and even a private detective like Patrick Kurtz buckles up — you try to comply with laws and regulations, even when driving?”
Patrick Kurtz: “Well, laws and regulations — for me, buckling up is more about personal safety.”
Monika Werner: “But a standard observation, where you might take a photo, is completely fine?”
Patrick Kurtz: “Yes.”
Legal Limits for Detectives
Monika Werner: “What we don’t have either are changing licence plates. There you can see the difference between reality and film — it’s not always the same. You smiled when I mentioned it. What is absolutely off-limits? What makes you shake your head when you see it?”
Patrick Kurtz: “Changing licence plates is of course a problem we would have with the vehicle registration office, because even our detective agency in Munich can only register one number plate to a car.”
Monika Werner: “And what we can’t do in the present situation is to confront the suspect in the act and apprehend him, as you sometimes see on TV?”
Patrick Kurtz: “No, that would not be sensible either, because the work of detectives lies in gathering evidence that is then used in court. Any measures to capture the perpetrator would be completely futile and not in the interests of our clients.”
Provisions for Lengthy Observations
Monika Werner: “So we’re here now. You’re very brave — we’ve got neither food nor drink with us, or is there a secret drawer if it takes longer?”
Patrick Kurtz: “I’ve got that in my rucksack. For observations you have to bring provisions.”
Monika Werner: “Are there always nuts as brain food?”
Patrick Kurtz: “Nuts are exactly right — those are the things I most often eat on observations. Peanuts have very good nutritional values that will sustain you through the day.”
How Long Can Observations Last?
Monika Werner: “Do you have tricks for changing your appearance quickly?”
Patrick Kurtz: “Various. Clothing of course, with spare jackets, hats, etc.…”
Monika Werner: “And the beard? Is that sometimes shaved off?”
Patrick Kurtz: “For observations that last several days or even weeks, yes.”
Monika Werner: “The longest you’ve ever spent standing?”
Patrick Kurtz: “So far 17 hours in one day. That was a case of infidelity in a relationship. But nothing relevant actually happened that day.”
Surveillance Can Escalate Suddenly
Monika Werner: “Watch out! He’s got the first photo — so quickly I didn’t even see it — taken. I didn’t even see the door open (laughs).”
Patrick Kurtz: “Yes, the target person has just come out of the dwelling. We have to document this as corporate investigators to record any possible commute, and now we’ll see what happens next.”
Monika Werner: “Will we follow him?”
Patrick Kurtz: “Exactly!”
Monika Werner: “Meaning start the car immediately and follow. I’m very curious to see what turns up!”
Which Events Are Relevant and Which Are Not?
Presenter: “Monika Werner, the reporter for very special cases, is out today with a private detective in Munich. Theoretically anyone can call themselves that here, because you don’t necessarily need a state licence, but Patrick Kurtz, with whom Monika is out today, has a special qualification from the IHK. The detective hourly wage in Bavaria is around 75 euros plus travel costs. Moni, where are you exactly now?”
Monika Werner: “We’ve, truly, stopped outside a doctor’s surgery. The target person has gone to the surgeon. Is that a good or a bad sign, Patrick Kurtz?”
Patrick Kurtz: “Neither. We can only document that he is at the doctor. We knew he must have been there anyway, because otherwise he wouldn’t have received a sick note. Whether the illness is feigned is not clarified by today’s doctor visit.”
Documentation of Events During the Operation
Monika Werner: “He’s dictating this into his mobile using the recording function — and then it will be documented in the office?”
Patrick Kurtz: “Exactly: time and event are spoken into the mobile by the dictation function and afterwards everything is recorded in writing in the detective office.”
Monika Werner: “Because it may need to hold up in court?”
Patrick Kurtz: “Right. The reports of Kurtz Detective Agency Munich are admissible in court and are regularly used in trials.”
Keeping a notebook for event documentation during an observation distracts from the work, which is why detectives prefer dictation devices or the dictation functions on mobile phones and only write the report later in the office.
A Caught Employee Faces Summary Dismissal
Monika Werner: “I could imagine this will take longer, because in my experience you can wait at a surgeon for one to two hours. But that’s not the usual case with the doctor? What is typical? Does the suspicion confirm itself often or rather seldom?”
Patrick Kurtz: “The suspicion is confirmed very often. For sick note abuse we’re talking about 70–80 per cent of cases.”
Monika Werner: “How do you catch the perpetrators?”
Patrick Kurtz: “Some people do renovation work on their houses at home — they took a week off they otherwise wouldn’t have had, so they had themselves signed off; or they work for another employer.”
Monika Werner: “And then the worst-case scenario is dismissal? Then it can go to court if he sues?”
Patrick Kurtz: “That is normally grounds for summary dismissal.”
Observation Locations | Variety During Surveillance
Monika Werner: “Here in the car you can make yourself comfortable, but the observations by Kurtz Private Detective Agency Munich do not only take place in the car?”
Patrick Kurtz: “Not only in the car, but also on foot, on the train, in premises, in businesses, etc. For example, we once had a case of embezzlement in a business. An employee working at the till managed to embezzle over 100,000 euros in less than a year. It was an entertainment venue that was showing inexplicable losses for management and on the verge of bankruptcy, which is why they hired us.”
Monika Werner: “It’s nice we can have a conversation now. Normally an observation by detectives is very boring — how do you keep entertained?”
Patrick Kurtz: “With audiobooks, CDs, etc.”
Monika Werner: “Let’s see what you have in the car: Edgar Allan Poe, of course crime stories.”
Presenter: “Always interesting when Monika Werner is out, because she is the reporter for very special cases. When do we ever get the chance to get into a detective’s car? Usually they work so well that we have no idea where they are and what they’re doing. Thank you for the contribution.”
A Contribution from 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
Tags: Detective Agency, Munich, Detective, Private Detective, Private Detective Agency, Detective Office, Surveillance, Observation, Shadowing, Investigation Report, Summary Dismissal, Sick Leave Fraud, Surveillance of Persons, Corporate Detective Agency, Court Admissibility, Corporate Detective, Theft, Embezzlement, Corporate Investigator
Kurtz Investigations Munich – Munich Detectives Serving Your Legitimate Interests
Kurtz Detective Agency Munich
Landsberger Straße 155 | Haus 1
80687 Munich | München
Tel.: +49 89 7007 4301
kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenchen.de
Monday–Friday: 08:00–20:00
Since 2016, Kurtz Investigations has continuously supported the well:fair Neven Subotic Foundation, which provides children in underprivileged regions with access to clean water and education.
*Note: All assignments of Kurtz Investigations Munich are carried out and billed from Landsberger Straße in Munich. Other deployment locations or regions advertised on this domain are not local branches or business premises of Kurtz Detective Agency, unless explicitly stated otherwise. We conduct investigations nationwide, across Europe and worldwide — either in cooperation with qualified, vetted local experts from our extensive contact network or by dispatching our own specialists. Further information on fees can be found here and on deployment locations here.
Imprint | Data Protection | Sitemap
© Kurtz Detective Agency Munich | Detective Agency Munich | Detective Munich | Private Detective Munich | Private Detective Agency Munich | Corporate Investigation Munich | Detective Costs | Surveillance | Evidence Admissible in Court Munich | Private Investigator Munich | Detective Munich | Detective Agency Augsburg* | Detective Passau*