WELCOME TO OCTOBER BOYS AND GIRLS!!!
Like always....it's been a while :( sorry lovelies, my move up the coast has taken up plenty time and proved to be a lot of work! Lots of fun exciting stuff has been happening along with the worst feeling an investigator could ever have....my first ever compromise!!!!
Now I won't lie to you lovely people but I still consider myself a newbie, I've been in this field for only a short 18 months, so I don't make my self to be the best out there as I am still learning everyday (believe me, rural surveillance keeps you on your toes) however I took some pride in the fact that unlike other newbies, I had never been compromised, or caught out by the person I was following.
WELL that all changed about a month ago!
I had been given a case that had been handed around previously and other investigators had been compromised or had interaction with him and or didn't get that specific thing that the client wanted. So I got it. Thinking back now I wish I had of turned it down, being compromised really rocked my confidence in doing my job.
To give you an idea of what this guy I was following was, well I can indulge that he was an ex-cop, medium build, Caucasian nearly 40 years old, and a really dodgy C-U-Next-Tuesday!!!! With conversations to my client I was informed that there may be other companies with surveillance on him, so this guy was pretty surveillance aware!!
So I did the whole, "ok cool" look back on my training and rural surveillance 101 I was taught to NEVER SIT IN THEIR STREET! Blend in with the town and sit in the main strip or in the road that leads out of the town. Hence this is what I did. It didn't work.
I moved closer and still nothing. One day I actually did sit in his street and I followed him until I ended up doing a front follow and he made a right at a round about! By the time I managed to double back he was well gone and I was furious and yelling at my steering wheel! (My poor car must think I hate it lol). So I got a 2nd investigator on the job, first few days in proved nothing again and by now I'm seriously thinking like WTF....
So you know when you're having one of those days and you couldn't sleep the night before, and you find that your dog has chewed through yet another shoe when your about to put it on, and then you spill the coffee over the counter and think f**k it I'll just go to work...Yeah I really should have stayed home.
I caught up with the second investigator and we both agreed that we would sit on the nearest main strip each at a different end and cross our fingers. I make sure that I am nestled between two other cars so that mine isn't a focus point if he comes out my way....So 6 am rolls by and I'm watching people walk their dogs, jog along the road and water their gardens....0642 rolls along and lo and behold here he comes. So I act normal since he is going to go over the top of me so I call the other investigator and start chatting whilst perusing through my purse. So I'm doing this and watching my mirrors and this guy has started to slow down and I'm thinking "what the hell..." and then he stops. Right next to me!
So naturally I pay him no attention. So he drive off, and my heart starts beating and I swear I can hear it. I watch him as he comes to a T intersection, and continue watching and he conducts a U-turn and drives straight toward me again. By now I'm screaming in my head "I hate you" as I start smiling and telling the investigator exactly what is happening...So he drives toward me and slowly passes me, he does another U-turn and parks behind me right next to the car behind me, and I'm thinking this dude is cutting off the road....so then he drives forward and does the same thing to the car in front of me! By now I'm thinking "please just go, just leave, I don't wanna be here any more" but no he does ANOTHER U-TURN!! I seriously just feel like crying by now, and I can hear the other investigator down the line saying "It's ok I'm on my way, he's just trying to intimidate you" So I watch as he slowly comes to a stop beside me and rolls down the window, turns to look at me and yells "Gotta do better than that next time you f**king b-i-t-c-h!!" and then drives away.
I continue talking to the investigator and giving instructions as to which way he turned and the direction he headed, the investigator passes me and speeds off hoping to catch up with the douche bag. I turn on my ignition and I just went straight home.
I was hoping the other investigator would have had some luck but unfortunately he didn't.
I called the office and spoke to my case manager, and he felt sorry for me, but cheered me up by saying that most people get compromised within their first few months, and that the guy was just a general dodgy man. I still have no idea how he just managed to pick me out. What really iced the cake was when I called the client and told him the whole story. Apparently the douche bag got in before me, and called the client and informed him to cease surveillance OR ELSE. This douche bag even lied and said that I had my camera out and was taking pictures of his kid!! And I laughed with the client cos this guy definitely didnt have his kid in the car, I hadn't even seen his kid before and who the hell uses a still shot camera these days for surveillance?! Hello you just take photos from your video you obtain and I sure as hell did not film him in this instance. I'm not that stupid with a surveillance aware person! But apparently it was a pleasure to work with me and the client hopes he gets me again.
Given that this douche bag actually lives like 3 streets away from me I am still so tempted to just rock up one night and egg his place, the guy is clearly working and clearly has something to hide so I hope that one day he really gets what is coming to him. It's people like him that are like the poster boys to the lying fraudulent people on workcover and makes it harder for the seriously legit people out there!
Since then I haven't had another compromise and I'm setting a goal of breaking the 18 months before the next one.
In other news I can finally sub-contract!! I'm even considering starting my own PI set up, so if anyone out there has any stories and info they wanna share on starting their on PI business please please contact me! I'd love as much info as I can get before I launch anything.
Hope you are all well and enjoying the warmer and remember to take extra fluids when on the job!!
Bunny
xox
Sunday 21 October 2012
Saturday 9 June 2012
The Lucky Thirteenth one!
Hey boys and girls!
Well! I must say...it's been a while! Apologies for that, I don't know about any other investigators out there BUT I have been run off of my feet! It is as if the surveillance world has just burst open and all these new cases are piling out! It's crazy! But can't complain, more work means more money for the majority of us out there, or well that's as the saying goes.
Hope you have all been well! Winter is upon us (Here in Australia anyway) and I don't know about you guys but I definitely have bought a blanket into my car, helps keep warm on those really early mornings! Especially when you can't run your motor for the heater to keep warm as it would give away your whole vantage point.
With working A LOT these past few weeks I definitely have gained some interesting stories...I've rescued cats from getting run over, taken lost dogs to a vet, watched the front end of a prestigious car get taken away by a truck at a set of traffic lights, and watched a man who is currently unfit walk along whistling swinging around his walking stick..but I had a situation that I will never ever forget.
I had been given yet another medical to cover in the CBD (I am pretty sure I am now the "go-to-girl" when it comes to medicals) and I did everything to a Tee! Followed the guy there, got him going in, and followed him all the way back to the train station, and updated the client who told me to cease for the day and go home and get out of the rain. Well during this day I had a dear friend staying in the CBD, and I had organised to catch up before she left the next day. So I called and called and called, actually started to get worried and called her son, one of my best friends, and got him to try. After an hour of no luck I gave up and figured I'd take up the clients idea and get home and out of the rain. So I got my train ticket, took up a seat and sat back, watched a movie on my Ipod and tried to enjoy the hour train ride home. After a stop I observed a man with 2 young girls board the train, they were all carrying really big bags and actually huffed and collapsed on the seats in front of me. After about 5 stops the youngest fell asleep on her luggage, quickly followed by her not much older sister.
I didn't mean to laugh, but for those that haven't seen the movie "Horrible Bosses" download it and check it out! Especially surveillance people, there is a part where they start surveillance, and you'll laugh just as I did. This caught the attention of the Dad and he started talking to me. Just small talk to start off with, but we got full into conversation and he started telling me about his two young blonde blue eyed girls, about how he is a single parent since his wife ran away from him and left him stranded to raise the girls alone for the last 7 years, he told me about his work accident and told me that he had surveillance on him, and he was currently with lawyers and his bosses to come to agreements on the pay out since all the footage supported his claim, he told me about how hard it is being a dad and being judged by the other parents at the school his girls attend. When the girls woke up they told me their ages and they were 8 and 9 years old, and I learnt that they were on a trip from Melbourne and were heading to Sydney to take part in their karate tournament.
By now we were past halfway to my train station, and he was looking at a map and trying to figure out how to get to his hotel from the train station. Just looking out the window made me depressed since it was literally like pouring outside, and one look at the girls trying not to fall back to sleep on their luggage and knowing they had just got off a flight and had to walk to their hotel or catch a cab I felt bad for them, and I don't know why I did it, I have definitely never done it before, but I offered them a lift to their hotel. With many thanks the Dad agreed and took me up on my offer. The youngest daughter, got up and started talking about karate, asking me about how I keep my hair long and telling me all about the mean boys in school, and the eldest laughed and also told me about her school and friends.
After a little while, they got off at my train stop and helped me load my car with all their bags. On the way to their hotel, their Dad insisted on buying me lunch to say thanks, I wasn't particularly hungry, but I knew the girls were just at the way they piped up at the mention of the word "lunch" and I for one wouldn't want them walking in the rain down to the shops from their hotel just for some lunch, so I agreed.
At their hotel you could have sworn that the rain started to fall even harder, and it was a rush of trying not to get wet and getting their luggage inside. Out of no where the youngest daughter hugged me around the waist and looked up and gave me the biggest smile and told me that I was the kindest stranger ever, I think just seeing her smile made the whole helping strangers thing worth it, and then she held my hand as we carried luggage into reception.
On saying goodbye and making sure they were set and had everything both girls gave me hugs, which I thought was pretty cute, but what made my heart feel like it was breaking was when the youngest daughter looked up at me and said the strangest thing ever; "I hope I don't die too soon cos I hope I meet you again". I swear I will never in my life forget that sentence that came out of her mouth. I looked at her father and watched him scrunch up his face, I was shocked but gave her another hug and said goodbye. The girls ran inside to watch the bags whilst their father stayed out and shook my hand to say thanks and informed me that his youngest has cancer.
He said to me, that he may be a single dad and his daughter may have cancer and her mum may not care since she ran away but he is doing whatever it takes to fill his daughters life with memories, experiences and as much normality as he can so that she can get the most out of life just in case it is taken too early from her. He thanked me and said I didn't realise how much it meant to them since help doesn't often come their way, but then bid me goodbye and waved me off.
Never in my life have I ever wanted to cry so much in the presence of a stranger, my heart went out to that little 8 year old girl and her family and I honestly felt like giving them a lift to their hotel to stay out of the rain wasn't enough. But I couldn't think and didn't know what else to do and didn't want to cry in front of the girls or their Dad, so I left them with a big smile and waves.
I'm now glad that my plans didn't work out that day and that I was able to help a family when they needed it, no matter how insignificant that help may seem to me, it was big to them and I honestly hope that little girl lives to a ripe old age. She seemed too full of life to have it be taken away from her.
I guess that this shows me that even though I sit there day in and day out watching people scam the system and lying to a lot of people around them, there are other people out there who honestly are good people. They aren't all bad out there.
I hope that even though with this job we generally automatically distrust and assume the worst in people, others can see that there is some good out there and that sometimes helping a stranger can bring you some happiness and what you may think is a small gesture is significantly large to the person you are helping.
In other news, I'm facing new surroundings as I have moved far away from the CBD and am now conducting surveillance in rural areas, which every surveillance case presents more challenges, and am also learning factual investigations through the company I work for. I figure expanding my knowledge base can't be harmful.
Well boys and girls, I think that's all for now, SO stay safe, rug up and keep warm and maybe if an opportunity presents itself where you can lend a hand, think twice before turning away.
Bunny
xox
Well! I must say...it's been a while! Apologies for that, I don't know about any other investigators out there BUT I have been run off of my feet! It is as if the surveillance world has just burst open and all these new cases are piling out! It's crazy! But can't complain, more work means more money for the majority of us out there, or well that's as the saying goes.
Hope you have all been well! Winter is upon us (Here in Australia anyway) and I don't know about you guys but I definitely have bought a blanket into my car, helps keep warm on those really early mornings! Especially when you can't run your motor for the heater to keep warm as it would give away your whole vantage point.
With working A LOT these past few weeks I definitely have gained some interesting stories...I've rescued cats from getting run over, taken lost dogs to a vet, watched the front end of a prestigious car get taken away by a truck at a set of traffic lights, and watched a man who is currently unfit walk along whistling swinging around his walking stick..but I had a situation that I will never ever forget.
I had been given yet another medical to cover in the CBD (I am pretty sure I am now the "go-to-girl" when it comes to medicals) and I did everything to a Tee! Followed the guy there, got him going in, and followed him all the way back to the train station, and updated the client who told me to cease for the day and go home and get out of the rain. Well during this day I had a dear friend staying in the CBD, and I had organised to catch up before she left the next day. So I called and called and called, actually started to get worried and called her son, one of my best friends, and got him to try. After an hour of no luck I gave up and figured I'd take up the clients idea and get home and out of the rain. So I got my train ticket, took up a seat and sat back, watched a movie on my Ipod and tried to enjoy the hour train ride home. After a stop I observed a man with 2 young girls board the train, they were all carrying really big bags and actually huffed and collapsed on the seats in front of me. After about 5 stops the youngest fell asleep on her luggage, quickly followed by her not much older sister.
I didn't mean to laugh, but for those that haven't seen the movie "Horrible Bosses" download it and check it out! Especially surveillance people, there is a part where they start surveillance, and you'll laugh just as I did. This caught the attention of the Dad and he started talking to me. Just small talk to start off with, but we got full into conversation and he started telling me about his two young blonde blue eyed girls, about how he is a single parent since his wife ran away from him and left him stranded to raise the girls alone for the last 7 years, he told me about his work accident and told me that he had surveillance on him, and he was currently with lawyers and his bosses to come to agreements on the pay out since all the footage supported his claim, he told me about how hard it is being a dad and being judged by the other parents at the school his girls attend. When the girls woke up they told me their ages and they were 8 and 9 years old, and I learnt that they were on a trip from Melbourne and were heading to Sydney to take part in their karate tournament.
By now we were past halfway to my train station, and he was looking at a map and trying to figure out how to get to his hotel from the train station. Just looking out the window made me depressed since it was literally like pouring outside, and one look at the girls trying not to fall back to sleep on their luggage and knowing they had just got off a flight and had to walk to their hotel or catch a cab I felt bad for them, and I don't know why I did it, I have definitely never done it before, but I offered them a lift to their hotel. With many thanks the Dad agreed and took me up on my offer. The youngest daughter, got up and started talking about karate, asking me about how I keep my hair long and telling me all about the mean boys in school, and the eldest laughed and also told me about her school and friends.
After a little while, they got off at my train stop and helped me load my car with all their bags. On the way to their hotel, their Dad insisted on buying me lunch to say thanks, I wasn't particularly hungry, but I knew the girls were just at the way they piped up at the mention of the word "lunch" and I for one wouldn't want them walking in the rain down to the shops from their hotel just for some lunch, so I agreed.
At their hotel you could have sworn that the rain started to fall even harder, and it was a rush of trying not to get wet and getting their luggage inside. Out of no where the youngest daughter hugged me around the waist and looked up and gave me the biggest smile and told me that I was the kindest stranger ever, I think just seeing her smile made the whole helping strangers thing worth it, and then she held my hand as we carried luggage into reception.
On saying goodbye and making sure they were set and had everything both girls gave me hugs, which I thought was pretty cute, but what made my heart feel like it was breaking was when the youngest daughter looked up at me and said the strangest thing ever; "I hope I don't die too soon cos I hope I meet you again". I swear I will never in my life forget that sentence that came out of her mouth. I looked at her father and watched him scrunch up his face, I was shocked but gave her another hug and said goodbye. The girls ran inside to watch the bags whilst their father stayed out and shook my hand to say thanks and informed me that his youngest has cancer.
He said to me, that he may be a single dad and his daughter may have cancer and her mum may not care since she ran away but he is doing whatever it takes to fill his daughters life with memories, experiences and as much normality as he can so that she can get the most out of life just in case it is taken too early from her. He thanked me and said I didn't realise how much it meant to them since help doesn't often come their way, but then bid me goodbye and waved me off.
Never in my life have I ever wanted to cry so much in the presence of a stranger, my heart went out to that little 8 year old girl and her family and I honestly felt like giving them a lift to their hotel to stay out of the rain wasn't enough. But I couldn't think and didn't know what else to do and didn't want to cry in front of the girls or their Dad, so I left them with a big smile and waves.
I'm now glad that my plans didn't work out that day and that I was able to help a family when they needed it, no matter how insignificant that help may seem to me, it was big to them and I honestly hope that little girl lives to a ripe old age. She seemed too full of life to have it be taken away from her.
I guess that this shows me that even though I sit there day in and day out watching people scam the system and lying to a lot of people around them, there are other people out there who honestly are good people. They aren't all bad out there.
I hope that even though with this job we generally automatically distrust and assume the worst in people, others can see that there is some good out there and that sometimes helping a stranger can bring you some happiness and what you may think is a small gesture is significantly large to the person you are helping.
In other news, I'm facing new surroundings as I have moved far away from the CBD and am now conducting surveillance in rural areas, which every surveillance case presents more challenges, and am also learning factual investigations through the company I work for. I figure expanding my knowledge base can't be harmful.
Well boys and girls, I think that's all for now, SO stay safe, rug up and keep warm and maybe if an opportunity presents itself where you can lend a hand, think twice before turning away.
Bunny
xox
Saturday 3 March 2012
The Twelfth One :)
Well boys and girls...this here is called PROCRASTINATION! This happens when you KNOW you need top do something BUT you really DON'T feel like doing it right now....I am currently procrastinating from listening to hours of online lectures...which it seems it is all ready nearing week 3 and I am all ready behind...this is obviously of course because I work too much! Also hence the reason why a blog has not been posted in a seriously long time...my apologies :)
You're probably thinking..."WTF is this chick on about right now" Well in answer to that I decided that to kill away the boring hours in the car I would take up that time on studying a bachelor degree in Criminology...I love surveillance BUT don't get me wrong, I don't want to spend a majority of my life sitting in a car. Hence the recent idea to study, further my education and also further career prospects! I'm hoping to obtain a good GPA and do a double degree along with law.
This idea mainly started when I worked with "the best of the best" here in Sydney and he advised me to kill stay focused and to use up free time on something like study...he is currently also studying a law degree and he's like 40 I reckon..so goes to show you're never too old!
So work has been VERY busy lately...it seems that not only do I have my normal cases where I get lots of warning and time to finish them but for some reason I am getting hit with ALOT of "urgent" and "last minute" jobs...I'm beginning to think that the case managers in all the different firms out there procrastinate a SugarHoneyIcedTea load and just sitting around in their offices gasbagging with each other and then Friday comes and it's like well I don't very much feel like getting fired so I'll call *insert the company I work for's name here* and they can get onto it! So they do, and at like quarter to five on the last business day of the week I have my case managers calling a literally begging me to take it...seriously am I the only one that gets these phone calls? Or am I like the last resort cos they know that I'll do it?? So I take on the job...half the time NOTHING happens and I sit there thinking "You know if I was on my other job right now, I'd full be doing a vehicle follow" thing is I'm getting a lot of these last minute or urgent jobs which is pushing back cases that I would normally have finished by now! Sucks so bad. But I guess I shouldn't complain, work is work right and I'm still getting paid.
I did follow something interesting the other week...my first ever transvestite! Was epic! And the whole time I was thinking...geeze you had a good surgeon or take the right drugs because man you really look like a dude now! I was seriously in awe! Which made me look at everyone and reconsider their apparent sex. Doing this killed lots of time on the train home. Hmmm haven't had too many interesting cases lately, they've all been pretty boring actually. EXCEPT for conducting surveillance on a crook coppa who goes to show that even the people we are meant to install all our faith and belief that they will protect us from the wrong things are doing all the wrong things themselves! Seriously they aren't better than the average white collar Joe. Was so please I got some great evidence on the person it was like "suck on this bitch" haha!
Well better go back to listening to my lectures! That's all for now boys and girls!
Bunny
xx
You're probably thinking..."WTF is this chick on about right now" Well in answer to that I decided that to kill away the boring hours in the car I would take up that time on studying a bachelor degree in Criminology...I love surveillance BUT don't get me wrong, I don't want to spend a majority of my life sitting in a car. Hence the recent idea to study, further my education and also further career prospects! I'm hoping to obtain a good GPA and do a double degree along with law.
This idea mainly started when I worked with "the best of the best" here in Sydney and he advised me to kill stay focused and to use up free time on something like study...he is currently also studying a law degree and he's like 40 I reckon..so goes to show you're never too old!
So work has been VERY busy lately...it seems that not only do I have my normal cases where I get lots of warning and time to finish them but for some reason I am getting hit with ALOT of "urgent" and "last minute" jobs...I'm beginning to think that the case managers in all the different firms out there procrastinate a SugarHoneyIcedTea load and just sitting around in their offices gasbagging with each other and then Friday comes and it's like well I don't very much feel like getting fired so I'll call *insert the company I work for's name here* and they can get onto it! So they do, and at like quarter to five on the last business day of the week I have my case managers calling a literally begging me to take it...seriously am I the only one that gets these phone calls? Or am I like the last resort cos they know that I'll do it?? So I take on the job...half the time NOTHING happens and I sit there thinking "You know if I was on my other job right now, I'd full be doing a vehicle follow" thing is I'm getting a lot of these last minute or urgent jobs which is pushing back cases that I would normally have finished by now! Sucks so bad. But I guess I shouldn't complain, work is work right and I'm still getting paid.
I did follow something interesting the other week...my first ever transvestite! Was epic! And the whole time I was thinking...geeze you had a good surgeon or take the right drugs because man you really look like a dude now! I was seriously in awe! Which made me look at everyone and reconsider their apparent sex. Doing this killed lots of time on the train home. Hmmm haven't had too many interesting cases lately, they've all been pretty boring actually. EXCEPT for conducting surveillance on a crook coppa who goes to show that even the people we are meant to install all our faith and belief that they will protect us from the wrong things are doing all the wrong things themselves! Seriously they aren't better than the average white collar Joe. Was so please I got some great evidence on the person it was like "suck on this bitch" haha!
Well better go back to listening to my lectures! That's all for now boys and girls!
Bunny
xx
Wednesday 25 January 2012
The Eleventh One
Well I don't know about you people BUT I have been extremely busy :)
So remember my last post where I got to be a ninja and was possibly on Asian TV?? WELL I got to do him again! This time I got permission to use a second investigator...the best of the best was given to me. I was actually pretty scared, this meant another oldie to impress.
So well he was late, and we didn't even see the person I had to watch enter the building...so I canvassed the area including the bike parking lot and just my luck his motorbike wasn't even there...so we canvassed the car park attached to the building he was in...not there...finally as a last resort we checked the floor level and we observed him inside. So we came to the conclusion that he drove and he parked his car inside the car park attached to the building. Thus I moved my car inside this car park and the 2nd agent moved theirs to a 5 minute loading zone (he was there for half an hour) after the hour I got the phone call advising what he was wearing and that he was departing, also that he told the rehab provider that he walked from MADEUPSUBURB to the appointment...yeh well he said that last time so pffft. I called the 2nd investigator and he was like ok cool "GET OUT OF YOUR CAR HE's ON FOOT!"
Gosh Darnit!
So I bolt from my car and run down the side street and see the 2nd Investigator pointing in the direction he went and then get back in his car....do you know how hard it is to film whilst running talking on the phone...yeh it doesn't work. So the routine is sprint up the hill-stop-film-sprint across busy traffic-stop film-he stops at an ATM-catch your breath, then film-bolt up another hilly main road-stop-duck-hide-film. I did this for about 6km...(thanks to an Iphone app I know this) followed him all the way to MADEUPSUBURB where he then got into an old crappy vehicle!! The 2nd investigator whistled for me to get in so I ran for the passenger seat before he could reverse and see me. We then followed this tricky (insert mean B word) all around the city, and I mean around the outskirts and then through it and then around it and out again, and then through tunnels around beaches. We went through 5 red lights, the wrong way up a one way, did 80 in a 50 zone, and pretty much cut a lot of people off (apologies if one of those persons was you) we managed to do this until he finally settled into his residence..located here was his bike along with another vehicle.
Would have loved to have stayed and watched him a while but my other investigator had his own work to get on with...which he mentioned A LOT...so I was like hmm well ok so I got dropped off at another adjoining suburb and he departed. I got to catch a ferry back to the city...first time for everything in this gig. Was quite nice actually.
The good thing about working with established investigators is that they have a heck of a lot more contacts that they feel free to give when you ask certain questions so have made some queries and cross fingers something new comes up :)
Helped another investigator today...didn't get to meet him though. I took care of the city stuff and was asked to catch the train back with her. So I did. Pity, he seemed really nice. Hopefully will work with him again.
In other news the weather is perfect right now for surveillance! It's summer and it is raining! How awesome is that! Also if you haven't seen the movie Warhorse...I suggest you do, I know it has nothing related to surveillance but it's a really good movie.
Stay cool!
Bunny
xx
So remember my last post where I got to be a ninja and was possibly on Asian TV?? WELL I got to do him again! This time I got permission to use a second investigator...the best of the best was given to me. I was actually pretty scared, this meant another oldie to impress.
So well he was late, and we didn't even see the person I had to watch enter the building...so I canvassed the area including the bike parking lot and just my luck his motorbike wasn't even there...so we canvassed the car park attached to the building he was in...not there...finally as a last resort we checked the floor level and we observed him inside. So we came to the conclusion that he drove and he parked his car inside the car park attached to the building. Thus I moved my car inside this car park and the 2nd agent moved theirs to a 5 minute loading zone (he was there for half an hour) after the hour I got the phone call advising what he was wearing and that he was departing, also that he told the rehab provider that he walked from MADEUPSUBURB to the appointment...yeh well he said that last time so pffft. I called the 2nd investigator and he was like ok cool "GET OUT OF YOUR CAR HE's ON FOOT!"
Gosh Darnit!
So I bolt from my car and run down the side street and see the 2nd Investigator pointing in the direction he went and then get back in his car....do you know how hard it is to film whilst running talking on the phone...yeh it doesn't work. So the routine is sprint up the hill-stop-film-sprint across busy traffic-stop film-he stops at an ATM-catch your breath, then film-bolt up another hilly main road-stop-duck-hide-film. I did this for about 6km...(thanks to an Iphone app I know this) followed him all the way to MADEUPSUBURB where he then got into an old crappy vehicle!! The 2nd investigator whistled for me to get in so I ran for the passenger seat before he could reverse and see me. We then followed this tricky (insert mean B word) all around the city, and I mean around the outskirts and then through it and then around it and out again, and then through tunnels around beaches. We went through 5 red lights, the wrong way up a one way, did 80 in a 50 zone, and pretty much cut a lot of people off (apologies if one of those persons was you) we managed to do this until he finally settled into his residence..located here was his bike along with another vehicle.
Would have loved to have stayed and watched him a while but my other investigator had his own work to get on with...which he mentioned A LOT...so I was like hmm well ok so I got dropped off at another adjoining suburb and he departed. I got to catch a ferry back to the city...first time for everything in this gig. Was quite nice actually.
The good thing about working with established investigators is that they have a heck of a lot more contacts that they feel free to give when you ask certain questions so have made some queries and cross fingers something new comes up :)
Helped another investigator today...didn't get to meet him though. I took care of the city stuff and was asked to catch the train back with her. So I did. Pity, he seemed really nice. Hopefully will work with him again.
In other news the weather is perfect right now for surveillance! It's summer and it is raining! How awesome is that! Also if you haven't seen the movie Warhorse...I suggest you do, I know it has nothing related to surveillance but it's a really good movie.
Stay cool!
Bunny
xx
Friday 13 January 2012
The Tenth One
If you are sitting at home later today or tonight watching television or even tuning into some news on your laptop and you find yourself watching some Asian television or Asian news show and you find yourself listening intently into what the Asian reporter has to say and you see in the background some random female climbing a fence and then crawling through bushes and disappearing....it'll be me.
I had to cover a rehab appointment in town today for the purposes of getting an ID shot and "housing" him (i.e. following the person to their residence so that we know where this person lives) It was great fun as I got to meet the rehab chick and hear what she had to say which proved interesting as she said that this male was complaining because he had to drive to an area and then catch a train in to where the rehab was. However the client was adamant that this person would drive in since he was making such a fuss about having to find parking and driving so far from a different area not mentioned before. So to sum up, this person in my books is "full dodge". I wanted to use a second investigator, purely because if he did drive then two people can follow, or if he caught public transport then one investigator can go with him on the public transport and the other can drive and meet up at the station this person departed at. However I had to fly solo on this one.
So I rock up as per usual just over an hour before the allotted time, see the rehab provider and then find myself a nice stack out on the main street with the best possible view.
With situations like these, ALWAYS go with your gut instinct. I nabbed this guy straight away, I saw him walk towards rehab place, and away from it and getting his coffee then returning to the rehab place. My gut instinct was proved correct when reception called me and confirmed his attendance and his attire. He was in there for a little over an hour before I got a phone call saying "He's in the lift, and you'll have a long walk ahead of you since he told us that he parked his car in *insert a cool suburb name here". So keeping cool and blending in as best as you can I filmed this person departing and then walking and turning left to walk up a hill, I'm once again glad I trusted my gut instinct and stayed where I was as he kept looking around (so much for a neck injury) and then turned around and walked back the way he came, crossed the road and then right into a mass car park or should I say motorcycle-park. From the road there was no great vantage point so with quick thinking I raced up a ramp that leads away from the area. At the top of this ramp is a great fence, or wall type thing with LOTS of bushes and greenery...I think maybe flowers bloom from these weird green leaves but I'm not a green thumb so wouldn't know...As I was doing this a camera crew and an Asian reporter pointing the camera in my direction were setting up, I climbed the fence and watched as all the people around me wondered what the f*@k I was doing and were all probably thinking I was crazy or suicidal since it's a long drop back to the ground. I crawled through the bushes and got a great view of the guy below me and filmed him as he attended to his MOTORBIKE! Who the hell claiming a neck injury rides a motorbike! Safe to say even if I tried following this person I would lose him given he can go through the heavy traffic with ease and leave me fuming way behind. So I was kinda freaking out as I was so sure this person was going to look up and see me just chilling there filming him. But he didn't he was to preoccupied manoeuvring his bike out from others and then stalling it as he tried to leave. Was pretty funny actually. What was even funnier was when I was making my way back through the buses and the camera pointed in my direction with the reporter talking into the camera on the microphone, and then me jumping off the wall and a little kid going "WHOAH where'd she come from!" Ninja surprise for the week...check!
Client loved me. She was overly ecstatic about what I captured and advised me to return to the rehab chick and confirm my dude, and also informed me that I need to come back on a certain date to cover him again...but NOW she wants two investigators! Wish I had my motorbike licence, would be AWESOME to try and follow.
Back in the rehab place I provided what to these people was the best ending to a Friday afternoon ever! They actually even got excited, I guess to these people this is the coolest thing ever. To me it's exciting but just another day in the office, but it is enjoyable...especially when you get to be a Ninja.
Hope you all get to have a great weekend!
I'll be working! Cross fingers for cool weather!
Bunny
xx
I had to cover a rehab appointment in town today for the purposes of getting an ID shot and "housing" him (i.e. following the person to their residence so that we know where this person lives) It was great fun as I got to meet the rehab chick and hear what she had to say which proved interesting as she said that this male was complaining because he had to drive to an area and then catch a train in to where the rehab was. However the client was adamant that this person would drive in since he was making such a fuss about having to find parking and driving so far from a different area not mentioned before. So to sum up, this person in my books is "full dodge". I wanted to use a second investigator, purely because if he did drive then two people can follow, or if he caught public transport then one investigator can go with him on the public transport and the other can drive and meet up at the station this person departed at. However I had to fly solo on this one.
So I rock up as per usual just over an hour before the allotted time, see the rehab provider and then find myself a nice stack out on the main street with the best possible view.
With situations like these, ALWAYS go with your gut instinct. I nabbed this guy straight away, I saw him walk towards rehab place, and away from it and getting his coffee then returning to the rehab place. My gut instinct was proved correct when reception called me and confirmed his attendance and his attire. He was in there for a little over an hour before I got a phone call saying "He's in the lift, and you'll have a long walk ahead of you since he told us that he parked his car in *insert a cool suburb name here". So keeping cool and blending in as best as you can I filmed this person departing and then walking and turning left to walk up a hill, I'm once again glad I trusted my gut instinct and stayed where I was as he kept looking around (so much for a neck injury) and then turned around and walked back the way he came, crossed the road and then right into a mass car park or should I say motorcycle-park. From the road there was no great vantage point so with quick thinking I raced up a ramp that leads away from the area. At the top of this ramp is a great fence, or wall type thing with LOTS of bushes and greenery...I think maybe flowers bloom from these weird green leaves but I'm not a green thumb so wouldn't know...As I was doing this a camera crew and an Asian reporter pointing the camera in my direction were setting up, I climbed the fence and watched as all the people around me wondered what the f*@k I was doing and were all probably thinking I was crazy or suicidal since it's a long drop back to the ground. I crawled through the bushes and got a great view of the guy below me and filmed him as he attended to his MOTORBIKE! Who the hell claiming a neck injury rides a motorbike! Safe to say even if I tried following this person I would lose him given he can go through the heavy traffic with ease and leave me fuming way behind. So I was kinda freaking out as I was so sure this person was going to look up and see me just chilling there filming him. But he didn't he was to preoccupied manoeuvring his bike out from others and then stalling it as he tried to leave. Was pretty funny actually. What was even funnier was when I was making my way back through the buses and the camera pointed in my direction with the reporter talking into the camera on the microphone, and then me jumping off the wall and a little kid going "WHOAH where'd she come from!" Ninja surprise for the week...check!
Client loved me. She was overly ecstatic about what I captured and advised me to return to the rehab chick and confirm my dude, and also informed me that I need to come back on a certain date to cover him again...but NOW she wants two investigators! Wish I had my motorbike licence, would be AWESOME to try and follow.
Back in the rehab place I provided what to these people was the best ending to a Friday afternoon ever! They actually even got excited, I guess to these people this is the coolest thing ever. To me it's exciting but just another day in the office, but it is enjoyable...especially when you get to be a Ninja.
Hope you all get to have a great weekend!
I'll be working! Cross fingers for cool weather!
Bunny
xx
Tuesday 3 January 2012
The Ninth One
Well today I don't know about you guys.... BUT I got pretty personal with the cows.
Oh and goats!
I was hell country today! Besides the hot car, no shade, and awkward vantage point it was pretty sweet hearing the buzzing of tiny bugs compared to honking horns and annoying nosey neighbours. The place I had to help out another investigator today was situated on some very large acreage. The current investigator was having not much luck with the job and needed some help. Being a rural job you can't sit in their street...it's way to obvious! If you feel like getting made on a rural job then yeh sure go park in their street....otherwise you need to determine the best likely route an individual would take if they departed their residence and take a vantage point in that area. With this case there were two possibilities. However this works best when you have vehicle makes/models and registrations...Like I said the current investigator wasn't having much luck.
So it's 0530am it's dark, slightly warm (not so great, this means a very warm day in the car) and the cows and animals are starting to make noises. So I decide, hey I grew up on a farm, I can see at least see three different vehicle in the distance...I'll ninja my way in and give it a crack.
Let me tell you that as I found an opening on one of the paddocks, and sprinted to each tree that provided a lot of cover, my heart was racing. I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest and I'd get caught for sure when I had to sprint at least 600 metres and expose myself until I could get to the closest tree that allowed me to zoom in on my camera to obtain all the details I needed. Once I reached the tree and got what I set out for I was pretty happy with myself, it's almost like you let your guard down and you suddenly realise...I have to run back now. I didn't even bother taking to the trees, I just ran what felt like the 2km back to the safety of my car. I actually managed to say sorry to the cows when I ran past, if any one saw me, I'm sure they would have gotten a great laugh out of it. The other investigator was seriously laughing a lot at my expense. But what I did definitely paid off, I got to do two vehicle follows! All before 9am! So bonus!
I love getting all the action instead of just sitting there waiting. The people I followed turned out to be someone much younger and some one else not even the correct sex. But hey we now know that the person we need quite possibly drives the 3rd vehicle so we know what to look out for now.
I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Years! My festive days were spent out working, and like I expected I got some great footage...ok serious question here...what's with bogans socialising out the front of their houses? It's like hey I'm not complaining cos it means I get great footage opportunities but it's a bit odd don't you think? We have back yards for a reason. But hey keep it up, cos filming you is quite a pleasure.
Oh! I finished that person off before Christmas, the one I previously mentioned was very surveillance aware and other people had been made before the even had a chance! And I full got great footage! Didn't get made at all! At first when this person left her house with what I'm assuming were her parents, she didn't seem to have a clue, and I gave her plenty of space as I followed her to all the different towns as she shopped for the countless Christmas presents. Was great! On the journey back, I managed to do a front follow and she remained 5 cars behind me all the way back to her house, I beat her home by only a few seconds and managed to park my car in the same vantage point before she drove into her street...then things got weird.
She drove over the top of me (i.e. came from behind me and over took) and then reverse parked her car in the same place it was before she departed, I was leaning so far back that I had to hold my camera up just to see...but then she drove off.
My stomach did a flip, and my head was telling me to "follow, follow, follow" but I didn't. I trusted my gut. And I'm glad I did because the next thing I know, she is driving back towards me. I crouched further down and didn't even want to risk looking up to see. I sneakily held up my camera, and watched as she again reverse parked in her usual spot. I think it was a ploy to see if I would follow her, so I'm glad I trusted my gut. Because she was again care free and carried countless boxes back into her residence! SO boo yah! Love life! Gotcha! haha!
Well, hope that this year brings you all great things! I'm off tomorrow to spend my day in a hallway! Wish me luck!
Bunny
xx
Oh and goats!
I was hell country today! Besides the hot car, no shade, and awkward vantage point it was pretty sweet hearing the buzzing of tiny bugs compared to honking horns and annoying nosey neighbours. The place I had to help out another investigator today was situated on some very large acreage. The current investigator was having not much luck with the job and needed some help. Being a rural job you can't sit in their street...it's way to obvious! If you feel like getting made on a rural job then yeh sure go park in their street....otherwise you need to determine the best likely route an individual would take if they departed their residence and take a vantage point in that area. With this case there were two possibilities. However this works best when you have vehicle makes/models and registrations...Like I said the current investigator wasn't having much luck.
So it's 0530am it's dark, slightly warm (not so great, this means a very warm day in the car) and the cows and animals are starting to make noises. So I decide, hey I grew up on a farm, I can see at least see three different vehicle in the distance...I'll ninja my way in and give it a crack.
Let me tell you that as I found an opening on one of the paddocks, and sprinted to each tree that provided a lot of cover, my heart was racing. I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest and I'd get caught for sure when I had to sprint at least 600 metres and expose myself until I could get to the closest tree that allowed me to zoom in on my camera to obtain all the details I needed. Once I reached the tree and got what I set out for I was pretty happy with myself, it's almost like you let your guard down and you suddenly realise...I have to run back now. I didn't even bother taking to the trees, I just ran what felt like the 2km back to the safety of my car. I actually managed to say sorry to the cows when I ran past, if any one saw me, I'm sure they would have gotten a great laugh out of it. The other investigator was seriously laughing a lot at my expense. But what I did definitely paid off, I got to do two vehicle follows! All before 9am! So bonus!
I love getting all the action instead of just sitting there waiting. The people I followed turned out to be someone much younger and some one else not even the correct sex. But hey we now know that the person we need quite possibly drives the 3rd vehicle so we know what to look out for now.
I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Years! My festive days were spent out working, and like I expected I got some great footage...ok serious question here...what's with bogans socialising out the front of their houses? It's like hey I'm not complaining cos it means I get great footage opportunities but it's a bit odd don't you think? We have back yards for a reason. But hey keep it up, cos filming you is quite a pleasure.
Oh! I finished that person off before Christmas, the one I previously mentioned was very surveillance aware and other people had been made before the even had a chance! And I full got great footage! Didn't get made at all! At first when this person left her house with what I'm assuming were her parents, she didn't seem to have a clue, and I gave her plenty of space as I followed her to all the different towns as she shopped for the countless Christmas presents. Was great! On the journey back, I managed to do a front follow and she remained 5 cars behind me all the way back to her house, I beat her home by only a few seconds and managed to park my car in the same vantage point before she drove into her street...then things got weird.
She drove over the top of me (i.e. came from behind me and over took) and then reverse parked her car in the same place it was before she departed, I was leaning so far back that I had to hold my camera up just to see...but then she drove off.
My stomach did a flip, and my head was telling me to "follow, follow, follow" but I didn't. I trusted my gut. And I'm glad I did because the next thing I know, she is driving back towards me. I crouched further down and didn't even want to risk looking up to see. I sneakily held up my camera, and watched as she again reverse parked in her usual spot. I think it was a ploy to see if I would follow her, so I'm glad I trusted my gut. Because she was again care free and carried countless boxes back into her residence! SO boo yah! Love life! Gotcha! haha!
Well, hope that this year brings you all great things! I'm off tomorrow to spend my day in a hallway! Wish me luck!
Bunny
xx
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