Not everyone can do with a private investigator does. They seem to pull information out of thin air to get a lead then follow it until they reach the result they’re looking for. Yes, most private investigators previously worked in law enforcement and have contacts with access to databases. However, most investigative work is done using public records and resources everyone has access to. What sets an investigator apart from other people is their ability to use these resources to perform a location search. At Harris Investigations, we can explain how some of this works by highlighting resources many private investors use on a daily basis.
Government records
Government records are readily available to the public using public databases or archives. If you know how to navigate online databases, they can be a boon of personal information for someone looking to track down information about an individual. Public archives can also be accessed by those who know what they’re looking for by simply filling out a form to request information. Furthermore, if you have enough information about somebody, you can perform a background check to find out about their work, current location, and other crucial information. Most private investigators will use government records to establish leads on the trail of an individual they’re looking for.
Social media
For some reason, some people believe that if they didn’t post something to social media, it didn’t happen. It doesn’t take an investigative expert to track down an individual if they continue to post to social media while hiding. Geotags and familiar locations will often help generate leads to where somebody might be hiding.
Even if the person of interest hasn’t continued posting to social media, it can be a good place to start identifying possible locations they might look to hide out. Most people aren’t going to get on the road and go to an unfamiliar location if they don’t want to be found. They’re usually looking for familiarity and a certain level of comfort. Past social media posts can be a great place to begin looking.
Internet history
Someone who’s premeditated a crime or planned to leave home for a while will make their plans over time. While they might feel they’ve covered their tracks by leaving in the middle of the night or paying cash for a bus ticket, they seldom thoroughly erase their internet search history. Hopping on a computer and looking into an internet browser’s history can provide plenty of useful information, even if they think they’ve erased it. Information in a web browser can be recovered and retraced to find possible locations someone might have gone to try to hide.
Reconnaissance
Performing recon work is often considered an old-fashioned way of investigating someone. Although, it’s also one of the most effective. A private investigator who’s well-versed in how to perform effective recon by following an individual at a safe distance, discretely taking photos, or performing physical investigations into a location search will often have great success. Physical evidence doesn’t lie and can be a great source to pick up a lead or confirm previously gathered evidence.
Get in touch for more
If you’d like to learn more about how a private investigator performs a location search, reach out to Harris Investigations. James Harris is an expert private investigator and can help you find a loved one or someone who has been accused of a crime. Call 360-990-2718 or send a message using the online contact form to schedule a consultation.