Insight’s London based private Investigators and Detectives operate in a very different way to the operative teams in our other regional hubs.
At Insight Investigations we have field agents and operational teams stationed across the country and our specialist London regional team understands how to navigate the complexities of the UK’s capital city.
Each city is unique and requires a deep understanding of the intricacies of that area. London is particularly nuanced due to the dense population, traffic laws and road restrictions which are specific to the capital, transport systems, taxi apps as well as the maze of roads which makes up Zone 1.
When working with a private investigator it is always advisable to go with a local agency who operates in your own town or alternatively a national agency such as Insight with ‘hub’ operations across the country which are regionally managed and with teams local to the area.
When conducting investigations such as surveillance, vehicle or GPS tracking, asset recovery, process serving or even tracing enquiries and home verification, it’s essential to know the area like back of your hand. A case can change at a moment’s notice – we are after all dealing with human beings going about their daily lives. Being able to react, adapt and implement an effective course of action is essential to any good investigation and it’s because of this that we only work with knowledgeable regional teams.
There are a number of obstacles and hurdles when it comes to investigating a case in London which our specialist team know how to overcome.
The TFL network (underground, overground, DLR, bus system)
With 5 million passengers a day and at any one time 543 trains moving around the capital, the intricate TFL network is the main mode of transport for those living in London. When field agents are carrying out professional surveillance, remaining inconspicuous whilst maintaining proximity to the person under investigation is crucial. Some investigation agencies will charge exorbitant rates for multiple agents to carry out surveillance in London, however, with our specialist team understanding the ins and outs of the TFL network, at Insight Investigations our field agents can easily and inconspicuously remain close to the person in question without charging extra rates to bolster surveillance teams in the capital.
Taxi hailing apps and Uber
Another popular option for Londoners on the move is the use of taxi apps such as Uber for private hire vehicles and Gett to hail black cabs. With the likes of Uber having over 3.5 million regular users, the chance of the person under investigation quickly jumping in a cab at any moment is extremely high. Our specialist London operations team and field agents know how to deal with this situation and are able to mitigate against this risk through careful planning and contingency plans. Understanding the patterns and behaviours of how people travel and the key moments when someone might order a cab through their app is the key to staying close to the person under investigation.
Traffic laws and road restrictions
With intricate one-way systems, congestion charge and low emission zones, large areas restricted to 20 mph as well as cycling highways, bus lanes and an abundance of pedestrians to deal with, it’s considered by most as one of the most difficult places to drive around. Most Londoners themselves wouldn’t venture by car to the most centralised parts of the city and so for private investigators with no prior understanding of the rules of the road, professional surveillance cases can quickly come unstuck. All our field agents in our centrally located London hub, have received specialist London driver training which makes them highly qualified to conduct a variety of investigations in the capital.
Dense population
London is the largest and most densely populated city in the country, it has ten times as many people as any other city with a staggering 5,701 people per square kilometre in the capital. When thinking about surveillance cases in particular, this densely populated, often overcrowded city can become incredibly difficult to carry out professional surveillance and observations. The risk of losing the person in question in a crowd or simply not being able to stay close to them due to the swathes of people is something that poses a risk to any London based investigation. This is why all of our field agents in the London hub have been trained specifically on how to deal with surveillance in crowded scenarios. In a similar way to how our agents in more rural locations adopt tactics such as drone surveillance to adapt to their surroundings, the London team take a different tailored approach.
Zone 1 navigation
In a similar way to the complex traffic laws and road restrictions, carrying out professional surveillance on foot can be equally as tricky when dealing with the labyrinth of roads that makes up Zone 1. From tiny hidden streets such as ‘Percy Passage’ in Fitzrovia right through to the hidden food courtyard at St Christopher’s Place which lies tucked away behind the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street and easily missed unless you know it’s there. It’s this intimate detail and understanding of the city which allows our specialist team to carry out your London investigation in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.
If you have a situation that you feel needs further investigation, whether that be surveillance or any other of our services, you can speak to one of our London based operatives 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. One of the team will provide you with a free consultation to help you determine the nest course of action and next steps.
Contact us on the number below or use our contact us form to get in touch.
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