You might imagine a private investigator as a 1940s man in a trench coat looking for a dame in distress. That does make for good TV, especially in noir films, but in reality, PIs look like your average person – that’s part of the job description!

In the real world, PIs help gather evidence in a lawful and reliable manner. They’re not law enforcement. They’re problem solvers, fact finders and information gatherers.

We’ll clear up the question ‘what does a private investigator do?’ and show you exactly what goes into the role of a PI…

What Is A PI?

A Private Investigator (PI) is a professional. They follow strict UK regulations, their own guidelines and they are most definitely bound by law. Unlike you might have seen in the films and shows, PIs aren’t vigilante superheroes or part of the police.

They specialise in finding information through ethical means. They provide information that helps solve whatever problem their client brings them, and most importantly, they are confidential and discreet.

Private investigators have a wealth of investigative experience and often come from a similar background that provides them with useful skills, like surveillance, security, law, military or police. But they’re not attached to any particular legal sector or organisation. 

The important part is that they’re independent from those things, giving you a personal, private investigator that can help you get answers.

Private investigators cannot…

• Hack people – They work to strict guidelines and ethics.

• Arrest people – They aren’t police and have no arresting authority.

• Trespass – Even police need a warrant, and PIs can’t get a warrant issued to them.

• Can’t stalk – That would be illegal.

• Can’t lead people to believe they are an officer – That would also be illegal.

• Can’t access confidential data – Like medical records or bank accounts without appropriate authorisation.

When Might You Need a Private Investigator?

What does a private investigator do for you? They gather information and details to help solve your particular problem. The reasons people hire a PI can vary hugely, as PIs’ skills are pretty broad, and they can help with many different situations.

Personal:

• Suspected Infidelity: Gathering evidence to confirm or dispel suspicions about a partner’s faithfulness.

• Missing Persons: Locating missing loved ones, friends, or family members who have disappeared.

• Child Custody Disputes: Obtaining evidence to support a parent’s case in custody battles.

• Background Checks: Verifying the identity, history, and reputation of a potential partner, employee, etc.

• Online Harassment: Identifying and gathering evidence against individuals engaging in cyberbullying or stalking.

Business & Corporate Matters:

• Corporate Fraud: Investigating embezzlement, theft, or financial misconduct within a company.

• Employee Misconduct: Gathering evidence of employee theft, dishonesty, or inappropriate behaviour.

• Intellectual Property Theft: Protecting a company’s trade secrets or proprietary information.

• Due Diligence: Conducting thorough background checks on potential business partners or investments.

• Insurance Fraud: Investigating fraudulent claims.

Legal Matters:

• Locating Witnesses: Finding individuals who may have witnessed a crime or incident.

• Asset Searches: Locating hidden assets in divorce cases or financial disputes.

• Gathering Evidence for Court Cases: Providing evidence to support legal claims in civil or criminal cases.
  

What Does A Private Investigator Do Day-To-Day?

Trace searches – This involves a desktop database and open source search to find someone’s whereabouts. This finds addresses, phone numbers, could be used to find someone who owes you money if you’re a landlord, business or even lawyers who want to serve documents.

Background search – This is a trace search plus more open source court searches. It’s a bit like DBS but not as detailed, but it will show anything that’s gone to court, whether guilty or innocent. At NPI, we have a specialist team that does these searches.

Asset searches – These are often used in divorces to find hidden assets. However, Private Investigators can’t see bank accounts or how much money is in them. What can be seen are properties, open investments, and business interests. Further searches can be made with extra permissions.

Surveillance – These involve surveillance (following a person to take photos and videos) and vehicle tracking. Private investigators are explicitly trained to carry out their surveillance in a safe, lawful and moral way.

How Do Private Investigators Work?

When you hire a private investigator, you’re working with a professional, so you can expect the process to be simple and smooth. Here at NPI, it goes like this…

Consultation

Every client starts with a consultation. This means an investigator can get to know you, what you’re looking to achieve and as much detail as possible about the job. If both of us are happy to go ahead, the first step would be to assess the case.

The PI then makes a plan for finding the information needed and gets to work.

Investigation

Every investigation is different and requires the different techniques we mentioned previously, but they typically involve:

• Information gathering
• Checking public sources
• Carrying out surveillance
• Possibly interviewing people
• Verify information using official databases

Report

Your investigator would then compile all of the information they’ve gathered from these various sources into a report and discuss their findings with you, hopefully getting you the details or answers you need.

What Equipment Will A PI Use?

To get the answers and information needed for each client, a PI will use a variety of specialist equipment. This can include:

GPS Tracking Devices: For discreetly monitoring vehicle movements.

Surveillance Cameras: Covert cameras for capturing evidence in public places.

Body-Worn Cameras: To record interactions and interviews while ensuring transparency.

Database Access: Subscription-based access to specialised databases for background checks, financial records, and other information.

Open-Source Intelligence Tools: Software and online platforms for searching and analysing publicly available information.

Forensic Software: For analysing digital evidence like emails, text messages, and computer files.

What Does A Private Investigator Do For You?

So what does a private investigator do? A PI helps give someone a full picture, allowing them to make better decisions that will protect them. This requires a wide combination of skills and tools, as well as ethical considerations. 
If you’d like to find out more about what the leading private investigation agency in London does, take a look at our services.