Here are some additional tips on conducting walking surveillances. You don’t have to be on the same side of the street to follow someone. I find it’s actually more advantageous to walk on the opposite side of the street when following someone. Even when they’re ‘hinked up’ and looking for a tail, they usually only look behind and rarely if ever look across the street. Try putting An object between yourself and the subject. The best one is a parked car. You can stand to the rear of a parked car and peer through the rear & front windows of the vehicle and observe an individual for a long distance without exposing yourself. You can also use mailboxes, telephone poles or any other object that’s handy. If there’s a bus bench around, sit down and enjoy the rest while you take in the subject. Use store windows as mirrors and building entrances to mask your profile. You can also walk pass the Subject and and view him as he walks by. A great way to do that is to enter a store and then watch him through the window.
My partner and I once followed two car burglars on foot during the Christmas shopping season for over 3 hours in downtown Los Angeles before they finally hit a car. It was in the business district and there were numerous pedestrians, parked vehicles and open air parking lots along the streets. They cased a number of vehicles but for some reason would back off on each one. They finally went into a parking lot where they quickly punched the trunk lock with a screwdriver, removed the stored gifts and closed the trunk, all within a few seconds. They were surprised to say the least when my partner and I appeared from out of nowhere and hooked them up. Remember, patience and good tactics are the key to any successful surveillance.
