Corporate Espionage Investigations

Corporate Espionage and theft of time investigations?

In the era of remote work, a new client approached us, grappling with post-Covid challenges. The shift to working from home had made it difficult for employers to monitor their workforce, leading to performance concerns. The focus was on a longstanding top performer, Karen, who raised suspicions of potential corporate theft.  The employer called and after hearing what they believed was taking place we knew it was a corporate espionage investigations surveillance needed.

Having thrived with the company for years, Karen’s performance took a downturn post-Covid. With most employees, including her, continuing to work from home, she had more freedom unnoticed. Concerns grew, prompting the employer to enlist our help in uncovering Karen’s activities. Surveillance became the key to understanding her actions.

As we began our investigation, we gathered essential information about Karen’s residence, vehicles, and everything needed to get started. The uncertainty of her involvement in another job or deceptive behavior heightened our intrigue.

Day one yielded minimal results, confirming her residence and vehicle details. Despite the slow start, we maintained patience, recognizing it was too early for assumptions. We didn’t know what to expect and we didn’t know Karen’s habits.

On day two, activity surged. Karen visited a bank, followed by a stop at a notable business. Retrieving folders and papers, she entered an office building, sparking our interest. We meticulously documented the address and business details, even venturing inside for insights using our hidden cameras. It seemed she attended a lengthy meeting, leaving with a satisfied smile. Subsequently, she ran errands before returning home, leaving us eager to unveil the unfolding narrative.

On day three, heightened activity unfolded as the subject commenced the day with an early meeting at a local Starbucks. The individual she met with sported branded clothing from our client’s company, indicating it was an official work meeting. Following another work-related discussion, she returned home.

We promptly shared our findings with the client, experiencing immediate satisfaction. The revelation that Karen’s day-two meeting was with their top competitor validated the client’s suspicions of her double-dealing. Our thorough investigative efforts provided irrefutable evidence of corporate theft, leading to Karen’s immediate termination. Furthermore, impressed by our work, the employer enlisted us to conduct surveillance on another employee – Karen’s boss.

Is your employee’s performance lacking?

With more and more employees working from home, it is vital to hire a licensed private investigator to help determine why an employee’s performance results are lacking. If the employee is required to work from home for you between the hours of 8am – 5pm but they are out and about during those hours, you have evidence to begin the termination process. Whether it be an activity check or surveillance, it’s better to verify than take a guess.

Author Ken Childs Paramount Investigative Services Inc