June 2020 - Covert LTD

If you need to prove cohabitation it can be a difficult process to gather the evidence to prove to the court that cohabitation exists.

Firstly there is no legal timeframe to establish cohabitation and it is worked out on the evidence via a case-by-case basis and the judge will decide based upon the facts presented that cohabitation exists and a relationship is active. It should be noted that a longer timeframe will allow the court to be presented with more evidence to prove cohabitation.

When in court the judge will consider the following and therefore all the evidence needs to be effectively presented:

– The sexual relationship between the both parties
– Birth of a child in that relationship
– Whether they live in the same property or have separate accommodation
– The amount of things they do as a couple
– The extent of their financial arrangements and if they are linked in any way

All these facts needs to be presented from the evidence gathered and it comes down to how the judge perceives the evidence so it is important to build a solid case from the outset which is why using our services gives the judge the evidence they need to make the correct decision.

If you need help with gathering evidence our private detective services can help and if you want to see how much a private investigator costs view our latest article.

Building a solid case with effective evidence

We will work alongside you to gather the following:

– Records of vehicles visiting the premises you believe cohabitation exists
– Covert surveillance including image gathering
– Background checks on the parties involved
– An asset and financial check
– Lifestyle analysis
– Discrete interviews of neighbours
– Vehicle tracking

The more evidence that we can gather to provide your legal counsel with all the information they need to build your case, the more likely we are to be able to prove cohabitation to the judge.

If you would like to find out more and to arrange a meeting to discuss your case requirements please Contact Us or call 029 2091 3294.

Reduce Fuel Thefts

No matter how hard you try and keep the security of your business at its highest level there are always opportunities for some unsavoury staff member to take advantage. With fuel prices always on the rise we have had a number of commercial clients conceded about the growing prospect of theft of what is one of their most valuable and consumable assets.

There are measures you can take to mitigate the risk of theft and also find out who is perpetrating the theft and their are some considerations you should make:

What types of fuel do you store?

Whether this be petrol, diesel or red diesel they are all extremely valuable and should be safely secured. Obviously someone stealing red diesel will potentially give them a higher risk should the authorities stop and check their fuel tanks. This however will not stop someone from trying to evade your security measures and steal fuel if the opportunity is easy and unchecked.

How secure are the storage tanks?

Do you lock your fuel storage tanks? Do you think this is enough of a deterrent? Chances are the keys are easily accessible as to hide them away would hinder operations and there are other security measures you can take to secure your storage tanks.

Do your staff have legitimate access to the fuel?

Drivers of vehicles or staff who require fuel for machinery will all need access to the fuel storage tanks, however is this monitored? Do you have adequate systems in place to monitor the usage and who has regular access? Are they using the fuel for official use? There are processes you can and should put in place to monitor the usage and who has access so this is recorded for continual monitoring.

How secure is the area around the fuel tanks to prevent thefts occurring?

A monitored CCTV system is your simplest way to monitor who is accessing the fuel however is this correctly administered? By not reviewing the recordings or having secure access to the fuel storage tanks you are opening yourself up to misuse and theft.

Proactive detection to prevent theft

We recently had a client raise concerns about the theft of fuel at their commercial depot and they asked us to investigate. We performed a detailed analysis of the fuel pump data and that corroborated what was suspected and theft was occurring however it turned out that everyone had access to the fuel and therefore the investigation took a while to complete.

We attended the site and conducted a feasibility review of the area for the installation of Covert Cameras and found it was achievable to provide more detailed information. We installed a Covert Day/Night HD camera and subsequently reviewed the footage obtained, reconciling it against the fuel data report over a one month period and it revealed which member of staff had stolen fuel on numerous occasions in his private car and in jerry cans which were then transported off site.

In addition to Covert cameras we also placed other measures in place that can now be initiated by the client to prevent future thefts of fuel by staff. If you want to see how much a private investigator costs view our latest article.

We can help you deploy a cost effective security system to stop fuel theft

Why not speak to Covert Investigations and Surveillance Ltd for advice on fuel security, employee monitoring, private investigations, and many more preventive measures or even a Site Security Assessment to protect your assets.

If you would like to find out more and to arrange a meeting to discuss your case requirements please Contact Us or call 029 2091 3294.

How secure is your business?

The security of your office or work premises will always be a worry to you and although you have insurance that will cover many aspects what about theft or misuse of information? When you’re at work you can monitor the activity thats going on in the building however what about your cleaners? Do they come in after normal working hours when nobody else is in the building? Do you use contract cleaners, do you vet the individuals, probably not but you trust them with your intellectual property…is this something you should review? We think so and as a result here are a number of things you should consider:

What access do they have?

Obviously cleaners need to gain access to all areas of the building to ensure they perform their duties effectively. This means they could gain access to sensitive areas or documentation which if passed to a third party could be detrimental to your business.

Do you have a clean desk policy?

Office workers will inevitably leave paper on their desks or files open that they are working with. Are you sure your cleaners are not looking at this information? Are they taking copies away? If you don’t operate a clean desk policy you are opening yourself up to misuse of this information and it should be a policy you deploy within your business with immediate effect.

Do you lock cupboards or drawers?

Filing cabinets, cupboards and drawers are the obvious place to secure sensitive information and files. However it is very common practice to leave these unlocked as your staff will need access during the day. However at night, when your cleaners are performing their duties, are they locked?

Is sensitive commercial information left exposed?

Your account office is a prime place for someone to find out information about your business that is extremely sensitive and s security risk. If you haven’t secured this documentation and have left this out at the end of the day it is a perfect opportunity for a cleaner to read and digest. This information could easily be passed and expose your business to a huge commercial risk.

How safe is your intellectual property?

Pitching for tenders, your business and financial plans are all part of your intellectual property. In addition your business operations make you a unique enterprise and this in itself is your intellectual property and should be kept under lock and key and away from prying eyes.

How easily could they plant a listening device?

Your competitors would love to gain access to your business information and it is becoming more common for commercial fraud to take place with the use of listening devices. These are becoming smaller by the year and can be easily concealed in locations you may have thought were a security risk – this even be in the work kitchen where idle chit chat about work could be discussed and recorded. Routine bug sweeps ensure that this risk can be mitigated as much as possible.

Could they access your computers and phones?

Passwords have always been a security risk. With I.T. Departments correctly enforcing a change of password on a regular basis doesn’t stop people from writing these down in the front of diaries or other locations close to where they are needed. A cleaner has the time and opportunity to scan and look for passwords for both computers and phones in order to gain access to voicemail boxes where we are aware security risks can easily be exploited. Routine security scans by trained professionals ensures that these risks are kept to a minimum and using services such as our organisation will highlight security risks through our regular and detailed audits.

At Covert we have entered buildings on numerous occasions and not be challenged when doing Security Penetration reviews for clients. If we can get in, so can your competitors!

Let Covert Investigations help your business become more secure

Why not speak to Covert Investigations and Surveillance Ltd for advice on security, TSCM Bug Sweeps, employee screening, private investigations and many more preventive measures or even a Site Security Assessment to protect your assets. If you would like to see how much a private investigation costs click here.

If you would like to find out more and to arrange a meeting to discuss your case requirements please Contact Us or call 029 2091 3294.

One of the most common problems facing employers is absenteeism and fraudulent sickness absence and to prove this can be very hard. Not only does this cost your business time, your operational deadlines are missed and it will certainly also cost you financially.

When an employee takes time off work you have to reorganise your team and they do their best to take up the role and fulfil the working requirements. Your absent employee may well have genuine sickness however continued absenteeism will always be a trigger for you to start thinking about an investigation. A shocking statistic is that one-third of employee absenteeism is fraudulent and this is a clear breach of contract. Your internal human resources processes will certainly help you once you have the evidence to prove fraud however gaining that evidence is where Covert Investigations & Surveillance can help.

Our investigation process

We are extremely skilled in providing covert surveillance and investigations into staff members. Our work is carried out in such a way that we can confirm the validity of the employee absenteeism or give you discreet evidence that can be used by your HR processes to prove fraud without the employee being aware.

Not only does this give you the evidence you need it will also deter other employees from trying similar activities and therefore help your business’s operational aspects remain consistent.

Is monitoring staff legal?

The simple answer is yes. However you need to ensure that you follow the correct procedures in doing so. As an employer you are bound by the Data Protection Act and therefore all information about your employees needs to be protected. However as an employer you also have the right to protect your business and your interests. If a staff member is suspected of conducting fraudulent absenteeism this will clearly impact on your business and therefore you are taking affirmative action to reduce the harm that employee is having on your interests.

All you need to have is “reasonable suspicion” that your employee is conducting fraud against you. This will be the grounds for the private investigation and we will then conduct our discrete investigation and provide you will all the relevant information you need to take internal action against that employee. Check out our private investigation costs here.

What we shall provide

At the end of our investigation you will be provided with information about the employees activities whilst absent from work. Video surveillance will also be given that will corroborate our detailed and written report. This information will be provided in such a way that not only will your HR process be able to act against the employee internally, should this case go to court it can also be used in as our services are always provided in such a way that a judge will accept them as sound evidence.