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Re: i have a private investigaror in front of my house helpm
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 10:06 am
by RoyGBiv
If I missed the answer to this, sorry...
Is the PI watching YOU or your kids? Are you sure? It sounds like the answer is no, but, it's not been addressed specifically.
Do you know who he's watching?
Do you have any idea why?
Have you spoken to them (the people you think he's watching)?
If not, why not? It's not like you're giving away a secret that the PI is watching them..
What was their story?
Re: i have a private investigaror in front of my house helpm
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 10:38 am
by i8godzilla
He cannot park there 24/7. Next time he moves park your car there.
Yes, I know he is just trying to make a living. But you are not required to make it easy on him. Go out with your camera and take lots of pictures of him. Insure you get his license plate in the pictures--this tends to upset some people though I do not know why. There is not an expectation of privacy in a public place. Print up a lot a copies and hand them out to your neighbors--even give him a copy. You can also create a web page with the pictures and true comments about his activities across from you house. Put the web address on the flier. Set up a live web cam and publish the feed address. Let him know how it feels to be 'spied on'. Because his 'cover' has been blown, my guess is that he is being paid to try and intimidate someone--maybe you.
Or, do what I would do, just ignore him.
Re: i have a private investigaror in front of my house helpm
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 11:22 am
by RoyGBiv
What I was getting at indirectly is...
Maybe once you understand what he's after, you might think it's a good idea for him to be there..
Maybe the neighbor is cheating on their spouse?
Maybe the neighbor is going out dancing every night, while trying to claim some terrible debilitating injury from a car accident and the PI is working for the insurance company?
I don't think we have the full story by a long shot.. so.. I have no opinion on whether the PI is good, bad or just a thorn in your side.
Re: i have a private investigaror in front of my house helpm
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 11:37 am
by jordanmills
I'm pretty sure he can't legally tint his windshield. A spotlight and a camera should give you a clear view of him and anything in his vehicle. If he's messing with you, mess with him back.
Re: i have a private investigaror in front of my house helpm
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 12:20 pm
by speedsix
... from what's been posted...looks like the PI is the one being messed with...without any provocation...once the police say he's checked out as legit...he's got the right on a public street to make a living...and be left alone...just as a news reporter or plumber or survey taker or traffic observer...there is no valid reason to keep even going out to speak to him....and any incident provoked by the OP could very likely endanger his CHL, since inflammatory behavior is warned against when we carry...time to quit while you're ahead, take a deep breath, and let it go...
Re: i have a private investigaror in front of my house helpm
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 12:37 pm
by gigag04
A P.I. /= the boogey man
Does he have a mustach and drive a Ferrari by chance?
Re: i have a private investigaror in front of my house helpm
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 12:42 pm
by DoubleJ
gigag04 wrote:A P.I. /= the boogey man
Does he have a mustach and drive a Ferrari by chance?

/approves
I think the issue is that they don't like a "20-30yo man around the kids."
I understand. that's usually the age that pervs perv out on ya. But, he's a PI, not a PERV. course, he could be a PERV PI, but I'd be less inclined to worry about that, than a van with no windows that says FREE CANDY on the side.

Re: i have a private investigaror in front of my house helpm
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 1:16 pm
by puma guy
If his driver window is blacked out to the extent you're unable to see him the police should cite him and you should insist they enforce the law. He may be a PI but that is not a positive character reference. Basically he's not a felon, but PI credentials don't mean much. There should be ordinances about parking in front of property that doesn't belong to him on an every day basis. Most cities allow only incidental parking, not continual daily parking by a non-resident. The property owner may have to make a complaint. He doesn't sound too bright if he parks every day in the same spot to snoop on someone. I would be as suspicious as you were and his subject probably is too. I wouldn't need a sign to get my antenna humming. JMHO
Re: i have a private investigaror in front of my house helpm
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:31 pm
by jmra
From what I could tell from a quick google search PIs are licensed and regulated by dps. It also appears that the regulations for obtaining said license is on par (if not more demanding) with a CHL.
So if you buy into the idea that CHLs are a trust worthy bunch because of the "clean bill of health" we receive as part of the application/approval process we go through, then I wouldn't think you would have reason to feel any differently about this guy.
So let's review:
The police say he is legitimate PI. This means he is a licensed private investigator in good standing with dps. So he is not a felon, he is not a registered sex offender, and he has a legitimate reason/right to be where he is doing what he is doing and he pays his taxes just like I assume you do.
So, if I am understanding you correctly, you have a problem with this law abiding individual exercising his God given rights because it makes you uncomfortable.
Sounds like the same argument used by those who seek to take away your guns. Be careful what you wish for.
Re: i have a private investigaror in front of my house helpm
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:32 pm
by Purplehood
puma guy wrote:If his driver window is blacked out to the extent you're unable to see him the police should cite him and you should insist they enforce the law. He may be a PI but that is not a positive character reference. Basically he's not a felon, but PI credentials don't mean much. There should be ordinances about parking in front of property that doesn't belong to him on an every day basis. Most cities allow only incidental parking, not continual daily parking by a non-resident. The property owner may have to make a complaint. He doesn't sound too bright if he parks every day in the same spot to snoop on someone. I would be as suspicious as you were and his subject probably is too. I wouldn't need a sign to get my antenna humming. JMHO
More laws?
Re: i have a private investigaror in front of my house helpm
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 3:18 pm
by Medic218
jmra wrote:
So, if I am understanding you correctly, you have a problem with this law abiding individual exercising his God given rights because it makes you uncomfortable.
Sounds like the same argument used by those who seek to take away your guns. Be careful what you wish for.
Well said
Re: i have a private investigaror in front of my house helpm
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 3:32 pm
by Excaliber
Not everyone who conducts surveillance from a vehicle is a threat, nor should they be treated as such.
Police officers do it all the time, as do private investigators. There are good enough reasons for this that both get well paid to do it. Folks who do this type of thing on their own and without pay are the type of "watchers" one should be concerned with.
Either police officers or private investigators may very well be working on a problem you don't know you have in the neighborhood and will resolve it for you if you simply let them do their jobs.
No, they're not going to tell you what they're working on so you can decide if they should be there or not, and they don't need your permission.
In a situation like this, the prudent citizen's best course of action is generally MYOB.
Re: i have a private investigaror in front of my house helpm
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 3:35 pm
by WildBill
Excaliber wrote:No, they're not going to tell you what they're working on so you can decide if they should be there or not, and they don't need your permission.
In a situation like this, the prudent citizen's best course of action is generally MYOB.

Re: i have a private investigaror in front of my house helpm
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 3:40 pm
by Ameer
i8godzilla wrote:Go out with your camera and take lots of pictures of him. Insure you get his license plate in the pictures--this tends to upset some people though I do not know why. There is not an expectation of privacy in a public place. Print up a lot a copies and hand them out to your neighbors--even give him a copy. You can also create a web page with the pictures and true comments about his activities across from you house. Put the web address on the flier. Set up a live web cam and publish the feed address. Let him know how it feels to be 'spied on'.
I like it. Especially the streaming web cam idea.
Re: i have a private investigaror in front of my house helpm
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 3:51 pm
by i8godzilla
Ameer wrote:i8godzilla wrote:Go out with your camera and take lots of pictures of him. Insure you get his license plate in the pictures--this tends to upset some people though I do not know why. There is not an expectation of privacy in a public place. Print up a lot a copies and hand them out to your neighbors--even give him a copy. You can also create a web page with the pictures and true comments about his activities across from you house. Put the web address on the flier. Set up a live web cam and publish the feed address. Let him know how it feels to be 'spied on'.
I like it. Especially the streaming web cam idea.
@Ameer - I was attempting to be a bit facetious. Thus my actual comment at the end of my post:
i8godzilla wrote:Or, do what I would do, just ignore him.
There are thousands of other ways to run him out, but, I still believe the best course of action is to leave him alone.