Buying Private Investigator Equipment

Every private investigator knows well that most of the tasks involved in this job consist of surveillance from a vehicle. This is the case of surveillance for infidelity issues or for insurance claims. For these types of jobs, you really should buy the best private investigator equipment in order to get the best results.

Private investigator equipment list

First of all you must have a car (or van). You will need it mostly for surveillance, but also for following your suspects. For surveillance the best choice would be a mini van. If it has tinted glass, you can sit in the back without being noticed. In a van you have plenty of space to keep the rest of your equipment, which wouldn't fit nearly as well in a car. Once you get used to doing your work from a van, you'll never go back to car.

Even if it sounds old-fashioned, a pen and paper should always be kept close at hand. You never know when you'll need to quickly note down someone’s name, address or number plate number.

As far as private investigator equipment is concerned, the most important part is the video camera (or other surveillance material). Most of your clients will require photos or video sequences to show proof of whatever they are looking for. You need to stay tuned with the newest multimedia equipment that can be bought, as it will make your job and your life far easier. A high quality picture can meant the difference between getting paid and falling short with your client. To start with your video camera should have long-life batteries, and at least 50x optical zoom. If you have a digital camera, it should have a large memory because you will not always have time go to the office to transfer the files to your PC.

Wireless microphones and micro video cameras make part from the private investigator equipment as well (and these are the James Bond type stuff that you got into this job in the first place!). For watching somebody better, you can activate the zoom feature of your camera, but if want to hear what your target says you should set up some wireless microphones around the area to ensure you capture both picture and sound. Be careful because the law does not allow you to intercept phone calls, or to trespass to property. In order to avoid trouble, before installing any type of spying device, you should ask for permission from the owner of whatever place you are stalking (unless it’s the owner).

Where can you buy private investigator equipment?

There are lots of electronic stores where you can buy digital video cameras, micro cameras, and small microphones. But the best prices for this equipment can be found on the Internet, at virtual shops. There are lots of online shops with large catalogs containing virtually everything that a private investigator would need, from clothing accessories to shotguns. It is a good idea to keep these catalogs handy, because you want to keep on top of the latest equipment that comes out, so that you can take advantage of technology and make your job easier.