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You emigrated abroad for greener pastures but always considered Jamaica home, so you returned to visit friends and relatives but, most importantly, to soak up the abundance of sunshine and great vibes we offer here. On one of your visits, you met the love of your life and decided to tie the knot. You are prudent and want to make sure that the person is honest, of good character, someone who loves and is committed to you and not a person looking for an opportunity to immigrate to a foreign country. But how do you know if this person is honest and is of good character? I will answer the question later, but let me share with you some of the mistakes many people have made, and when they found out, it was too late.

Humans are social creatures, and we grew up in households with our parents, siblings and sometimes extended families. After becoming adults, we want to find someone we love, get married and have a family just like our parents. However, it is not always that easy for some of us to find love after migrating. I met many Jamaicans living overseas who are steadfast about marrying fellow Jamaicans and came back to find that person, but that person might not be who you think the individual is.

Have you read about men overseas applying to sponsor their children, and when they received the paternity test results, they found that they are not the father? Approximately six of every ten men overseas who attempted to sponsor their children found out they are not the father, resulting in a lifetime of hurt. 

Deception and dishonesty are the predicament many Jamaicans living abroad experience, with many left devastated, angry, feeling like a fool, depressed, etc. But what about the women who came to our shores and met a sweet-talking Jamaican man, as we say here – a man with Nuff lyrics, but found out later that her sweet-talking lover is a cheater, deceiver and an exploiter. Some of these women discovered after sponsoring him that he was only looking for an opportunity to get his papers because this true love is here in Jamaica.

How Stella Gets her Groove Back was a movie of the nineteen-nineties based on a true story of an older American author, Terri McMillan, who visited Montego Bay, Jamaica, and fell in love with a young handsome Jamaican man. After marrying and sponsoring him, she subsequently found out that he was gay, and he later ran off with his new boyfriend he found in California.

I know you have been waiting for the answer I promised earlier, so here it is. I recommend hiring a private investigator (PI) before marrying, sponsoring or having kids with someone in Jamaica. Private Investigators will surveil the individual to glean crucial information you would not think is possible, which can assist you in deciding if you are making the correct decision. The PI is dedicated to your case and will use several investigative techniques such as covert background checks, technology, surveillance and other methods to identify deception or nefarious activities to expose someone of bad character or interested in you for sinister reasons. Therefore, utilizing the services of a PI is a worthwhile investment that could save you a lifetime grief and regret.

Many people think of private investigators sitting in cars in the middle of the night with binoculars, waiting to catch someone in the act, but this image is more often than not a product of dramatic film. While some private investigation does involve in-person surveillance, much of modern investigative practices involve technology to find out information. By taking advantage of some more modern methods, private investigators can discover more about someone than they could in the past when they did rely on lurking in the shadows.

One of the more obvious means of surveillance is by using hidden cameras. These have become smaller and easier to hide and now feature far better audio. This audio is often invaluable for clients to make decisions. While this method will sometimes result in inadmissible evidence within legal courts, it gives the client more information and may provide investigators with the information they need to find further evidence for their client. Following along the lines of using cameras, drones provide investigators with a means of getting closer without actually being present. They allow private investigators to view and hear things while keeping at a distance.

Even more technological is the use of software to infiltrate or uncover evidence of wrongdoing. Software like spyware allows a private investigator to remotely gather the information that could be incriminating and prove a client’s concerns to be warranted or it could provide evidence on the contrary that gives a client peace of mind, knowing that their worries were unfounded. Either way, it’s a great way to uncover the truth.

Two much simpler methods of using technology for surveillance are through social media and GPS trackers. It’s surprising how much people will post to their social media, from location information with an uploaded picture or video to messages posted publicly on a friend or family member’s page. GPS also reveals a great deal of information. Someone can prove their guilt by simply being in the wrong place.

The goal of a private investigator is to help their client uncover the truth. By using technology, both tried and true methods and the newest available inventions, an investigator will do whatever it takes to get their client closure.

In 2019, The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) reported a staggering 2178 missing person cases of that amount 752 were males and 1426 females. The majority of those cases involving children, 347 boys and 1172 girls. Many of those cases are still outstanding, with 474 children and 285 adults still not found for that year alone. Of that total, 39 were reported deceased. The following year, 1066 children were reported missing, and 6 were found dead. Since the start of 2021, the JCF reported 198 missing person cases and counting.

People went missing for a myriad of reasons. For example, many children ran away from home because of their socio-economic conditions, some experienced physical, sexual and verbal abuse, usually from family members and had no other alternative but to separate themselves from the situation. Mental illness also plays a significant role in why some people went missing.

One of the most common reasons is dementia, which, of course, is more common among the elderly, schizophrenia also falls in this category.

Imagine a child who is in harm’s way, maybe in the capture of a pedophile, and think of the many things that could endanger that innocent victim. But, that is only a part of the problem families face in tracking down a missing loved one and safely bringing him/her home. In many of these cases, families rely heavily on the police to find these individuals, and although the police may have their best interest at heart, there is only so much they can do because of limited resources and precedence given to investigate serious cases. By the way, the police are most effective in finding individuals in the first hours or days after they are reported missing. After that, the chances of the lawmen finding them diminished significantly. So, now what other recourse do you have?

Yes, you can advertise in the newspapers, engage social media, posts the names and pictures of the missing on a light post, in your local supermarket, gas stations, etc. But, let’s be honest, how often do we pay attention to these missing person notices? The answer is, most of us don’t, and we only do if we have a close connection to the missing individuals or their families. That said, all is not lost if you utilize the skills and expertise of a private investigator (PI).

Hiring a Private Investigator could be your best bet in finding and bringing home a loved one. The Private Investigator focuses squarely on your case and provides dedicated service. Unlike the police, your matter takes precedence because a Private Investigator doesn’t have as many cases to investigate as the police, and so, he will invest the time and effort to track down the individual.

Private Investigator have investigative techniques to crack cases and blend in covertly in a community to gather information to help in their investigation. Private Investigators can then relay such information to the police if the investigation leads them to believe that a crime was committed.

However, the essential thing is that your matter will be given top priority and will be the key focus for the Private Investigator to bring closure and peace of mind to a worried or grieving family.

There are some societies where criminals get away with a great deal. Either local police are lacking resources, manpower, and authority or there is little to no actual local law enforcement. In some areas, the criminals act as their own form of enforcement, delving out judgement based on a perverse form of justice and an idea of order that is anything but. In these places, when a major crime such as murder is committed it can be downright impossible for authorities to solve it. Those who are the victims or loved ones of the victims are left with no answers or closure. One of the few chances they have of finding this closure is through a private investigator.

Those who live in these places and witness these crimes will often turn a blind eye to criminal activity for the sake of self-preservation. They don’t offer information when the minimal amount of law enforcement asks because they know they might face repercussions. There is often an immediate distrust or fear of legal enforcement officers that prevents witnesses from opening up. Hiring a private investigator brings in someone who is not a legal officer. It brings in someone who can look at the case in a different way and formulate their own trail of clues. Interviewing witnesses a second time and seeing all the evidence in hindsight can put a completely different spin on a case.

Hired investigators are not limited by mountains of work and meager assets. They are hired to solve specific crimes and are able to dedicate all their focus towards that goal. They often understand the locals and where to find answers in these unstable and undisciplined areas, navigating investigations in a way that police can’t. In cold cases, law enforcement often puts what they have found in a box and forgets about it. They have to move on to newer cases with fresher evidence. A private investigator doesn’t have this constant and pressing need to focus on different crimes at once. They stay on track until they can solve what happened. In cold cases, sometimes witnesses who were too afraid to talk are in a different position and can share what they know or new evidence turns up due to the changes of time.

These places that lack legal enforcement are filled with people who are left wondering what happened to the person they cared for. For those seeking answers, having a private investigator provides an expert that is willing to put their all into solving the crime committed. Investigations in these areas can be dangerous and uncertain, with a variety of risks involved. A hired investigator has the experience and knowledge needed to professionally search for clues. Private investigators have the primary goal of satisfying their client and will gather evidence with care and precision, making it possible for this evidence to hold its ground for prosecution. Using technology, dedication, and perseverance a private investigator has the skill and awareness to solve these cases and bring the truth into the light.

One of the most sensitive areas a private investigator can help is while investigating infidelity. This is already an area that requires compassion and thoughtful tact. There are usually heavy emotions and possible legal repercussions involved, and having proof of the truth can impact the results of life-changing decisions and rulings.

Private investigators are experienced in handling these situations and dealing in these cases with the highest level of discretion and professionalism. They know how to record evidence and compile the right
details in order to offer validation for any wrongdoing or even to validate a lack of wrongdoing. With attention to any clues regarding infidelity and a much more intimate understanding of patterns and indicators, they know where and how to look into the specific circumstances of each unique situation.

Infidelity is an area where you don’t have a lot of help. Police can’t be bothered by this type of thing and you and your friends or relatives would have difficulty staying unnoticed while trying to obtain proof of the infidelity. There’s also the fact that personal emotions can easily impact one’s interpretation of a spouse’s actions. A private investigator is someone who is emotionally removed from the cheating. Their judgment won’t be clouded and they will collect evidence of the facts in a way that is legally foolproof and irrefutable.

One of the best ways to catch someone committing infidelity is to follow them and watch their movements. As a stranger, a private investigator will blend into the background. They know the best ways to record the proof they need while maintaining an inconspicuous appearance. They also know
where the best places to watch would be through their know-how and experience. Private investigators are also aware of other ways to find evidence, such as phone records, bank records, or ATM withdrawals
to name a few. Through these and other means, they can follow a cheating spouse without literally following them and instigating suspicion.

Not only do they have the skills needed to get the proof, but they also have the equipment and are familiar with the best ways to use it. Many will go out and try to buy hidden cameras or microphones, but a private investigator already has these devices and understands them through their past cases. They’ve become aware of what works and what doesn’t.

While catching someone in an act of infidelity, it can be equally important to finding out that they haven’t committed this betrayal. Sometimes, during the course of a marriage, one spouse may find themselves stuck in suspicions and these worries can drive a person crazy as long as they remain uncorroborated. Hiring a private investigator can assuage these fears and relieve the stress by proving a spouse has remained faithful.

Whether your spouse is cheating on you or not, knowing the truth for certain can instigate the changes you need to make in order to get your life back together. Whether it’s trying to work on the marriage,
beginning a separation, or finalizing a separation, knowing is the tool to moving forward.

Photo credit: “Wherever you are II” by tamaralvarez is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

A murder is a tragic and terrible act. The hope is that a person who commits such a crime is quickly caught and faces the consequences of his or her actions, but this is not always the case. While police put in a great deal of work to solve these crimes, they are sometimes overwhelmed, limited by jurisdiction, or unable to find the answers they need. When this happens, hiring a private investigator may be the best option to satisfy justice.

Family members and friends of someone who has been murdered are sometimes left with only questions, never knowing who harmed their loved one or what really happened. They deserve to know the truth, but unfortunately, the police can’t always do this. These family and friends, as well as the authorities investigating the crime, need help that only a professional and experienced private investigator can offer. Private investigators are able to dedicate more of their time to focus on one case. They can look at all the evidence with fresh eyes and they have the experience and know-how to see things that may have been hidden or not obvious before.

Working with authorities and the existing information they already have, private investigators can walk through the case details for a second look. They can re-interview witnesses and those who may know something important, taking time to ask questions and analyze the clues in a way that police are often spread too thin to do, looking for deeper details or inconsistencies. They can also move around in an inconspicuous way while surveying people or areas that may lead to further clues and leads. While staying professional, they are not bound by some of the limitations that tie the hands of the police. With their understanding and insight into the best processes of uncovering the facts, they offer a new set of eyes and ideas to these cases, broadening the amount of skilled investigative abilities.

Private investigators are unparalleled at tracking down clues and have a willingness to follow the leads down any path. Because they are hired to solve these cases, they are willing and able to dedicate much more of their time and hard work to find the answers. They handle these cases empathetically and help those who have lost someone know what the next best steps are. Instead of keeping family and friends of victims on the outside of the investigation, they help them to find closure and answers, keeping them involved and informed and offering advice and guidance. Their primary goal is to help the family and friends of the victim.

Occasionally, they have also been relied on to prove innocence. Someone who is accused of murder literally has their life on the line. In these situations, police are sometimes resistant to working with a private investigator and the wrongly accused has very few people on their side. Having one of those being an expert investigator could be crucial to proving their innocence.

If you’ve lost someone to the hands of a murderer and their killer has escaped justice, a private investigator may be able to help you find the outcome you need, and help the police collect the evidence they need to convict the person who committed such a terrible crime.

Photo credit: “crime scene do not cross” by [puamelia] is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0