Often the key to winning legal or civil cases comes down to good intelligence gathering. Covert surveillance is a critical resource for gathering intelligence in the field.

The ability of trained professionals to gather crucial evidence while staying in the shadows to monitor human behaviour has so often proved invaluable to law firms and corporations. It seems that simple but unless you’ve got highly experienced operatives in your camp you could be seriously risking a lot of money and human resources. “Covert physical surveillance is a critical aspect of every investigation,” explains IFW Executive Chairman Ken Gamble.

“It involves us watching the suspects, it involves us watching their movements, it involves us watching where they live, identifying their associations. It’s about gathering as much information as we can to assist and help drive cases to a successful conclusion for various clients.”

Listen to the IFW Global Podcast: Surveillance and Success

To be a successful boxer, fireman or soldier you require a meticulous approach to detail and a disciplined mindset when it comes to training.

Ken Gamble has been all three and that means his approach to surveillance is given the same level of commitment.

“I started in 1988 as a surveillance operative and I used to train others,” said Mr Gamble.

“An inexperienced operative can blow a whole case which is why at IFW Global we only engage operatives with at least 20 years’ experience. We totally understand just how critical it is for us to get the job done properly.”

Surveillance and law firms

“Law firms represent clients, they represent corporations. They represent high-net-worth individuals and celebrities who leave a lot of their problems for the lawyers to sort out,” explained Mr Gamble.

“Law firms approach us with specific issues that they need to be sorted out. In most cases, there will be a surveillance component surrounding their legal cases. There are a number of reasons why covert surveillance is crucial; they may want serve documents or it may be to simply gather information about who they are visiting.”

5 key reasons why surveillance is crucial

1. It provides critical Intelligence for criminal and civil cases
2. Strategic and targeted approach to investigations
3. It assists with locating individuals and hidden assets
4. Helps law firms to make informed decisions with their clients
5. Assists corporations to make informed decisions about individuals

Learn more about our covert surveillance services.

The case of John Robert Hanneman

1. John Hanneman played a key role in fleecing 19 victims of their savings through a sports betting scam on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
2. But he was proving elusive, he’d gone to ground after authorities were alerted by victims.
3. IFW Global was asked to step in to, not only find him, but launch covert surveillance in order to establish his pattern of behaviour.
4. “We followed him around, we gathered a lot of information, we found out where his office was,” explained Ken Gamble.
5. “We were able to take photographs of him and identify all of his workers. We also identified the ATMs where he was withdrawing money.”
6. IFW’s operation was crucial in helping authorities paint a clear picture of Hanneman’s illegal activities and he was eventually arrested, charged, prosected and sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in the scam