It's that time of the year... to wrap things up and open new gifts

It's that time of the year again, when people wrap presents, eat food, and drink delicious beverages... that they likely didn't buy! One in every 11 people who walk through a retailer's door is likely to walk out with at least one item he or she didn't pay for, with nearly 70% claiming they didn't plan to steal something (Klara, 2011). The top 10 most shoplifted items, according to Klara in an article published in Adweek, are as follows:

1. Filet Mignon
2. Jameson (liquors)
3. Electric tools
4. iPhone4
5. Gillette Mach4
6. Axe (deodorants)
7. Polo Ralph Lauren
8. Let's Rock Elmo
9. Chanel No. 5
10. Nikes

The list is interesting, for sure. But we provide it as a friendly reminder that retailers need to take precautions, as we suggest last year at this time. No retailer is safe from sticky fingers, and it seems that there are a variety of motivations for theft. It is also a reminder to be observant of others' behaviors and, if warranted, do a background check or surveillance on employees, spouses, children, etc., especially when they engage in suspicious behavior. This is just a matter of protecting your own self interest, even if it feels odd.

It is also that time of the year when people think it is appropriate to make changes. We're not alone. We're planning to make a few changes to our blog next year. We'll continue to write long posts with ideas and tips for clients, and thoughts on the profession. However, these will be less frequent. Instead, we will update the blog a few more times per month with shorter comments, and more timely news about the profession. This, we believe, will allow us to cover more topics. It is also consistent with the push in social media to make information fresh and concise. We believe shorter comments with links to articles will better serve our readers and the PI profession more than our current approach does.

So until 2012, have a safe and happy holiday. However, if it is for any reason a little unsafe and unhappy, give us a call: investigateworldwide.com. 

(Note: We'll be working cases, but we'll begin delivering content in mid-January.)

Learning about Private Investigations

This post is for readers who want to know more about the profession of private investigations. Whether you are interested in the field out of intrigue, are thinking about hiring a private investigator and want to be an informed consumer, or are contemplating a career in the profession, this post will point you in the direction of some excellent books.

There are a variety of books on the profession, some better than others. While it may be useful to read a book that gives a general overview of the profession or provides interesting stories, such as Broker, Trader, Lawyer, Spy: The Secret World of Corporate Espionage, the more useful books are those that build knowledge and skills that are relevant to successful investigations. If you are seeking employment with an investigations company or want to be an informed consumer, it is better to invest in books that deal with the process of investigation and relevant laws. The following books are excellent resources:

• Introduction to Private Investigation: Essential Knowledge and Procedures for the Private Investigator
  
  
• Process of Investigation, Third Edition: Concepts and Strategies for Investigators in the Private Sector
  
  
• Navigating The Legal Minefield of Private Investigations
  
  
• How to Do Financial Asset Investigations: A Practical Guide for Private Investigators, Collections Personnel, and Asset Recovery Specialists
  
  
• Internal Corporate Investigations

In addition to the books listed above, you will want to invest in books on writing if you plan to work as a field investigator. You will write professional reports that will be passed along to clients and may be used in court. A well written report, free of grammatical errors and typos, will project the proper professional image. The following books are excellent resources for improved writing.

• The Elements of Style (4th Edition)
  
  
• The Business Writer's Handbook, Ninth Edition
  

Being a private investigator is not just about following people, as popular press images suggest. It is about knowing the laws and understanding human psychology. The above books will help you to gain an understanding of what it really takes to conduct a successful investigation.