Present in movies and television series, the detective inspires adventure and logic, just like Sherlock Holmes. But what about in reality? In Nice, each private investigator has their own way of doing things. Four of them have revealed themselves to Nice Première, three of whom wished to remain anonymous.
Is there a military person in the private sector?
For those who love spy movies, there is a detective in Nice who operates with military techniques. A former career military man, this person, whom we will call Gilles, decided to switch to private investigation. “It’s in my skin. You can feel whether you’re cut out for this job or not!”
Diversion of information, unfair competition, hacking, industrial espionage, fraud… His company offers a complete range of services to professionals. The same goes for individuals where the list of services offered is extensive. Moral, pre-marital investigations, and missing persons searches are examples.
With a background of techniques acquired in his former profession, the people he’s surveilling had better watch out. As proof, he never loses anyone during surveillance. His tactic: station a colleague a few streets further to take over, allowing him to stop at red lights without raising any suspicions… and to not break the Law.
Gilles knows how to be just as discreet when surveilling a villa. Dressed all in black, he positions himself in a tree outside. And there, sophisticated cameras and photo equipment are standard. The same goes for the forest where camouflage seems indispensable.
Using military terms, Gilles explains: “Once I accept a file, I track the person involved to find out everything about them. Their background, their habits, their associates, …”
Being attentive, proactive, and working in an organized team. These are the secrets to his success. A success reaching 100% of cases handled.
The woman from the shadows:
Of normal appearance, this woman betrays nothing of her side activities. Managing a store by day, she leads a normal life… At least, to everyone else. But behind her calm facade, she conducts investigations. More for professionals than for individuals.
In fact, she considers herself a real complement to the police: “I lighten the police’s workload.”
Her view on this profession is thus very clear. This woman prides herself on providing client follow-up. She adds: “To be competent in this field, one must possess qualities: discretion, speed, responsiveness, observation. A good detective must also know how to anticipate situations and blend in.” In short, adapt to all situations.
What she loves above all: complex missions, those involving large structures. “I love facing challenges!”
This woman from Nice has faced plenty of challenges. Displaying psychology, social skills, being “Mrs. Everybody” are all challenges she overcomes in her double life.
Story of a detective:
Jeans and a polo shirt. His clothes are far from those of “Inspector Gadget” or Hercule Poirot. Yet, this man, whom we’ll call Eric, is a private detective. Specializing in banking matters, he also deals with cases of adultery. Speaking of which, he recalls an anecdote: “I followed a man who would often visit his lover in the evening. But, it was impossible for me to carry out a proof of adultery because he would leave at 5:45 a.m. And the law in France is clear: private life is protected from 10 PM to 6 AM. Smart guy!”
With 15 years of experience behind him, he still admits to “bordering” on illegality. “It’s rare, but I sometimes run a red light during surveillance. I am a holder of the SNARP card (National Union of Private Research Agents). It helps a bit. Nevertheless, it doesn’t stop a police officer from fining me. But these are the risks of the profession.”
The profession where curiosity and alertness are crucial for successfully completing a mission. Eric goes even further: “It’s important to be sharp, patient, and have intuition.” A true “snooper,” Eric always proceeds in two steps: gather information – and here, neighborhood inquiries are common – then act! Out of the 400 files he handled in 2005, this detective succeeded in 80% of them.
“Psycho” detective:
“Being there to restore balance in things that have lost it.” These are the terms in which this detective defines his profession. During the first meeting with the client, he already tries to understand and reassure them. On the agenda: Listening, discussing, supporting, and relaxing. By purchasing the Martin firm, this man, has set a goal: to offer a bit of help to people troubled by a concern or doubt. Highlighting the importance of psychology, Marc-Olivier Desprez describes himself as altruistic: “I take care of the person in front of me. Because when emotions are affected, everything is affected. I am then there to bring their mind to something positive.”
After this major step, which he considers crucial, he sets up a plan for organizing the work to be done. Trained on the job, Mr. Desprez cannot stand losing. Organized, he dedicates an average of between a week and fifteen days for each case. From solvency investigations to harassment inquiries, his areas of focus are varied.
And if he is in contact with his client, he never interacts with the person he is surveying. In the field, tension then reaches its peak. “You have to be on the lookout for everything, never let your guard down because I insist on doing my job properly.” But for him, nothing is over yet. What remains is to lay out the situation to the client, and especially the hypotheses to consider. The detective explains: “I don’t leave the person stranded with the information I’ve provided. I mention the possibilities to consider, while putting the case in perspective. Having information is good. Knowing how to manage it, is better!”
Martin firm
Detective Marc-Olivier Desprez
3, avenue Jean-Médecin
06000 Nice
Tel: 04 93 13 09 06
Email: nice@cabinetmartin.org
37, rue d’Antibes
06404 Cannes Cedex
