Surveillance in New South Wales

There is usually a point at which waiting and hoping stops working. Most people who call us about surveillance in New South Wales have already spent weeks going in circles. A properly run observation removes the guesswork. You get dates, times, locations and imagery, presented in a form that stands up when somebody else reads it. We will give you a straight assessment of whether this is worth doing at all.

New South Wales is a state of roughly eight million people built on finance, construction, logistics, health and professional services. Call 1300 773 293 at any hour, or read on for how we handle surveillance here.

What brings people to us in New South Wales

An employee on workers compensation appears to be working elsewhere
A former partner is breaching a parenting arrangement
A business partner may be running a competing operation
You need to establish where somebody is living for a legal matter
A tenant or occupant may be subletting or misusing a property
A duty of care matter requires you to know where somebody actually goes

On the ground in New South Wales

Covering New South Wales means working from the Sydney basin out through the Hunter, the Illawarra, the Central West and the Riverina. Distance is the main constraint, so we plan around it: we confirm the ground before an operative is committed, and we tell you when travel time is going to make a job uneconomic rather than billing you for a day in a car.

We work regularly across Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong and Central Coast, and we travel further into New South Wales where a matter calls for it.

Our approach to surveillance in New South Wales

We take a full brief, including the subject description, vehicles, addresses and the pattern you have noticed
We agree the days, hours and budget before anybody goes out, so there are no surprises
Operatives take up position discreetly and record continuously, noting every movement with the time
Where a job runs several days we rotate vehicles and operatives so nothing becomes familiar
Footage and stills are captured where it is lawful and useful to do so
You receive a progress update while the job is running, not just at the end

Surveillance and the law in New South Wales

Before anything starts, you should understand what is and is not permitted. Surveillance in a public place is generally lawful in New South Wales. What is tightly controlled is the use of devices. The Surveillance Devices Act 2007 (NSW) governs listening devices, optical devices, tracking devices and data surveillance, and it sets out when a device may and may not be used. We work strictly inside those limits, because evidence gathered outside them is worthless to you and creates a problem you did not have before. Evidence gathered outside those limits is worthless to you, and it hands the other side a much better story than the one you were trying to tell.

This is general information rather than legal advice. If your matter is already before a court, speak to your solicitor about what evidence will assist and we will work to that brief.

What it costs

Nobody enjoys asking what this costs, so we will get to it first. Surveillance is charged by the hour with a minimum engagement, plus travel where the job takes us outside New South Wales. The real cost driver is not the hourly rate, it is how many hours are wasted watching nothing. We will tell you honestly if we think the pattern you have described means a shorter, better targeted window will get you the same answer for less. If we think a smaller job will answer your question, we will propose the smaller job.

Our credentials

Anybody can claim experience. Here is what can be verified. Sydney Private Investigations has been operating since 2002 and trades as GORA Investigations Pty Ltd, ABN 34 600 932 438. We are a licensed agency. We hold NSW Master Licence 412080174. Every operative who works on your matter holds a current individual licence.

We are not a call centre that farms work out to whoever answers. You speak to an investigator, and if we cannot help we will say so rather than take a deposit.

Frequently asked questions

Will the person know they are being watched?

No. Covert surveillance only works if it stays covert. Our operatives use unmarked vehicles, change position and rotate where a job runs over several days.

Can I use the footage in court?

Evidence gathered lawfully and documented properly is generally admissible. We record continuously, keep the original files unaltered and can supply a statement from the operative if a matter proceeds.

How many hours do I need?

It depends on how predictable the pattern is. A specific window on a specific day may take four hours. Establishing a routine from scratch usually takes several sessions. We will give you a realistic estimate at the briefing.

Do you cover regional areas outside New South Wales?

Yes. We travel throughout New South Wales and charge travel separately so you can see exactly what you are paying for.

How quickly can you start?

For most jobs in New South Wales we can deploy within twenty four to forty eight hours, and sooner for urgent matters.

Other things we do in New South Wales

Talk to an investigator about New South Wales

Call 1300 773 293. The line is answered twenty four hours a day. There is no charge for the first conversation and no obligation at the end of it.

If you would rather write to us, use the contact form and we will come back to you the same day.