The problem with affordable surveillance equipment

A top doctor's perverse campaign of voyeurism unravelled when he accidentally filmed himself on one of the James Bond-style hidden cameras he rigged to watch his victims on the toilet. Depraved NHS consultant Dr Lam Hoe Yeoh, 62, spent three years filming more than 1,000 patients, colleagues, friends and even children as young as three in intimate moments with tiny recording devices concealed in watches, pens and hearing aid boxes.

The world-renowned hearing specialist fed his obsession by using cameras hidden in lavatories at NHS and private hospitals across Britain, his offices, the bathrooms at his £750,000 detached home in Banstead, Surrey, and even trains as he travelled to appointments. But Yeoh was caught red-handed when one of the devices fell off a toilet at a Surrey hospital and a colleague found it. Police later seized tape which accidentally recorded him peering into a spycam as he tried to attach it in footage that would eventually seal his conviction.

Today Judge Warwick McKinnon at Croydon Crown Court condemned Yeoh's 'nefarious and despicable actions' as pictures of the high-tech devices he used in his perverted spying were released by police.

Sentencing him to the 'substantial' jail term of eight years in prison, of which he will serve five years before being released on licence, he said:  'The sheer scale, the gravity, the ingrained and compulsive behaviour demonstrated by the offences is significantly important. 'You are considered a high risk to the public.

'(Had you not been caught), I have no doubt that this prolific offending on a hitherto unprecedented scale would have continued.' One of Yeoh 's victims waved sarcastically as the shamed doctor was led from the court to begin the sentence. 

Speaking outside court, police said Yeoh was 'one of the most prolific non-contact offenders ever investigated'.

Victims as young as three were discovered on a secret stash of 1,100 images and video files hidden in Yeoh's home in Garratts Lane, Banstead, following his arrest on April 14. The disgraced physician was bent double in the dock as he heard his fate, and there were gasps from the public gallery, which was packed with victims, including nurses and doctors, as the sentence was read out. Police discovered Yeoh had inadvertently filmed himself installing it and searches of his offices and home revealed he had amassed a collection of footage.

Investigators said it would take at least two years to examine the huge hoard of digital material on 17 computers, laptops, external hard-drives and memory sticks.

In a sinister twist, the doctor created compilations of his colleagues using the toilets and carefully labelled them with their names, actions and the date. He also edited together footage of him interviewing patients with intimate shots from the toilet, including in some cases images shot from multiple cameras. One of his closest colleagues was unwittingly filmed more than 300 times. Prosecutor Peter Clement said: 'This was a sophisticated, organised, planned and long-running campaign of voyeurism, the scale of which was vast.

'It was beyond anything previously encountered by the Metropolitan Police. His voyeurism targeted colleagues, friends, patients and patients' children, male and female. His intention was sinister, indecent and criminal.

'He grossly abused the very high degree of trust placed in him as a consultant physician as well as a friend and colleague.'

Yeoh worked as a consultant vestibular physician, specialising in hearing complaints such as tinnitus, vertigo and dizziness, after coming to Britain from Malaysia aged 25. He rose through the ranks to become an honorary senior lecturer, expert High Court witness and director of two companies. His two daughters attend Cambridge University and the family were known to neighbours as respected professionals and devout Christians.

But his career came crashing down when a camera was found in a communal toilet at the privately run St Anthony's Hospital, in Cheam, Surrey, on April 14. When police confronted Yeoh, he said: 'Will I go to jail? I was so stupid, don't tell my family. It's not serious – I can't go to jail.'They found 23 covert cameras, which were disguised as computer memory sticks, pens and watches, including three hidden in hearing aid boxes in his car. 

A memory stick he was carrying on a lanyard around his neck when he was arrested carried a short film entitled: 'Cardiff train teenager.'

Computer experts found that Yeoh had used the cameras to film at medical facilities including the private Portland Hospital, in central London, St Helier Hospital and clinics in Exeter, Nottingham, Sutton, and Thames Ditton, Surrey.

Hours of footage was also captured on trains, including a girl, believed to be just three years old. Other victims included friends and colleagues who were invited to his home for social events. Police were able to identify only 32 victims, many of them staff at St Anthony's Hospital. There are at least a further 1,084 unknown victims. Yeoh gave detailed labels to the recordings, which included phrases such as 'sweet young teen' and 'thin young blonde, Exeter'. In mitigation, Yeoh's barrister said he was an obsessive 'collector' who recorded so much material he was unable to view it all.Yeoh admitted seven counts of voyeurism, six charges of making an indecent image of a child and one of possessing extreme pornography. 

Yeoh, who spent much of the hearing weeping with his head bowed and his left hand splayed firmly across his face, showed no emotion as he was led into custody. Speaking outside court, Detective Constable Aaron Moon praised the victims for coming forward. He said: 'I would like to thank all the victims for their fortitude, I would also like to thank the many other hard-working and dedicated health professionals across the south east and around the country that have been affected by this case.

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'With images of people filmed in consultations and lavatories, his footage is truly appalling and abhorrent.

'It has had an enormous detrimental impact on everyone we have spoken to who has come into contact with him.

'It seems he has had no regard or respect for anyone he has come into contact with for many years.'

Mr Moon added: 'We believe he (Yeoh) is one of the most prolific non-contact offenders ever investigated by the Metropolitan Police or any other police force in the country.

'But now the lie he has led for many years has been exposed and he has been forced to answer for his actions.' The judge gave Yeoh limited credit for his guilty plea, but said he considered him a danger to the public.

Yeoh was given an eight-year term for six counts of making an indecent image of a child, of which five years would be served before being released on licence.

He was given 17-month jail sentences for five counts of voyeurism, nine-month terms for two further counts of a similar nature, and a nine-month sentence for possessing extreme pornography.

All sentences will be served concurrently, meaning he will spend five years in prison.

He must also sign the Sex Offenders' Register upon release. Yesterday the court heard Yeoh had applied to be struck from the medical register. Outside court, victims said they were 'relieved' the ordeal was over.

In carrying out his well-organised campaign of making opportunistic images of both adults and children, Dr Yeoh abused his position of trust for his own sexual gratification.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2850147/Married-father-three-consultant-filmed-1-000-patients-colleagues-friend-toilet-hidden-spy-cameras-jailed-five-years.html#ixzz3KCJCYuJo Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Buying GPS Equipment? Beware...!

We see a lot of technology in our industry - GPS trackers, room bugs, counter surveillance equipment etc. A lot of it is very good and does exactly what it is supposed to do but unfortunately as the world becomes an ever increasing free (and small) market place, we also see a lot of rubbish.

Typing 'GPS vehicle tracker' into Google brings up a myriad of results. Thousands of companies around the world tout their wares and it truly seems like there are options for every pocket to be had by shopping around. But GPS trackers (like most spy equipment) shouldn't be cheap. There is a reason for the massive price gap between products and all too often, we have seen operations go catastrophically wrong when people buy cheap.

There is a lot of technology that goes into those little black boxes. They have to be rugged enough to survive under a car in the harshest environments yet small enough to be covert. They have to have a big enough battery to last the duration and be able to get a clear signal without having a line of sight to the sky.

Over the years, we have seen trackers that:

1) Need to be stuck to the roof of a car to work - not very covert!
2) Have batteries that last for just a couple of days before dying in the field
3) Send text messages back with longitude and latitude co-ordinates that you then have to translate
4) Beep or ring every time you request a location (seriously!)
5) Fall off if the target goes over a bump
6) Have only been accurate to around 500 feet
7) Come with no tracking console so you have no way to know where the device is!

In short, we have seen every type of tracker failure imaginable and if you buy cheap, the list above is what you are going to get. So what sets our trackers apart?

1) Our trackers can survive for up to a year on a single battery charge
2) You can track our devices in live time, seeing a moving map on your phone or PC
3) Our devices are small enough to be covert, yet powerful enough to be buried deep under a car and still send back clear signals
4) Our trackers are accurate to within about 6 feet anywhere on the planet

So, if you are thinking about using or buying a GPS tracker, contact us first!

As frightening as it gets...

We very rarely have reason to be scared doing the job we do, after all, we are covert and not many people actually see us doing it. That said, there are times when we go into a situation not knowing quite how we are going to come out of it. Last night saw us in one of those times...

It was to be a very simple tracker collection. The client, now finished with the device, had removed it from her car and left it for us attached to her friends car just a few miles away in the Abbey Wood area of London. The theory behind doing this was that we could collect the tracker in the early evening with no fear of being spotted by the target.

If you know London, you may know that Abbey Wood is one of the more densely populated areas south of the river and is made up of many apartment buildings and high rise flats. Very close to Thamesmead, it is considered one of the more dangerous pockets of the city. Just last week, Police were called to a Stabbing on Wolvercote Road in the area. What we didn't know as we set out last night was that Wolvercote Road is in the very estate we were heading to (next to our collection address in fact) and tensions were still very high.

Pulling into our destination street, we scanned the area for the small parking lot connected to the flats we were heading for. We saw a group of people before we saw the car park. Spread across the road in front of us were around 10 or 15 of them, gathered around cars, listening to blaring music and drinking. They spread into small an area behind some flats where the main group (about 40 men and women) were hanging out. In the middle of the group was the car we were supposed to be taking the tracker off. Handy.

We accessed our options. Do we turn away and head back to MK empty handed with nothing to show for our 3 hour round trip, or do we just get on with it and dump our stereotypical fear that we were just about to be stabbed? As it transpired, the decision was made for us as before long we were noticed as the only white faces and the group began moving around the car, blocking our route out.

Swallowing hard, we got out of the car and walked towards our target vehicle. Whispers and nudges narrated our short journey through the throng of people. Still, we kept our heads held high and walked with confidence towards our prize, Pausing only briefly to detach our tracker from the car, we turned and walked back towards our vehicle. The silence at this point was deafening as around 40 sets of eyes burned into our backs. Trying to use my peripheral vision to identify threats without turning around, I stayed tense ready for the attack the Daily Mail had told me would come but in just a few seconds, we were free of the main crowd and just a few steps from our car. Unlocking it remotely, i heard the shout i was dreading. 'Oi, Stay there'

I turned to see a young black guy breaking free from the crowd and striding towards us. Anyone who hadn't spotted by then had by now, and the tension descended down like a fog.

'What the f*ck are you doing with the car?' He demanded

This is the point where pre-planning is everything. I had asked the client what her friends name was and this seemed to be my get out jail free card.

'Just picking up something that ******** had left for us, she's in flat 3'

The guys aggression faded almost instantly and his hands relaxed by his side

'Oh ok mate, no problem, sorry' He said as he made his way back the group. And that was it. No stabbing and no public execution, but still, the single scariest GPS collection to date.

How does a GPS tracker work?

By far the most effective tactical equipment we use (that is to say a machine rather than a man!) are GPS tracking devices. These clever little black boxes allow our Agents to take a step back during surveillance while still knowing exactly where a target is.

In terms of working an operation, this obviously makes the whole thing safer (as the team don't need to be right on the tail of a target) but also makes things considerably cheaper. Whereas historically a team would have to observe a client 24/7 to get a detailed picture of his or her movements, they can now work 'reactively' using the intelligence supplied by the tracker to decide what is and isn't worth looking at.

So how do these devices work?

Basically put, they use a SIM card (as found in mobile phones) to send GPS data over the phone networks to a central server. We (and our clients) can then access this server via a webpage to see exactly where the device is using a password unique to that target and their case. They are accurate to around 10 feet anywhere on the planet and never sleep, thus never missing a potential lead!

The devices themselves are about the size of your palm and are attached to the target vehicle using two very strong magnets (and no, we haven't ever had one fall off!) They are completely self contained with a battery that can offer up to six months of tracking from a single charge. Attaching them to the car takes just a few seconds and tracking commences immediately.

Logging onto the tracking console (shown below) our clients can sit back and watch the vehicle move around in live time and get an updated location at intervals from 5 seconds to 6 hours. We can highlight potential danger areas (mistresses house?) and the tracker will text us automatically to tell us when the target goes there. We can also put the tracker to sleep or change the settings remotely to make sure that the tracking data we get is as accurate and relevant as is possible.

Basically put, if you are cheating on your partner, these devices are your worst nightmare but if you are one of our clients, they might just give you the answers that have eluded you for so long. Priced from just £250 per week for the 1st week and £125 for each subsequent week after that, finding out the truth was never so easy!

When did this become acceptable?

When did having an affair become a socially acceptable, even promoted activity in our society? Recently, through an operation, we had the misfortune of having to subscribe to a website that gave married people an environment in which to meet others for infidelity. There was no glossing over what people were there for - in fact their website tagline is 'Life is short. Have an affair' and if their figures are to be believed, there are just shy of 30,000,000 people in the world that agree with them.

Looking through the profiles (who are mainly desperate looking men trying to regain some of their lost youth while fighting a receeding hairline and ever increasing waistline, or 40 something pouting women chasing their secondary school skin glow in vain) it is sad to see how many people value their marriages so little. No one attempts to hide the fact that they are married (there is a category on the site for singles to meet singles) and in fact, many refer to their marriages in their profile bio's. They say they still love their partners but the flame has gone.

So what happened to the days when affairs 'just happened', the result of drunken office parties or a chance meeting with an old flame? When did our society decide that it was OK to just wake up one morning, get the kids ready for school, kiss your wife goodbye and then log on to meet some random desperado for a quick tryst in a Tesco's car park?

Surely, none of us are stupid enough to believe that marriages are all sunshine and fireworks, but when did it become OK to just stop trying to regain the love you once had for your partner and instead immediately start looking elsewhere for fun?

If i could, i would tell the members of these websites to grow-up. Once you get married and have children, its not all about you any more (see this post) and there is more at stake than a quick pump to your under inflated ego.

You took a vowel when you said 'I do'.

Either have the guts to leave your family and go it alone (if that's what you really want to do) or toughen up, go home, delete your online cheating profile and focus on making it better with your partner. The other option is that your partner gets suspicious, calls us, we monitor EVERYTHING you do on your PC, phone and tablet and you get busted.

How to pick the right Private Investigator

We have been in this business for many years, and during that time we have seen companies come and companies go. Some leave little or no trace, others make a small impact and then just vanish into the ether when their owners find the work a little too taxing.

During our day to day operations, we come across these companies regularly. They mystery shop us almost weekly to find what we are offering that they aren't (its amazing how many follow our consultation procedures almost word for word!) how much we charge and what we're doing right that they aren't.

Surfing the web, its almost impossible to decide who to avoid and who to talk to based on websites alone (even the most shambolic company can have an impressive web presence) and it also now seems to be the norm for 'middle men' to promote themselves as your local PI, even when they are based hundreds of miles away and simply farm your job out to whoever is available.

One example of this can be seen by doing a simple search for our area. The words Private Investigator Milton Keynes when typed into Google should give you results for, well, private investigators in Milton Keynes right?! Wrong! The first two companies to appear in the list are these dreaded middle men, farming out your jobs to local agencies you haven't heard of and charging you twice as much for the privilege. Try it, click here and have a look 

So, how do you know who to call and who to choose? Here's a quick checklist to help:

Does their web address contain which ever city you happen to type in? i.e http://p************r-milton-keynes.co.uk/? Chances are this is a middle man registering domain names country wide to try and corner the market. You will pay well over the odds and wont actually know who is running your operation

Do they answer the phone with their company name? 
No? That's because they are answering calls from all over the country from many different websites and cant risk letting you find out. Try asking them who they are when they answer - they wont tell you!

Do they answer the phone at all? 
Are they there when they say they are or are they simply running a part time business and working full time during the day

Are they considerably more expensive or cheaper than other companies you have phoned? It is generally accepted that surveillance costs around £45 to £55 per hour, give or take a little either way. If a company are charging something hugely different to this - why?

Do they bad mouth other companies you say you have spoken to?

This is unprofessional in any industry and should give you a good idea of the sort of people you are speaking to

Are they a cash only (or bank transfer) Agency?
A modern professional company should have the facility to accept your payment by debit or credit card, and that payment should go into a corporate bank account. If someone insists you pay by cash or bank transfer, move on.

Do they take time to find out what your problem is?
If you phone up a PI Agency and ask how much and investigation will cost, a good agency wont be able to tell you. That is because a good agency will take time to find out what you need and tailor a solution to you. If they don't take the time to get to know your situation, how can they possibly expect to be able to help you?

Are they friendly, courteous and professional on the phone?
This is really a bit of a no brainer - in which ever industry you are spending money, you should be treated with respect and courtesy. If the call starts out badly and the Agent is rude or short with you on the phone, would you really trust them to look after you? (You might think this is a bit of a given, but we recently spoke to a competitor who almost shouted at one of our clients on the phone when he asked for a quote...Test them out: you can find them on Google in the first 5 companies to appear here!)

How long have they been in business?
This can be a tricky area as all companies were new once. That said, do you really want to be their test case or would you rather work with a company that have already proved themselves?

Are they happy to come and see you?
No? Hmmmmm......

Are you given the name and direct dial number of the lead Agent looking after your case?
How will you know who to contact with vital information while your case is running? If you cant even get a name of someone to speak to, how can they look after you?

Can you find details of their company on the web, other than their website?
A good Private Investigator will have strong links to the community and will have had their work featured in the press over the years. Take a look at Black Cat in the news here and see how many people we have helped!

Of course, the most powerful tool in your box is your instinct. If something seems wrong with an Agency - move on. If you feel you are being sold to or that the person simply sees you as a number - move on.

Or, simply call any of the team at Black Cat Investigations and we can show you how its done!

Not without risks!

Whilst we take every care not to get caught doing what we do, sometimes your fate seems to rest in the lap of the gods. Yes, we have a procedure for every type of job, a mental check list if you will, that we use in the field, but every now and then you are dealt a curve ball that leaves you a little breathless to say the least...

The road was busy. This is a major UK city after all and thus nothing ever truly stops. Cars were parked on either side but all seemed locked down for the night, ready to serve their owners a few hours from now during the morning commute to offices, factories and shop across the city. Pedestrian traffic was zero save for a few late night stragglers waiting for buses some 50 yards from me. Darkness would serve as a good cloak from their eyes and thus with a last scan across the residential windows around me, I made my way towards my target vehicle, GPS tracker and mini torch in hand.

Approaching the vehicle, I checked over my shoulder once more and, coast clear, hit the ground and rolled under the rear bumper. Just 2 or 3 seconds passed before the device was attached and 2 or 3 seconds after that, I was back on my feet walking back towards my vehicle.

Job done. About 30 feet from the target vehicle I turned back (old habits - I like to make sure that no-one is running over to the vehicle having seen me do my plant) and I see the indicators blink, the locks activated by a remote keyfob. I step back from the road to take cover of nearby bushes and hold my breath while I watch the target approach his vehicle, convinced he has seen me make the drop and come out to investigate. Instead, he simply walks to the drivers door, climbs in and drives off.

I breathe a sigh of relief and thank my lucky stars that I wasn't held up 20 seconds by traffic lights on my way there, as I am not sure what excuse I would use for a target tripping over my legs while I was under his car....

(Incidentally, you might wonder where the target was going at such a late hour. Lets just say that just taking into account just our part in this operation - which not including travelling time was about 7 seconds - this has now become our shortest case ever...)

Money Cant Buy You Love

Its been a long time since we last updated this, so apologies to those who were following our exploits eagerly awaiting the instalments that never came!

In fact, almost a year has past since we last updated these pages and thus it is with our tail between our legs that we return with promises to be more vigilant in our updates going forward...

This year has seen some interesting cases for us, and in our search for explanations as to why people choose infidelity over marital bliss one case in particular comes to mind.

Money, they say, is the root of all evil. Many a time have financial difficulties been blamed for a marriage breakdown. Couples argue of finances, these arguments create rifts that over time widen to what seems like a cavernous void and sooner or later, one party will find peace and tranquility with someone who doesnt moan about the £15 you spent on a Chinese takeaway when the kids needed new shoes for Gym.

Last summer, a new client approached us to uncover the reason behind his wifes sudden departure from the matrimonial home, or rather, one of the matrimonial homes. You see, this particular client had many properties around the UK and the world. He truly epitomised the saying that money was no object.

After many weeks of surveillance, employing GPS tracking devices, audio bugging equipment and all manner of other techniques, we established that the subject of the investigation was in fact involved with another man. Looking into his background, we then established that the man was none other than her first ever boyfriend. Now, in relevative terms, the chap earnt a decent enough living, but was certainly not one who could be classed as rich.

Presenting this evidence to the client who then presented it to his wife, all parties assumed that she would return to her husband and the incredible lifestyle he provided. But no, she chose to leave the marriage and return to her first boyfriend. This, i suppose proves that old addage that Money cant buy you love...But still...they had a POOL....One wonders if, as the credit crunch continues to bite, she wont want to dust off her swim suit and return home?