Blog of Kurtz Detective Agency Münster

Family Reunification, Long-Lost Love, and the Search for Biological Parents

Afternoon and evening programmes, both on private and public broadcasters, regularly focus on locating missing relatives, friends, and former partners. The ongoing fascination with such shows demonstrates how deeply people care about cases of reunited family members and friends. The disappointment is all the greater—for both viewers and the person searching—when, for example, a father refuses to meet a daughter given up for adoption due to shame or guilt, meaning his address is not shared with her.

 

However, producers here follow only the legal requirements that are also fundamental to our work as corporate detectives in Münster: if the “found” person does not wish to be contacted, they generally have every right to protect their privacy and prevent contact. While private person searches can result in heartwarming reunions, the Kurtz Detective Agency Münster also handles searches for far less pleasant reasons: parental abduction, avoidance of maintenance payments, fraud cases, or simply debts as motives for “going underground.” In most cases, our private investigators are able to locate the person in question—also on your behalf: +49 251 7009 0014.

Legitimate Interest in Address Investigations: When can our Münster Detectives Investigate?

As mentioned above, our Münster private detectives cannot conduct searches for just anyone, as privacy must always be respected, and a careful weighing of interests is required. If the need to know the address is deemed a higher legal interest than the protection of privacy, a so-called legitimate interest in sharing the information exists. Each case must be considered individually. Tracking down an old school friend does not necessarily qualify as a legitimate interest. But in cases of concrete legal claims—e.g., if someone owes you money and then moves without leaving contact information—legality is ensured. The Kurtz Corporate Detective Agency Münster will advise you if you are unsure whether a legitimate interest exists in your case.

 

In some instances, our Münster detectives may be commissioned to conduct address searches even without a clearly defined legitimate interest—such as if it is likely that the sought person (perhaps a family member or former close friend) may also wish to be contacted. In such cases, the found person must be informed of the requester’s interest and give consent for the address to be shared. If the person does not allow it, the Kurtz Private Detective Agency Münster is legally bound by this refusal and may not provide the address, even if the search is successful. Nevertheless, since the work was carried out properly, the detective fees for the address investigation are fully chargeable—even in this rare scenario.

Wide Range of Reasons for Engagement = Versatile Detective Services

While some inquiries to our IHK-certified detectives are personal, involving friends, relatives, or childhood loves, the majority of our address investigations are commissioned due to debt evasion or crimes such as fraud in its various forms or property damage to rental property. The Kurtz Detective Agency operates nationwide, so our investigators can often conduct on-site verification immediately after locating an address. Our network of informants and skilled investigators abroad also allows for investigations and operations beyond Germany—often necessary in today’s globalized world, particularly in cases of child abduction or international relocation.

 

Regardless of the reason for engagement, our Münster private detectives always document their findings in writing in an investigative report, making all results legally admissible. The report may be brief if the search is quickly successful. However, for some legal proceedings, it is necessary to confirm by observation that the person actually resides at the located address. For this task as well, the Kurtz Detective Agency Münster is your competent contact.

Heir Searches and Preliminary Checks of Business Contacts by Münster Detectives

Address investigations may also be a partial service in broader research assignments. Many checks cannot be carried out without a reasonably current address, making address research often the starting point for further investigations. This can include, for example, a credibility check during contract negotiations with a little-known potential business partner. If they claim to live in Munich but are actually in Cologne—or not registered in Germany at all—this reveals much about their trustworthiness. Our Münster detectives are ready to verify such details before you sign contracts or purchase used vehicles or real estate. We check the person’s background, including personal data verification, criminal record checks, creditworthiness, and more.

 

We are also regularly engaged to locate heirs with their current residential and mailing addresses. In many families, contact has been lost; in other inheritance cases, the will contains no up-to-date contact information. Often, estate administrators or the remaining heirs rely on the support of our Münster detective agency.

Commissioning Kurtz Detective Agency in Münster

Are you looking for a relative who has moved without leaving a forwarding address or a person against whom you wish to assert legal claims? Do you have a legitimate interest in an address investigation or do you agree that, in the event of successful research, we should ask the person found for their consent to the disclosure of their contact details to you? Then please contact our Münster private investigators at any time and receive a free, non-binding consultation on our operational possibilities. We research the current residential and/or correspondence address of the person sought and, if required, also establish contact with them.

 

You can reach us during our business hours from Monday to Friday between 08:00 and 20:00 by email (kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de), via our contact form or by telephone on the following number: +49 251 7009 0014.

Author: Maya Grünschloß, PhD

 

Kurtz Detective Agency Münster

Hafenweg 19

D-48155 Münster

Tel.: +49 251 7009 0014

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-muenster.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-muenster

Infidelity and adultery in life partnerships are among the main subjects of private investigations in Germany and worldwide. But when does it make sense to engage qualified professionals? And how do our private detectives in Münster catch cheating partners?

Respecting the Partner’s Protectable Interests

In Germany, personal rights are exceptionally well protected, meaning surveillance by the Kurtz Detective Agency Münster is not permitted without justification. If your sole aim after a separation is simply to find out what your ex-partner is doing, there is no so-called legitimate interest for an investigation; for such purposes, many “get your ex back” tips are available online. Before an investigation can be carried out, the client must credibly demonstrate that there are reasons outweighing the intrusion into the observed person’s privacy—a consequence that is unavoidable when our Münster detectives perform their work.

 

In other words: If you want to find out whether your partner is being unfaithful, your interest in clarifying this must be stronger than your partner’s right to privacy. This is the case when there is a reasonable suspicion that your partner is violating a business, material, or personal interest. The latter is particularly relevant in classic cases of adultery, provided the relationship can be considered established; this is generally the case when partners share a home. Adultery can breach trust and often involves tangible material interests. Investigations by the Kurtz Private Detective Agency Münster not only help relieve the agony of uncertainty but can, in the event of divorce, also protect clients from unreasonable maintenance claims.

Tracking Unfaithful Partners – The Preparation Phase

Once legitimate interest is confirmed, the “observation area” is defined. Using a questionnaire, personal interviews with the client, and preliminary analysis of observation conditions, the Kurtz Detective Agency Münster and Westphalia collect essential information about the target and the complexities of surveillance. Knowledge and preparation are crucial to a successful operation.

 

Helpful preliminary information includes, for example:

 

• Typical habits of the target

• People with whom they regularly interact

• Routes frequently used in daily life

• Basic identifying information such as name, vehicle type and registration number, or appearance

 

Thorough preparation also involves identifying suitable observation points where our Münster private detectives can position themselves inconspicuously.

“Getting to the Core”: Surveillance of Cheating Partners

The actual surveillance is usually carried out by a multi-person team, often from unmarked vehicles. Multiple detectives allow both spatially and temporally comprehensive monitoring. It also ensures that even during multi-day observations, the target remains unaware of the surveillance.

 

Investigations are conducted objectively and without preconceptions. Both incriminating and exonerating observations and evidence are documented and ultimately compiled into a court-admissible report for the client. Our Münster detectives are available for non-binding consultation at: +49 251 7009 0014.

Note

Kurtz Detective Agency Münster does not guarantee the accuracy or applicability of information on linked third-party websites.

Editor: Patrick Kurtz

 

Kurtz Detective Agency Münster

Hafenweg 19

D-48155 Münster

Tel.: +49 251 7009 0014

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-muenster.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-muenster

“Electricity theft” in the office by charging a mobile phone? Is summary dismissal justified?

In 2009, a man from Oberhausen won a widely noted court case: the summary dismissal for electricity theft amounting to 0.014 cents (!) for charging his smartphone was rejected by the Arbeitsgericht Oberhausen (Case No. 4 Ca 1228/09). The man, who had been employed by his employer for 14 years, was therefore allowed to keep his job. Nevertheless, electricity theft is generally a criminal offense – with leniency for minor amounts: anchored in the Criminal Code (StGB) since 1900, Section 248c “Withdrawal of Electrical Energy” provides for imprisonment of up to five years or a fine, whereby even the attempt is punishable. Small amounts (Section 248a StGB) and electricity theft among relatives are prosecuted only upon request.

How can electricity theft be detected?

How can one tell whether electricity prices have simply increased or consumption has risen temporarily, or whether electricity theft is taking place? While slightly higher consumption is normal, especially in cold winters or after purchasing a power-hungry hi-fi system, extremely decreased or extremely increased consumption should make either the utility company or the tenant/landlord suspicious. Significant irregularities in the meter reading may indicate electricity theft. In order to investigate a suspicion and avoid falsely accusing anyone, our detectives from Münster are deployed. With their expertise and discretion, they can use surveillance and on-site investigations to determine whether electricity theft has occurred and, if so, who may be responsible.

 

It is therefore important to remain vigilant; sometimes our clients are first alerted to irregularities or the presence of suspicious persons by attentive caretakers or neighbors, which is what creates awareness of a possible crime against themselves or their company. Electricity thieves sometimes damage meters or manipulate meter readings; shut-off flaps intended to interrupt the flow of electricity are damaged; meters are deliberately installed incorrectly, etc. If forensic traces are discovered that cannot be clearly assigned, it is important not to render them unusable through one’s own fingerprints or other activities at the scene. Our private detectives from Münster will gladly provide their expertise and experience in securing and analyzing evidence.

Private or business power lines are being tapped – what now?

Business owners may often have no choice but to consume a high amount of electricity in their operations; however, abusive personal use or deliberate illegal electricity theft can result in extraordinarily high annual bills. Landlords of one or more apartments must regularly check meter readings to ensure tenants are not bypassing their electricity bills by tapping into shared lines in common areas such as stairwells, basements, or laundry rooms. In its ruling of 10 February 2015 (Case No.: 11 C 103/14), the Wedding District Court considered the extraordinary immediate dismissal of a tenant who had tampered with building lines after being cut off due to high additional charges to be lawful under Section 543 BGB “Extraordinary Immediate Termination for Good Cause”.

 

With complex legal nuances and considerable discretion for individual judges, it is all the more important to present an unbroken chain of evidence against the electricity thief – our Münster business detective agency is happy to assist: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de.

Electricity theft affecting suppliers

Not only businesses and private individuals suffer from electricity thieves; electricity suppliers themselves also incur losses. Often, previously disconnected customers, known to suppliers through credit records or unpaid bills, attempt to reconnect illegally. Impatient consumers unwilling to wait for maintenance or new tenants seeking to bypass electricity contracts are also typical offenders.

 

While modern smart meters regularly transmit current readings to the supplier, many households in Germany still use analogue meters. Tenants are responsible for reading these meters and reporting the data to the supplier themselves. This creates opportunities for electricity thieves to report altered figures. Usually, inspections occur only when larger anomalies arise – clever thieves who reduce consumption slowly may escape detection.

What can our business detectives in Münster do?

Primarily, Kurtz Detective Agency Münster and Westphalia address electricity theft as they do most of their work: surveillance, research, and questioning suspects with police-style interview expertise. For example, if unusually high electricity usage is observed overnight despite the premises being unused, night-time surveillance may be conducted. This way, employees or outsiders can be caught in the act tapping the company electricity network. A recent case involved an employee using a company electric vehicle charging station for his private electric car, causing significantly higher consumption.

 

In addition to the methods mentioned, our Münster private detective agency can take fingerprints on manipulated or damaged electricity meters, infiltrate company sites to better observe the meter room, interview employees or neighbours under cover, and much more.

Engaging our business detective agency in Münster

If you fear that your private or business electricity lines are being tapped and misused by unauthorized third parties, please contact our business detectives in Münster. The IHK-certified investigators of Kurtz Detective Agency work quickly, professionally, discreetly, and result-oriented, to provide you with a swift resolution. We are reachable during business hours via the contact form, by email (kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de), or by telephone: +49 251 7009 0014.

Author: Maya Grünschloß, PhD

 

Kurtz Detective Agency Münster

Hafenweg 19

D-48155 Münster

Tel.: +49 251 7009 0014

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-muenster.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-muenster

Billions in Losses from Cargo Theft

According to the European head of the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA), the average annual damage caused in Germany by attacks on lorries amounts to €1.2 billion. The economic loss to the national economy is reportedly even five to eight times higher, because consequential damages (delivery failures and bottlenecks) are often far greater than the mere loss of goods. In 2015, 1,605 lorries were even stolen complete with their cargo, meaning the affected companies suffered a double blow. Household and electrical appliances in particular appear to be of interest to thieves.

 

The investigators of Kurtz Detective Agency Münster have many years’ experience in investigating transport crime. We are pleased to put our expertise at your disposal: +49 251 7009 0014.

Who Are the Perpetrators? Where Are the Crime Scenes?

When our Münster-based detective agency is brought in to clarify cargo thefts committed by third parties, we not only work on resolving the case but also advise the affected companies to train their drivers in recognising and avoiding dangerous situations. After all, a large proportion of thefts are committed at motorway service areas that are poorly or not illuminated and have low footfall. While a long-distance driver may quickly and easily find a comfortable place to sleep there, they simultaneously assume an increased risk of theft. Freight thieves favour secluded, dimly lit laybys because they can carry out their activities undisturbed and with few unknown variables.

 

Every ninth case of transport theft in Europe occurs in Germany, as the country is heavily used as a transit state. The perpetrators are often organised gangs, predominantly from Eastern Europe, but there are of course also lone or first-time offenders who are particularly attracted by high-value goods such as laptops, televisions and games consoles. Drivers themselves are sometimes involved as accomplices or even as direct perpetrators. Our detectives from Münster are happy to assist your company both in a preventative advisory capacity and with our core task — investigating the offence tailored to the specific case.

North Rhine-Westphalia as a Transit Region Particularly Affected

As usual, freight thieves struck particularly intensively in North Rhine-Westphalia in 2016: compared with the previous year the number of police-recorded cases in the state rose by 20 per cent to 690 (figures including December had not been officially published at the time), and in some areas such as the district of Soest the figure even doubled. Within a few weeks in Soest, 19 pallets of Lego toys were stolen and shortly afterwards 27 pallets of consumer electronics. The thieves chose the period shortly before the major Christmas business deliberately. As one of the largest European economic centres on the route between East and West Europe, the Ruhr area sees enormous transit traffic, which also affects East Westphalia via the A2 — both regions border the Münsterland. The police clearance rate is only around 10 per cent of cases. The focus there is more on prevention than on solving cases, and calls are made for better secured parking areas to make committing offences more difficult. While our private detective agency in Münster also assists with prevention, in the clear majority of cases we are engaged to investigate — to help those for whom the police and public prosecutors can no longer, or will no longer, provide relief.

 

Of course, it is not only North Rhine-Westphalia that is affected but all of Germany. Accordingly, our Münster corporate detectives operate not only in Westphalia and the Münsterland but nationwide and also abroad when the trail of stolen goods leads, for example, to Poland or Romania. Inexperienced hauliers do not yet know which stretches of road in Germany — or abroad — it is safer to drive through without stopping. Hajo Fleig, managing director of the haulage firm Josef Fleig GmbH from Mülheim an der Ruhr, cites routes such as Groningen–Amsterdam and warns against pauses between the Spanish cities of Saragossa and Valencia as particularly risky, as well as stretches heading towards southern Italy.

Attacks from Within or Outsiders? — Kurtz Detective Agency Münster Investigates Both Directions

Although drivers of course often deny any collusion, there are rotten apples who trample their professional ethics and act as accomplices in freight robberies. It would therefore be negligent for our Münster detectives not to check the driver of the stolen vehicle during casework. Whether with assistance or not: perpetrators often lie in wait at service areas to attack sleeping or even drugged drivers, or they shadow the lorry by GPS or surveillance from the depot. If they can observe the loading process, they know exactly which vehicles are worthwhile to attack. Other offenders select victims opportunistically rather than by cargo value and slash lorry tarpaulins at random, without knowing what is being transported. Warehouse staff where goods are loaded sometimes pass on information about the cargo, the routes and likely laybys and thus knowingly or negligently assist the thieves. Clever freight thieves even conduct pretextual conversations with informants to extract essential information.

 

There are consequently many possible internal leaks and methods by which skilled perpetrators can obtain details about consignments and cargo. Vigilance on all sides is therefore an absolute must.

Your Goods Were Stolen and the Police Are Powerless? Our Private Detectives from Münster Can Help.

If your company has been affected by one or more transport thefts, our detective team from Münster will be pleased to assist. Through analogue and digital enquiries, evidence searches at the crime scene, inquiries into vehicle ownership, surveillance and various other investigative methods, we are able to pick up and follow the trail of stolen goods and missing lorries. You can reach us during business hours on: +49 251 7009 0014.

Author: Maya Grünschloß, PhD

 

Kurtz Detective Agency Münster

Hafenweg 19

D-48155 Münster

Tel.: +49 251 7009 0014

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-muenster.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-muenster

40 Per Cent of White-Collar Criminals Are the Company’s Own Employees

Corporate spies—whether internal employees or external hackers—often possess business expertise as well as knowledge of internal processes and precautionary measures within the targeted companies. They abuse this knowledge to leak sensitive information through security and data vulnerabilities. According to the Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft (GDV), almost 40 per cent of economically motivated crimes against companies involve theft, embezzlement and acts of espionage committed by individuals from within the organisation.

Internal Perpetrators

The so-called circle of internal perpetrators includes not only employees, but also cooperation partners, suppliers, service providers and customers, as these parties have insight into sensitive operational processes and can therefore access the desired data more easily.

External Perpetrators

External perpetrators, by contrast, are often not even located in the same country as the targeted company—let alone in the same city. Through the internet, cloud services and communication via email, hackers and other cybercriminals employed by competitors have numerous opportunities to intercept data and secrets and use them for their own purposes.

Offender Profiles

The GDV’s identified distribution of 60 to 40 per cent between external and internal perpetrators does not entirely reflect the experience of our corporate investigators in Münster, who are regularly called in to clarify such cases (in fact, numerous other studies have determined a ratio closer to 50:50). In approximately 70 per cent of the cases of white-collar crime solved by us, the perpetrators turned out to be employees of the affected company itself; if one expands the definition to include the entire internal circle described above, this figure rises to over 80 per cent in our experience. Nevertheless, in cases of espionage the competition is often (also) behind the offences, instigating corrupt employees to commit corporate espionage through payments and other benefits.

 

According to statistics published by Euler Hermes Kreditversicherungs-AG, in cases of so-called “breach of trust” losses—such as disclosure of secrets and corporate espionage from within the company—two thirds of the perpetrators are male and comparatively young (35 per cent under 30 years old, 30 per cent between 30 and 40 years old) and in most cases have not been employed by the company for long. The highest density of embezzlement and betrayal is found among employees who have worked for the company for less than two years, while the lowest probability occurs among long-standing staff members (up to 20 years of service).

Billions in Damage Every Year

Even though many statistics paint an alarming picture of insufficient employee loyalty, one must under no circumstances lose sight of the realistic external threats. Security and protective mechanisms against internal misuse are necessary, yet 47 per cent of computer crime cases are committed by external actors. These may include contract hackers hired by competitors, either to cause sabotage or to gain an unlawful competitive advantage by illegally obtaining and forwarding internal company information. A special form is represented by so-called “trolls” (also internet trolls), who, for a variety of motivations, seek to expose what they perceive as a company’s IT incompetence and thereby damage its reputation, finances and market position. Regular reviews of security precautions and workflows are indispensable, and in cases of suspicion swift action is required to minimise damage and apprehend the perpetrator(s) before further attacks occur from within or without.

 

Even if your company has so far avoided harm, the danger of future attacks must not be underestimated. The bare figures demonstrate this: annual losses from white-collar crime in Germany have long since reached the billions (previous peak values exceeding €4.6 billion in 2010 and 2014) and almost always account for more than 50 per cent of total crime-related damage nationwide. Furthermore, it must be assumed that the number of both undiscovered cases and those deliberately not reported to the police is extraordinarily high. Various unofficial statistics even estimate annual losses of €80 billion or more. Our corporate detective agency in Münster is available for both preventive and investigative measures—equally in “classic” detective fields as well as in IT matters, counter-surveillance and burglary prevention.

How Can I Protect My Company?

Complex corporate structures, opaque hierarchies and workflows, as well as restructurings during mergers or downsizing, facilitate corporate espionage for both internal and external perpetrators. They can thereby gain access to confidential data of immense value to the company. Security gaps such as unencrypted email communication, data storage via cloud services or on externally hosted servers can easily be identified and exploited by professional and targeted fraudsters. Our detectives in Münster therefore recommend that clients engage IT specialists at an early stage to better secure sensitive data and to modernise outdated security systems. High staff turnover, including numerous marginal employees and—often even unpaid—interns, further increases the risk of unwanted information leakage, particularly if short-term employees are dissatisfied with their pay or contract duration, do not identify with the company and therefore see no reason for loyalty.

 

While covert video surveillance of staff is legally prohibited because it infringes too heavily upon employees’ personal rights, it is permissible and appropriate in cases of specific suspicion or actual damage to have employees placed under surveillance, as clarification can no longer be achieved through milder means such as staff discussions or formal warnings. Investigators from our detective agency in Münster may either monitor employees during external assignments (for example field staff, tradespeople and others) or infiltrate a department disguised as new colleagues in order to observe the suspect employee(s) and, ideally, catch them in the act of illegally passing on or negligently handling company data. The evidence collected is documented in a manner admissible in court, and the deployed corporate investigators can also be summoned as witnesses to confirm their written reports orally.

Wide Range of Methods Used by Kurtz Detective Agency Münster in the Investigation and Prevention of White-Collar Crime

If your company has demonstrably already suffered damage from corporate spies or if you suspect that such damage could occur in the medium term, our private detectives in Münster will be pleased to advise you free of charge and without obligation on the appropriate course of action in your specific case. Together with you, we determine whether surveillance of a suspicious employee is necessary, whether preventive security measures should be implemented or whether other methods promise greater success. Thanks to our broadly positioned team of specialists, we are able to respond very flexibly to the respective problem. Write to us at kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de or contact our experts by telephone: +49 251 7009 0014.

Author: Maya Grünschloß, PhD

 

Kurtz Detective Agency Münster

Hafenweg 19

D-48155 Münster

Tel.: +49 251 7009 0014

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-muenster.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-muenster

A Date with Serious Consequences

A rendezvous with a young, attractive woman – which bachelor would refuse? Mr Lotte, later a client of our detective agency in Osnabrück*, was delighted at the prospect of spending a pleasant evening and perhaps even finding a new romantic partner. However, during the date it quickly became apparent that there would be no spark. His companion, Ms Fröhlich, was single and very attractive, yet intellectually and interpersonally she did not truly meet our client’s expectations. Nevertheless, physical needs also play their part and, following the date, a one-night stand ensued. For the client of our detectives in Osnabrück, the matter was thereby settled in the truest sense of the word. They had agreed to leave it at this one encounter.

 

Mr Lotte was correspondingly surprised when, eight weeks later, he received a call from Ms Fröhlich informing him that she was pregnant by him. Our client first had to digest this shock. What man wishes for a child from a one-night stand? Moreover, prior to the unprotected intercourse Ms Fröhlich had claimed to be taking the contraceptive pill – could Mr Lotte really have fallen victim to the unspeakably low probability that a single encounter had coincided precisely with the fertile period and that the pill had failed at that exact time? He did not feel ready for a child – certainly not with someone who was practically a stranger – and informed Ms Fröhlich that he wished for a termination. The pregnant woman agreed but stated that she was unable to bear the costs of approximately 4,000 euros (had Mr Lotte searched for “abortion costs”, he would have realised that this sum is far above the actual amounts). Out of a sense of responsibility, the client of our private detective agency in Osnabrück met Ms Fröhlich and handed over the full 4,000 euros in cash. Naturally, he would also support her at the termination appointment. When, after allegedly being postponed twice, the date finally arrived on a Saturday, Mr Lotte waited in vain outside the abortion clinic for the supposed expectant mother. Upon enquiry at reception, he was informed that Ms Fröhlich had neither arranged an appointment there nor was known in any other way.

Verified Information – None

Subsequently, Ms Fröhlich no longer responded to calls, whereupon Mr Lotte instructed our commercial detective agency in Osnabrück to investigate the case. Had there really been a pregnancy or had he fallen victim to a perfidious fraud? Our investigators were immediately confronted with a problem: the starting point. The veracity of all information Mr Lotte possessed about the target person – and it was not much in any case – had to be questioned in light of the suspected fraud. A cunning fraudster would hardly disclose her real name, and the further statements made by the allegedly pregnant woman during their small talk could equally have been entirely fabricated. Moreover, there was a not insignificant probability that she was a repeat offender and had therefore acted cautiously and with composure. Mr Lotte had never even asked for an address; the sexual encounter had taken place in his flat. Where, then, to begin?

 

The only verified piece of information available to our private detectives in Osnabrück was that the woman sought had actually used, or at least previously used, the known telephone number. It was likely a prepaid card, for the registration of which fictitious personal data can be used, as most providers do not carry out identity checks. Fortunately, under favourable circumstances our detective agency has means of achieving results even from such a vague starting point. In this case those favourable circumstances applied, and in the first step we successfully determined the address of the target person in Osnabrück.

Surveillance Of The Target Person: Existing Family Life?

Establishing the place of residence did not yet reveal the remaining personal details. In any event, no Ms Fröhlich could be linked to that address. Using a photograph of the target person stored on Mr Lotte’s laptop, our detectives in Osnabrück would be able to identify the woman during surveillance of the residential address and thereby obtain further findings. Our client possessed the photograph because the two had met via an online dating portal and Mr Lotte had downloaded the image to recognise his date at their meeting. The woman’s online profile had meanwhile been deleted.

 

A two-person investigative team commenced surveillance at the residential property of the target person, a multi-occupancy building in need of renovation. Shortly after the detectives had taken up position, a vehicle pulled up from which a man with closely cropped hair and a bomber jacket alighted, followed by the target person. The woman lit a cigarette – a pregnancy taboo – while the man lifted two small children from the rear seat onto the pavement. As it was a sunny day in September, the target person was wearing a tight top with an open light cardigan over it. Thirteen weeks had now passed since the date with Mr Lotte, yet the target person appeared slim, almost gaunt, and showed no sign of a baby bump. After finishing her cigarette, she went into the building and returned a few minutes later wearing sunglasses and carrying a beach bag. All four individuals then drove off, followed by our detective team in Osnabrück.

Result Of A Pretextual Enquiry: “Married… With Children”

The journey first led to a supermarket and then to Lake Atter, where the target person and her companion lay down on the shore while the children occupied themselves alone and without any real supervision by the presumed parents on the nearby play area. Around midday, as temperatures rose further, the target person removed her outer clothing and lay down in a bikini. Again, no baby bump was visible. The family remained at the beach until late afternoon and then returned to the residential address, which they all entered together. By means of a pretext, one of our private detectives in Osnabrück discreetly ascertained the name of the target person within the building and also learned that she had been living there for several years together with her husband and their joint children.

 

As a result of this measure, the investigator concerned was compromised and could no longer be deployed for further surveillance in this case. Instead, he drove to the abortion clinic to conduct enquiries there. It quickly emerged that although it was a medical facility with a gynaecological department, no terminations were carried out there at weekends. The appointment at which Mr Lotte had waited in vain had been on a Saturday.

 

At the residential property, meanwhile, no further relevant activity occurred, whereupon our remaining investigator discontinued surveillance in the evening.

No Indications Of (Legal) Employment

The findings of the first day of investigation substantiated the suspicion of fraud. On the one hand, no pregnancy was visible – although, admittedly, this might also have been due to a termination having actually taken place. On the other hand, the target person had lied in so many respects that the indications were fairly overwhelming: she was neither single nor childless. In addition, she resided in a socially disadvantaged property and neither she nor her husband had pursued any employment on the day of surveillance, even though “Ms Fröhlich” had presented herself to Mr Lotte as an estate agent. It was entirely possible that the couple were jointly securing their livelihood through systematic fraud. A follow-up surveillance by our commercial detectives in Osnabrück was intended to substantiate this suspicion with further indications (clear evidence, for example through the observation or even pretextual provocation of another case of fraud, would in this constellation likely have required considerable patience and thus high detective costs).

 

On the following day, the target person left the house early and drove to the Jobcentre at Johannistorwall. After just over an hour she returned to her vehicle and drove back to her flat. Approximately 40 minutes later the entire family went to the car and got in, the father carrying a large sports bag. The parents dropped the children off at a residential house in Osnabrück; during a subsequent check, the investigators found the family’s surname on the doorbell – presumably grandparents, aunts or similar relatives. Thereafter the target person and her husband drove to a fitness centre, where they worked on their Lake Atter beach physique. They then led the observers of our detective agency in Osnabrück back to the relatives’ house, remained inside the property for some time and finally drove with the children back to their own residential building, which they did not leave again that day.

After The Expensive One-Night Stand, The Courts Take Over

The continued absence of employment on the second day of surveillance and the target person’s visit to the Jobcentre reinforced the presumption of unemployment. The findings to date were sufficient for Mr Lotte. The mere existence of a husband inevitably raised the question of how the alleged pregnant woman could even know which of the two men was the father of the supposed baby. Following the investigations, it was clear to the client of our detectives in Osnabrück: he had been deceived by fraudsters. Accordingly, he initiated civil and criminal proceedings against his partner in what will likely remain the most nerve-racking and expensive one-night stand of his life. Let us hope that he will at least receive compensation for the financial aspect.

In order to safeguard discretion and the personal rights of clients and target persons, all names and locations in this case report have been altered beyond recognition.

 

Kurtz Detective Agency Münster

Hafenweg 19

D-48155 Münster

Tel.: +49 251 7009 0014

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-muenster.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-muenster

Bundeskriminalamt Confirms Over 250 Cases in Recent Years

In Germany, fraudsters have stolen more than €110 million from companies through a development of the infamous “grandparent scam”, namely the so-called “boss scam” (also known as “CEO fraud”, “fake president” or “managing director scam”), following a sharp rise towards the end of 2015. In this scheme, criminals contact, for example, an employee in the accounting department, impersonate senior company managers or board members and demand urgent money transfers allegedly required to secure the company’s continued existence and safeguard jobs. Due in particular to the urgency, the feeling of being put under pressure and obedience towards supposed superiors, affected employees feel obliged to transfer large sums to foreign accounts. Since 2013, the Bundeskriminalamt has recorded a total of 250 cases of this kind, although the number of unreported cases is likely to be significantly higher. Even though money was successfully diverted in “only” 68 cases, the total fraud amount illustrates the impact of individual incidents: companies can suffer lasting damage and, in the worst case, be ruined.

 

Our detective agency in Münster advises particular caution in medium-sized and large enterprises, as these—due to broader hierarchies and higher staff numbers—are more frequently targeted by the boss scam than small, family-run businesses where everyone knows each other.

Latest Case Not Even Included in the Figures: €40 Million Swindled from LEONI AG in Nuremberg

While previously affected companies faced losses ranging from €1 to €18 million, the recent case involving automotive supplier LEONI AG set a grim new record: €40 million were stolen by fraudsters who gained employees’ trust using forged documents and identities, thereby arranging transfers to accounts abroad. So far, it is unknown who is behind the scheme; however, the Bundeskriminalamt suspects that in many cases the perpetrators are not individuals but organised large-scale gangs, if not even a global network. By assuring contacted employees that the company’s future is at stake, they create a situation that appears unavoidable and without alternative, prompting staff to transfer funds without consulting direct superiors or colleagues. According to the Bundeskriminalamt, North Rhine-Westphalia, with €31 million in losses, is the most affected federal state—hardly surprising given the strong economic power of metropolitan regions such as the Rhineland and the Ruhr area, as well as the corporate structure of the Münsterland, where our Münster-based corporate investigators are deployed to clarify not only such cases.

 

Due to the professionalism of the fraud organisations involved, caution is required even for smaller transfer amounts. Fraudsters not only purchase false identities and supporting documents from third-party providers, but also acquire fake email accounts and bank accounts and occasionally even use call centres to place the fraudulent calls. As a result, the principal actors remain unidentified while appearing credible thanks to the professionalism of call-centre staff. Our corporate investigators in Münster therefore also warn against transactions initiated by telephone, even if this is common practice within the company concerned. Of the €31 million fraudulently obtained in North Rhine-Westphalia, €20 million were fortunately frozen before being transferred abroad, sparing some affected companies losses in the millions. Nevertheless, the figures and the gullibility of accounting staff are alarming.

Worldwide Damage from the Boss Scam Estimated at Around $3.1 Billion (€2.8 Billion)

Considering estimates published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding total global losses from the managing director scam—$3.1 billion (approximately €2.8 billion)—the €110 million stolen in Germany appears comparatively moderate in view of the country’s strong economy. Nevertheless, any company employing more than just a few staff members who know each other personally must be aware that, whether large or medium-sized, whether operating locally, regionally, nationally or internationally, it can fall victim to this relatively new type of fraud at any time. Particularly in light of increasing digitalisation of data and corporate processes and the drive to reduce staff numbers, our corporate detective agency in Münster repeatedly points out the associated risks relating to the boss scam: if the “boss” is always connected only by telephone or Skype and never personally introduces himself to the accounting department or appears there, it should not come as a surprise if administrative staff authorise transactions solely on the basis of a phone call.

 

If an employee is sworn to absolute secrecy for alleged “internal company security reasons”, it may take months before such fraud is even discovered. By then, attempts to freeze or recover the funds are often unsuccessful; the damage is done, the money long since vanished into an offshore numbered account, and the company faces disaster. The sooner investigators such as our private detectives in Münster are engaged, the sooner—working together with our IT forensics and IT security department—identities, IP addresses, account histories and similar data can be examined, ideally leading to a positive outcome. However, if the fraud only comes to light weeks or months after the offence, success is unlikely, as in most cases all accounts have already been emptied within the week of the transfer, prepaid mobile phones can no longer be traced and relevant email accounts have been deleted. Swift action and the immediate involvement of the Bundeskriminalamt as well as our Münster detectives (+49 251 7009 0014) are therefore essential if damage is to be limited and the chances of identifying those involved are to be preserved.

Security Concepts, Employee Training, Optimisation of IT Structures – Kurtz Detective Agency Münster Provides Support on Many Levels

If you wish to protect yourself and your company from fraudulent attacks such as CEO fraud, contact our private detective agency in Münster for an initial consultation regarding possible measures within your organisation. Whether preventive steps such as developing efficient security concepts or conducting employee training to raise awareness of corporate fraud schemes and outline appropriate responses to suspicious calls, or account investigations and surveillance following an incident of fraud—our Westphalian corporate investigators are available to you personally and confidentially at any time for a free consultation. Contact us by telephone or by email at kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de.

Author: Maya Grünschloß, PhD

 

Kurtz Detective Agency Münster

Hafenweg 19

D-48155 Münster

Tel.: +49 251 7009 0014

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-muenster.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-muenster

Two Training Institutions for Detectives

Our private detectives in Münster hold the IHK certificate “Fachkraft Detektiv”. This qualification can be obtained in two ways: through a six-month, in-person course at the Sicherheitsakademie Berlin (SAB) or via the 10–22 month distance-learning programme of the Zentralstelle für die Ausbildung im Detektivgewerbe (ZAD). Because the detective profession in Germany is not regulated by statute, the IHK certificate represents a valuable alternative to a sadly absent state apprenticeship. Above all, it teaches prospective investigators the essential legal foundations of their work.

Decades-long Efforts to Regulate the Detective Profession by Law

Various detective associations have sought legal regulation of the profession since the Weimar Republic. In the Federal Republic of Germany these efforts intensified and culminated in the early 1990s in a draft law which, despite pressure from the associations, has still not been debated in the Bundestag. German investigators in general, and our Münster investigators in particular, therefore often find their hands tied: we are neither politicians nor a sufficiently large and influential industry to exert pressure on decision-makers.

 

So what was left to promote the qualification of detectives and to prevent unqualified snoops from sullying the profession’s reputation? Two of the largest professional associations — the Bundesverband Deutscher Detektive (BDD) and the Bund Internationaler Detektive (BID) — supported training initiatives of their own. Since 1986 the resulting Central Training Office for Detectives has issued an IHK certificate. The ZAD’s course is aimed mainly at commercially active, i.e. self-employed, detectives and those who want to become so. In 2008 the Sicherheitsakademie Berlinintroduced its own programme, which — compared with the ZAD course — places a somewhat greater emphasis on the security industry; as a result, fewer SAB graduates go on to work as detectives and more frequently enter security roles (including retail security). These two routes endeavour to ensure that commercially active detectives in Germany at least possess basic knowledge and understand the legal framework of their activities — a cause our predecessors fought for over many decades. Naturally, a certificate alone does not automatically make a competent professional.

 

By the way: Patrick Kurtz, owner of Kurtz Detective Agency Münster and of offices now in all 16 federal states, is a member of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kriminalistik (DGfK) and completed his detective training at the Sicherheitsakademie Berlin.

What the Courses Can and Cannot Deliver

Both training providers teach the fundamentals of the detective profession — especially the legal aspects, which are crucial. While an SAB participant spends six months in classroom instruction with practical exercises, the ZAD course requires disciplined self-study using the institute’s course materials, regular examinations and multi-day in-person seminars. A trainee who conscientiously completes one of these programmes and, during or after training, accompanies an experienced colleague on a few surveillances can reasonably be expected to tackle initial “lighter” cases: mainly private matters such as investigating suspicion of infidelity or conducting surveillances with a foreseeable procedure.

 

However, a novice should not take on economic crimes without an experienced partner. Complex corporate assignments are generally solved satisfactorily only by a team (exceptions prove the rule). Each team member brings different strengths and qualifications; the average age among German private investigators is high and most reputable detectives have prior training and careers in various fields. Those diverse skills combine to form a professional investigative team — such as our detective team in Münster — capable of jointly resolving complicated case constellations and sensitive offences. What detectives from different backgrounds do need in common are the basic competencies taught in the IHK courses. Even a long-serving chief detective who later becomes self-employed and who might be expected to possess excellent legal expertise can, without attending the course, act negligently and thus cause harm.

Quality Shortcomings Due to Government Employment Policy

As already emphasised, these detective courses represent an important achievement of the associations in the view of Kurtz Investigations Münster. Yet not everything that glitters is gold. At the SAB, for example, participants have the opportunity to meet numerous experts in person, unlike at the ZAD; however, the participant structure often includes many people who are effectively parked there by the Jobcentre rather than genuinely aiming for a detective career. Many unemployed persons are steered into the SAB course by the state as a “measure” without a realistic prospect of employment. Because such trainees are temporarily removed from unemployment statistics, this practice cosmetically improves the figures while consuming public funds (the SAB course costs roughly €7,000 gross). By contrast, the ZAD course costs about €4,650–4,780 gross and is not covered by the Jobcentre or Employment Agency; as a result, the ZAD’s participants are generally of higher quality since those who enrol either pay themselves or are sponsored by an employer expecting tangible results.

ZAD and SAB: Different Pros and Cons — Which Course Is Right for Me?

The choice between the two courses depends on many personal factors, for example:

 

• Can I devote myself fully to training and therefore attend the SAB’s daily, roughly eight-hour classroom sessions, or am I so professionally bound that only the time-flexible distance course of the ZAD is feasible?
• Do I value direct exchange and contact-building with future colleagues during the ZAD’s occasional in-person seminars, or do I want to meet numerous experts in person and daily at the SAB in fields such as surveillance, technical counter-measures, patent law and IT forensics?
• Can I afford to move to Berlin for six months (if not already resident there), or must I complete the course from my current location?
• Can I finance the differing course fees? Am I eligible for a training voucher from the Employment Agency or Jobcentre?
• Do I want to focus directly on becoming a commercially operative private detective (ZAD) or would I prefer a broader education with security-industry specialisms (SAB)?

 

This decision is a personal one. Our corporate investigators in Münster do not give a general recommendation in one direction or the other. Our team includes graduates of both the SAB and the ZAD.

Perspective Check: Training — and Then?

The market value of the IHK certificate “Fachkraft Detektiv” is hard to assess. Will it open the door to an investigative team in a large corporation? Probably not by itself. As an additional qualification, yes, but alone it is insufficient. Does it enable entry into the independent detective trade? Definitely. Our industry urgently needs qualified newcomers due to the age profile mentioned earlier. Many senior experts are nearing retirement or are already retired; notably numerous excellent specialists enjoyed a criminology education in the former GDR, which has not been available in the Federal Republic for many years. The true value of training is the knowledge gained and the contacts made, rather than the IHK certificate alone as a supposed job market key.

 

Patrick Kurtz, owner not only of our Münster private detective office but of branches across all 16 federal states, remains glad to have entered the detective profession via the SAB. He still keeps in touch with three fellow graduates from his cohort: one joined training at a correctional facility (JVA) and is now a civil servant, another founded his own security company and makes a living from it, and the third has since worked in the security industry as an employed retail security officer. For these three the retraining bore fruit. As for the much larger share of participants who never intended to pursue detective work, we have no knowledge. The three mentioned were among the few who invested effort, showed consistent interest and pursued clear goals; most others merely served out the training period.

 

In summary: those who attend detective training with commitment and clear objectives will benefit from the course — whether at the SAB or the ZAD.

Kurtz Detective Agency Münster

Hafenweg 19

D-48155 Münster

Tel.: +49 251 7009 0014

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-muenster.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-muenster

New Colleague = New Threat?

A wholly clichéd yet unusual — because only apparently typical — case of infidelity was recently handled by Kurtz Investigations Münster in the Münsterland. Although her husband’s working hours had for years regularly extended late into the evening for professional reasons, Mrs Hamm noticed that in recent months he increasingly claimed to have to “work late” and offered a range of rather dubious explanations. About a year earlier he had been assigned a new field-service colleague, of whom he initially spoke frequently and with some enthusiasm. Gradually he became more taciturn (his exact words) about work; he mentioned the colleague less and less and eventually never spoke of her. In addition, the couple’s sex life had effectively ceased for months.

 

For these reasons Kurtz Detective Agency Münster was instructed to observe Mr Hamm after his regular finishing time to determine whether he truly had to work late or whether other activities accounted for his absence from the family home.

No Physical Contact with the Suspected Affair Partner

On the single surveillance day required, the subject of our Münster investigators, Mr Hamm, attends a public event where he gives a short presentation for his company. The investigators arrive well before his talk to familiarise themselves with the observation environment. They locate the target vehicle in a side street; one of the three deployed detectives is tasked with keeping that vehicle under observation so as not to lose visual contact if the subject departs. The other two observers position themselves to the left and right of the venue’s entry gates to be able to identify Mr Hamm as he leaves the building into what is likely to be a larger crowd (the sun had set hours earlier).

 

Shortly before the official end of the event the target appears accompanied by the aforementioned work colleague. They walk side by side as two ordinary acquaintances, converse without any physical contact, then get into the target vehicle and drive towards Münster city centre, where they dine at a restaurant. During the dinner our private investigators observe no affection or any other sign of a sexual relationship.

Suspicious Parking Search in and around Münster

After dinner, Mr. Hamm and his companion continued driving. They visited various parking areas along the A1 and A43 motorways but either drove on immediately or stopped for only a few seconds. Their route appeared aimless; they repeatedly switched directions and described an irregular circle around Münster.

 

Eventually, they located an apparently suitable — and empty — parking area and remained there for several minutes. One of our private detectives conducted a routine drive-by check but seemingly startled the occupants, as they resumed driving immediately after the headlights of the operational vehicle became visible at the entrance.

Fogged Windows, Rocking Vehicle

A noteworthy historic landmark in the city of Münster is the Buddenturm on the northern section of the Promenade — a remnant of the former city fortifications dating back to before 1200. Following the demolition of the city wall in the late 18th century, it was converted into a water tower in 1878, with a crenellated crown constructed to conceal the water tank behind it. After 1945, the structure was restored, including the reinstatement of its original conical roof. Along with the Zwinger, two so-called “Wasserbären,” and the remains of the Neuwerk, the Buddenturm is among the last surviving elements of Münster’s medieval fortifications. Only a few meters from this venerable structure, between the Promenade and Münzstraße, lies a parking area — and of all places, it was here, in one of Münster’s busiest districts, that Mr. Hamm and his companion finally stopped.

 

The target vehicle was parked and the headlights switched off. To avoid alarming the subjects again, the investigators refrained from entering the parking lot with their own vehicles. Instead, they positioned themselves near the exits and waited. After some time, one detective approached the parking area on foot and discreetly searched for the vehicle. Identification was straightforward: the car stood out from the others due to two distinct features — heavily fogged windows and a noticeable rocking motion. As the detective approached, he clearly heard moaning and cries. Passing by casually, he observed Mr. Hamm wearing a shirt but no trousers, reclining on the passenger seat pushed backward, while his colleague, facing the windshield and completely unclothed, moved up and down on his lap. They did not notice the detective. After approximately fifteen minutes, the encounter ended. The two remained in the vehicle briefly before finally driving away.

Client Composed After the Findings

After Mr Hamm and his companion left the car park, the investigators of Kurtz Investigations Münster terminated the observation in consultation with the client. She was initially shocked by the semi-public nature of the adultery, but accepted the fact of the infidelity itself in a composed manner, stating that she “had already suspected it”. The investigation was therefore concluded and the investigative report prepared.

To preserve the discretion and personality rights of clients and subjects, all names and locations in this case report have been altered beyond recognition.

 

Kurtz Detective Agency Münster

Hafenweg 19

D-48155 Münster

Tel.: +49 251 7009 0014

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-muenster.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-muenster

Private detectives, such as those at the Kurtz Detective Agency Münster, are confronted daily with the task of “spinning legends” to their targets or other individuals they interact with during assignments. A detective would, of course, never—or almost never—admit to conducting surveillance. Instead, they present an invented, credible story about their presence at a certain location or for asking particular questions. This ensures that the target remains unaware of the observation.

Selfie of a Detective with the Target – Concealed with a Legend

Sick at the Gym?

Example: The private and corporate detectives of the Kurtz Detective Agency Münster were tasked with observing an employee of a medium-sized company and documenting behaviour in cases of suspected labour law violations. The employee, Franz Greven, had already called in sick four times within two months but was occasionally spotted at the gym despite being officially unfit for work. Mr Günther Bocholt, his employer, suspected that Mr Greven, a bodybuilder, was training or even competing in fitness contests during his supposed sick leave. As he could not prove this himself, he commissioned our Münster detectives to observe the suspicious employee.

“Sweet Talk” – Flattery Usually Works

On the first day of observation our commercial detective from the Kurtz Detective Agency Münster travelled to Mr Greven’s home. He did not have to wait long: Mr Greven left with his gym bag and cycled to the familiar fitness centre. That he would train there was to be expected, but our investigator could not simply barge into the studio and take photographs of the target. To avoid arousing suspicion, the detective entered the studio, paid the day fee for the free-weight area and began training within sight of Mr Greven. The latter was already lifting considerable weights and did not appear at all infirm. However, to obtain a photograph of Mr Greven in the gym the detective needed a plausible pretext, because phones and smartphones—devices that would have allowed inconspicuous snapshots—were prohibited by the operator (house rules).

 

After half an hour the investigator approached Mr Greven, started a casual conversation about his training and asked whether it was possible that he might once have seen him at a bodybuilding competition in Osnabrück. Flattered, Mr Greven readily agreed and was happy to take a “selfie” with the detective, so the latter could show his friends he had met a local celebrity. The investigator said he would fetch his small digital camera from the car and be back in a moment. When the Münster detective later left the studio he was in possession—thanks to a simple story and a well-chosen approach—of two selfies, a posed photograph and even a short video of the weightlifter at work. Such material will typically leave little doubt for a judge that sick-note fraud occurred.

Everything starts with a good story

As in the case described, it is often easy for the detectives of the commercial unit to go about their business inconspicuously and undetected—sometimes using far more elaborate legends and carefully prepared backstories. These more complex legends become necessary in complicated commercial investigations, for example when embedding detectives within a company to investigate thefts or alleged false clock-ins (working-time fraud).

Case study: Theft of production materials

In a large metal-processing firm stock checks repeatedly revealed that valuable metal parts disappeared on their way from delivery to production. The loss per delivery had appeared small, so the total shrinkage only became apparent at the annual accounting: more than 180 deliveries had been incomplete, the loss running into the mid five-figure range.

Embedding a detective in the affected company

After internal measures failed, management concluded that only the engagement of a commercial detective could resolve the matter. Together with the management, the detectives devised a strategy: one of the investigators would be integrated as an allegedly new colleague in production. His real role was to remain concealed from the workforce, since it was unclear who in production or the goods-in area might be involved. The detective therefore spent two weeks learning the operation to gain an overview of the production site. Once induction was complete he was, at management’s instruction (and with their consent), transferred to the goods-in area to check each incoming consignment for the production line and determine whether shortages already occurred at supplier level. One week later another shortage occurred in production and our detective from the Münster knew the culprit had to be sought in the goods-in department.

Caught in the act

At the receiving department, two recently hired shift workers and a secretary loyal for over ten years in accounting, Luise Lengerich, were employed. The corporate detective of the Kurtz Detective Agency Münster established friendly contact with all three employees, although at first he only suspected the two new recruits. However, he had noticed that Luise Lengerich always left the room during breaks to make calls on her private mobile phone; furthermore, she had repeatedly been seen privately with an employee from production. Through his good contacts with other members of staff, the detective discovered that Ms Lengerich was always the last to leave the production facility in the evenings. One evening, he therefore allowed her to believe that he was going home, but in fact remained hidden in the now darkened production area within earshot and sight of Luise Lengerich.

 

As the private investigator had suspected, Ms Lengerich met there with the employee from production, signalling to him to follow her to the ladies’ lavatory in the receiving area. Shortly afterwards, both returned with boxes full of metal parts and loaded them into a vehicle parked outside the receiving department. Our detective from the Kurtz Detective Agency Münster thus became a direct witness to the theft and the loading of the stolen goods, documenting both from a safe distance with a camera. The long-standing employee had become so angered by a denied pay rise that she decided, together with her lover, to steal several metal parts from each delivery and resell them. They would certainly have continued their scheme for longer had they not overdone the quantities and thereby attracted attention. Ms Lengerich and her lover were summarily dismissed and reached an agreement with the affected company to pay compensation in instalments.

The Detective – A Better Storyteller?

Of course, a detective’s work consists of far more than legend-building, yet it is playing an increasingly significant and unexpected role – even in smaller private assignments. While many people expect a detective to track clues with a magnifying glass and a deerstalker hat, or, like some television “hero”, to pursue armed criminals wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a pistol, the methods of real detectives such as those of the Kurtz Detective Agency Münster are far more versatile and considerably closer to real life.

All names and locations have been altered to fully protect clients and targets.

 

Author: Maya Grünschloß, PhD

 

Kurtz Detective Agency Münster

Hafenweg 19

D-48155 Münster

Tel.: +49 251 7009 0014

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-muenster.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-muenster

Patrick Kurtz, proprietor of Kurtz Detective Agency Münster, was heard on 08.10.2015 in a telephone interview on the Morning Show of Antenne Münster with Eva Tanski and Henrik Hanses. The segment is an edited compilation of a longer conversation recorded in advance.

Detective in Münster – A “Real Wilsberg”

Henrik Hanses: “Next Saturday evening, you will not even have to leave your home for gripping entertainment – it will come directly to you: a new Wilsberg crime episode will be broadcast on ZDF. Once again, the private detective solves murder cases using the wildest methods. It will certainly be amusing, but to be honest, Wilsberg is often a little unrealistic.”

 

Eva Tanski: “Someone who ought to know is Patrick Kurtz. He is a private detective in Münster and therefore something of a ‘real Wilsberg’. We do not have him on the line undercover now: Mr Kurtz, exciting cases, murders and so on – does the life of a private detective in Münster really look like that?”

 

Patrick Kurtz: “We do regularly have exciting cases, murders rather less so, but plenty of infidelity.”

Sometimes Curious Callers at Kurtz Investigations Münster

Eva Tanski: “Who contacts you? Are they completely ordinary people?”

 

Patrick Kurtz: “Most of them are indeed ‘ordinary’. We sometimes receive somewhat unusual callers – certainly. We have a rule of thumb: anyone who calls after 10 pm is either drunk or otherwise disturbed – at least in most cases. But during the day, of course, we have entirely normal callers. These are people with genuine problems that need to be resolved. And Kurtz Investigations Münster is naturally pleased to assist.”

Example of a Detective Assignment in Münsterland

Eva Tanski: “What was the most bizarre case you have ever investigated?”

 

Patrick Kurtz: “In Münsterland, it was not very long ago that a woman suspected her husband of having affairs. I should add that both were already retired. For several nights nothing happened, but on the final day of surveillance, a group entered the house. They were clearly prostitutes. One prostitute was transsexual, the other was a typical adult film star type. They then went into the retiree’s house, and one can of course imagine what they were doing there.”

 

Eva Tanski: “The wild retired residents of Münster – it is hard to believe! Thank you, Patrick Kurtz, and continued success in your investigations!”

 

Patrick Kurtz: “Goodbye!”

Closing Remarks

Henrik Hanses: “And there will certainly be more exciting cases on Saturday evening at 20:15 on ZDF. That is when the new episode of Wilsberg will be broadcast. What is it called, Eva?”

 

Eva Tanski: “48 Hours.”

Note

Due to limited broadcasting time, the interview was heavily edited. Individual responses did not follow the same questions as in the original interview, and certain sentences were made in different contexts from those presented here.

Kurtz Detective Agency Münster

Hafenweg 19

D-48155 Münster

Tel.: +49 251 7009 0014

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-muenster.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-muenster

An Agitated Caller on a Sunday Afternoon

•  
• “Good afternoon,” a nervous male voice answers the telephone at Kurtz Investigations Münster on a Sunday afternoon, “I have a problem and you absolutely must help me! You are detectives, aren’t you?”
• “Of course, after all you have called a detective agency. Mr …?”
• “Hunsrück [name changed]! You can google me!”
• “What is your problem, Mr Hunsrück?”
• “I imported my wife from Nepal and …”
• “You IMPORTED a wife? I beg your pardon?”, our detective for Münster interrupts the caller.
• “Yes, from Nepal. But I married her for love, only I do not know what she is doing and whether she is cheating on me! I cannot think straight any more! Please help me immediately!”
• “Please calm down first and tell your story from the beginning.”
•  

Mr Hunsrück’s Definition of “Importing a Person”: Falling in Love, Marrying, Bringing Her to Germany

“So,” Mr Hunsrück begins his assignment description for Kurtz Detective Agency Münster, “two months ago I met a woman from Nepal and fell in love with her. She wanted to leave there and build a new life. Out of love I married her and brought her to Germany, where she wanted to run her own restaurant. I wanted to make that dream come true for her. But then everything turned out differently! And now I am standing here and cannot think clearly any more! It cannot be – I mean, I have nothing against foreigners, but it cannot be that we help them with our German money and then they make fools of us here!” There are a few other characters in Münster who call themselves lawyers, think our Münster private detective, who voice very similar slogans and enjoy filing absurd criminal complaints against media representatives, journalists or even celebrities.

Wife lives in Frankfurt during the Week for Training

•  
• Mr Hunsrück: “You absolutely must help me! Please! I cannot think straight any more!”
• “I have understood that,” our investigator from Kurtz Investigations Münster assures him, “but you must first tell me the whole story before we as detectives can do anything for you.”
• “Of course, of course! I simply cannot think clearly any more! So my wife … at the beginning everything was wonderful with the two children and so on, also in bed, she can do things, well … anyway, at first everything was perfect down there, but then at some point the hygiene was not so great and well, one starts having one’s thoughts! In any case, she is during the week in a restaurant in Frankfurt with another Nepalese man. He runs a restaurant there and she is supposed to learn something about restaurants and so on, so that we can open one ourselves! But she always talks about ‘her room’ and is rarely online and almost never reachable. And I know my way around the red-light district and I know how things work there with rooms and so on. And she was in a hotel once as well! And my two children, it is all so terrible!”
•  

A Rival of the Client of Kurtz Detective Agency Münster?

•  
• “To summarise,” our detective for Münster asks, “you therefore believe that your wife is a prostitute because she lives in a room above the restaurant where she works?”
• “Well, somehow yes! But it is complicated! I want to have the marriage annulled because of severe deception! And then there is also this Nepalese man who always …”
• “… who runs the restaurant?”
• “Yes, him! He keeps buying her expensive things! Once a mobile phone and then something else! No man does that without ulterior motives! Isn’t that so?”
• “You may well be right. Our detectives can gladly check for you whether your wife is working as a prostitute. For that, we would have to visit the restaurant in Frankfurt.”
• “Yes, please! You must help me! When can you start?”
• “First we need to conclude the investigation contract and then I must see how quickly I can free up a detective for Frankfurt.”
• “Can you manage it today? Please! I am desperate and cannot think straight any more!”
• “Mr Hunsrück, it is Sunday afternoon, I do not even have a contract yet – I cannot possibly promise that we can manage it today. After all, such a detective assignment also requires organisation and coordination.”
• “Yes, I understand! But if I send you the contract immediately, can you then do it today?”
• Resignedly, the detective from Kurtz Detective Agency Münster sighs: “I will do my best, but I cannot promise anything.”
•  

Internet Research by Private Detectives in Münster

Although the matter is, according to the client of Kurtz Investigations Münster, extremely urgent, the e-mail with the countersigned investigation contract does not arrive until around midday the following day. Our Münster detectives begin online research to determine whether there are any indications of sexual services associated with the restaurant address in Frankfurt. However, no such entries can be found. The hotel in which the target person is said to have stayed is also not known as a meeting place for prostitutes, but rather as a hotel for visitors to professional conferences and trade fairs. On the night of the booking, a lecture on gastronomy had taken place there. Consequently, the online research conducted by our private detectives in Münster does not confirm the correctness of our client’s suspicion. An on-site check is intended to provide further clarification.

Mrs Hunsrück Cannot Be Found at the Target Address

During the first deployment of our detectives in Frankfurt, the restaurant is closed for a rest day. As it has hardly any internet presence and the telephone number listed in some trade directories is no longer current, this could not be determined without visiting the premises. The investigators check the doorbells and letterboxes. The name of the target person is not listed, whereas that of the restaurant owner is. On instruction of the client of Kurtz Detective Agency Münster, the operator is not to be contacted if possible before verifying whether the target person can be found on site. The detectives therefore decide to return the following day.

Interview and Open Confrontation on Site

On the next day, even before entering the restaurant, the deployed private investigator can see through the glass front several female persons who roughly match the description of the target person. As he finds it difficult to clearly distinguish between the Asian individuals, he consults a photograph of the target person and is able to identify her among the service staff. The detective takes a seat at a table, repeatedly lowers his gaze when waitresses pass by, and finally signals to the target person that he would like to order from her. Later, when she refills his drink, he discreetly asks whether she has any plans afterwards and whether he might meet her “upstairs”. With an angry look, the target person walks away without a word. The investigator waits for a while to see whether any reaction might still occur.

 

As this is not the case, he asks an employee to speak to the restaurant manager. The latter introduces himself with the same name that the client of Kurtz Investigations Münster had known from the smartphone benefactor of his wife. However, he is of such advanced age and apparent physical frailty that he can hardly be regarded as an admirer. The Frankfurt detective tells the restaurant manager that he has heard about the “special relaxation opportunities” in the back room and would like to try them. The man appears confused, whereupon the investigator becomes more explicit: “You have prostitutes in the back room, do you not? I would like one hour with that one.” He points to the target person. The restaurant owner appears ready to explode, understandably insults the corporate investigator from Kurtz Detective Agency Münster vehemently and throws him out of the establishment – lifetime ban included.

Personal Conversation Between a Detective and the Target Person – Everything Turns Out Differently Than Expected

On the following day, Kurtz Detective Agency Münster attempts to clarify the case in a personal conversation with the target person. For this purpose, a different operative is once again sent to the restaurant, where the detective openly informs Mrs Hunsrück that he has been commissioned by her husband, who is greatly concerned. The target person reacts with shock, speaks in English of stalking and scolds the client as a control freak who is suffocating her and is not quite right in the head. According to her statement, she had already informed him weeks earlier that she was separating from him, yet he apparently refuses to understand this. The detective is to inform Mr Hunsrück that he is paranoid and should please leave her alone.

Protection of the Target Person’s Legitimate Interests

Based on Mrs Hunsrück’s statements, the private detectives of Kurtz Investigations Münster come to the conclusion that the written assertion of legitimate interest in the investigation is not given in this case, as the client had concealed the decisive information that his wife had separated from him. In order to safeguard the target person’s legitimate interests, our detectives must refrain from providing the client with information regarding her whereabouts and occupation. As one can imagine, he is not at all pleased about this, yet after legal assessment of the situation this course of action is unavoidable and also humanly justifiable, given that the client had openly deceived us regarding the relationship status and his intentions in commissioning Kurtz Detective Agency Münster.

All names and locations have of course been completely altered to protect clients and target persons.

 

Kurtz Detective Agency Münster

Hafenweg 19

D-48155 Münster

Tel.: +49 251 7009 0014

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-muenster.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-muenster.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-muenster