In my previous article, I described how I removed all the rear seats that came with the minivan. In place of the rear seats, I installed a captain’s chair instead. This setup provides the ability to rotate the chair 360 degrees so that an investigator can comfortably watch any direction from the rear of the […]
As every investigator is aware, it is of the utmost importance that an investigator not be seen by the subject of his investigation. Therefore, it is often necessary to take additional steps to ensure that the investigator remains hidden. For example, if you are stopped at a stoplight directly behind your subject, you want to […]
Years ago, I used to think that a reverse camera was simply a cool extra feature on one’s vehicle. Since then I have come to realize that it’s a necessity in any decent surveillance vehicle. The time it saves while parking is essential and can provide an investigator with more time to get his/her camera […]
Honestly, it was pretty difficult to select a title for this article. In reality, this article discusses how to install a “urinal disposal system” in your surveillance vehicle. Often investigators are conducting surveillance and are unable to even open the vehicle door to dispose urine as they are concerned of arousing the subject’s suspicions. To […]
Using a navigation system is essential for surveillance. You need it to locate your subject’s residence, to know where your subject visits and routes taken by your subject. But your navigation serves the following purpose: you need a large screen navigation for pursuit as it is crucial an investigator is aware of the surrounding […]
Frequently my surveillance case are two or three day stakeouts with multiple investigators. As my van is setup with plenty of battery power and cooling options, I am usually the investigator who remains stationary on top of the subject’s residence. This provides me with benefit of having a few extra seconds to put my stuff […]
In my opinion, it is necessary to have more than one set of lights on your surveillance vehicle for night-time pursuit. Having more than one set of lights will allow you to change the vehicle’s appearance when pursuing a subject on streets with scarce traffic. Adding fog lights is one of the easiest methods […]
Curtains in your surveillance vehicle are essential for surveillance. If you do not use curtains during surveillance, you WILL get burned sooner or later. Curtains also keep the vehicle much cooler. Most likely, you have seen my other post in this blog that described how I tinted my windows and why. The upper portions […]
Organization is KEY to surveillance. If your gear is not organized, you will end up losing valuable surveillance time when trying to locate your cameras or you will end up losing your subject by taking too much time to stow your gear when the subject departs. There are many ways to ensure that your surveillance […]
Ever need some light during an evening surveillance? As you know, you cannot just turn on the interior lights of the vehicle. One method, which I feel solves this problem, is installing dome lights. Dome lights will provide you with light inside your vehicle and will not draw the subject’s You can’t turn on the […]
As a surveillance investigator, it is important that I have easy access to all my devices (cellphone, camera, tablet, etc.) while I am on surveillance, so I am not distracted by having to look for something while monitoring a subject. Specifically, I need my cellphone in a position that will allow me to easily use […]
This product tends to go by multiple names, so call them what you wish! Nevertheless, this product is a MUST! They are cheap and take seconds to install. When you’re sitting on a long day of surveillance in the sun and cannot have your vehicle on without arousing suspicion, fresh air is extremely important. The […]
For those super hot summer days, the floor vent is not enough at times. When it is over 95 degrees outside, the floor vent will keep the van temp at about 86 degrees. However, this cooler mod + the floor vent working together will get the van temps down to about 80. There are awesome […]
This write-up will include 3 parts: Dual Batteries, Fuse Block, & Inverter. We will start with the dual battery setup. Disclaimer: I am not an electrical expert. This project was a learning experience. This will not be a step by step guide like my other articles. This will point you in the right direction and […]
Ever need to backup a few feet when it’s dark and wish you can kill your brake lights?? That happens to me often. So this is how I installed a toggle switch for my brake lights. Disclaimer: This may not be legal in your state so please do your research and do this at your […]
After installing my RV fan in the floor of the van (which is my favorite mod of all time now!), I noticed it’s a pain in the butt to operate when sitting on the drivers seat. It’s rare that I am in the drivers seat for a long time but sometimes it’s the best view […]
The best cooling other than an AC is a fan. RV roof fans get great reviews and my friend has one in his van which works great. So I decided to install an RV Roof Fan. I used the Fan-Tastic Vent Model 4000 which I bought on Amazon for $142. I chose this model because […]
After some debate, I chose to use ceramic tint. My setup is unique and I will explain why… Front Windshield: 5″ Strip on top is tinted 20% Entire windshield tinted 80%. This is to allow less heat into the vehicle. Front Passenger & Driver window tinted 35% All other windows including the rear are tinted […]
I was always against minivans for surveillance because they were always slow 6 cylinder bricks. However in the past few years that has changed. The Toyota, VW, and Dodge/ Chrysler have stepped up their game. SO I figured it’s time to try out a minivan for surveillance. After 8 years of conducting surveillance, my back […]
The first thing I did was tear the van apart! Well not really, that will happen eventually. I pulled out the middle and rear seats. I will be installing a captains chair on tracks soon. To pull off the rear seats all you need is a phillips head screwdriver and a 15mm socket. Takes less […]