Tips

Can A Private Investigator Find A Missing Person

Published on June 14, 2021

According to FBI’s official records, every year, there are almost a million missing person cases only in the United States. That number is disturbingly high. What’s even more disturbing is that nearly 90% of those missing persons are minors.

When you consider both of those factors, it’s easy to see how law enforcement agencies cannot produce satisfying results regarding locating missing persons. They’re already overworked and the fact that there are several rules and limitations put into place doesn’t help.

Namely, there is a 24-hour waiting period before an adult can be classified as missing and seeing how these cases are time-sensitive, many people have to resort to other methods in order for them to find their loved ones. Luckily, those time restraints don’t exist when it comes to minors, but additional help locating the missing person is always welcome.

That is where private investigators come into play.

How Can Private Investigators Help?

img source: issinvestigation.com

Unlike police, private investigators don’t have to wait any amount of time before they get to work. Once you contact and hire them, they’re getting on the job right away. As you could guess, that is incredibly important with these time-sensitive cases, as victims could be long gone once the 24-hour waiting period is over.

Private investigators are often well-versed in these kinds of situations and it’s not rare that they’re people with a background in law enforcement so that you can be confident of their skills and expertise.

Furthermore, private investigators are often well-connected and have some other resources at their disposal that traditional law enforcement might not have or aren’t willing to use.

In addition to that, there is no such thing as a cold case with private investigators. According to getevidencenow.com, a PI will work the case for as long as they have to or for as long as you’re still asking them to.

What Methods Do Private Investigators Use To Find A Missing Person?

img source: leverageprivateinvestigation.com

As we’ve previously stated, private investigators have many skills and resources at their disposal to help them locate a missing person.

One of those skills is surveillance. A PI will thoroughly investigate and observe places where the missing person has been last seen. Also, they can track suspects, their movement, and whereabouts in order to locate a missing person.

Also, we’ve mentioned they’re well-connected and that includes connections with various law enforcement agencies, hospitals, or mortuaries – which could all contribute to their cause. They will be able to use those connections to perform background checks, question witnesses or people relevant to the case, or simply analyze the data obtained from their sources to narrow down the search.

Finally, private investigators have their own unique techniques and tools they will utilize to help gain information relevant to the case. Furthermore, they’ll often associate with other fellow private investigators to further improve their efficiency.