PI Blotter: Private Investigator Seeks Missing Boston College Student
- April 16, 2012
- by PInow Staff
- In the News
Each week PINow combs the web for the latest and most interesting industry news stories to bring you the Weekly Private Investigator Blotter.
Private Investigator Seeking Missing Boston College Student
BOSTON, MA – Franco Garcia, a student at Boston College, has been missing for six weeks. Police and local authorities have been searching for the man, including to search the Chestnut Hill reservoir. According to the Massachusetts Private Investigator working with the Garcia family, the police have no new leads in the case. Private investigator Justin Billard has said that the police have found no trace of the student. They have found no wallet or personal belongings belonging to Garcia and there have been no sightings of the man including no account activity. Billard says there is a chance that Garcia is still alive.
IKEA in France Admits Spying
FRANCE – France’s IKEA subsidiary has been dogged by allegations that it spied on customers and staff. The company has now admitted to rights violations related to the allegations and has promised to make changes to ensure that similar problems do not occur in the future. IKEA in France is accused of hiring private investigators to access police records and to investigate customers and employees. According to one source, IKEA France ran more than vehicle registration checks and criminal records checks while investigating customers and staff. An investigation is ongoing.
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Private Investigators in Cyprus May Face Changes
CYPRUS – The Cyprus private investigation industry is similar to the English system and now that the UK system is under scrutiny due to the phone hacking scandal, Cyprus private investigators are also feeling pressure. Currently, there are over twenty private investigation companies in Cyprus, and the country does not require licensing for these professionals. Industry experts say that if England changes its licensing practices for private investigators, Cyprus investigators will be directly affected since the system is based on the same principles.
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Private Investigator’s Case Dismissed
ENGLAND – Private investigator Andrew Campbell Stewart has had his case against contractor against Morgan Sindall dismissed. Stewart alleged that Sindall had breached a verbal contract but a central employment tribunal did not agree. Stewart worked as a private investigator for Sindall and alleged that he agreed to silence in a criminal trial in exchange for work that would pay £8,000 bimonthly.
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Man Gets Sentence After Threatening Investigator with Weapon
EPHRATA, WA - Robert R. Anderson has been sentenced for second degree assault after threatening a Washington private investigator with a gun. The investigator was allegedly parked in front of a home belonging to Anderson’s brother. When Anderson approached the vehicle, the two men argued and the investigator reached for his radio and then his pepper spray. Anderson then reportedly reached for a gun and threatened the investigator. Anderson has been sentenced to six months, with three of them to be served at home.
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Association of British Investigators Becomes Part of Industry Qualifications
UK – The Association of British Investigators (ABI), a trade organization for private investigators, has joined Industry Qualifications (IQ). ABI is the first industry group to do so. The ABI will support IQ programs and will develop new qualifications for private investigators in cooperation with IQ. The Leveson enquiry has placed more pressure on UK private investigators to seek licensing and additional training, and this move might pave the path to licensing, according to industry experts.
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