5 Tips for Hiding in Plain Sight While Working as a Private Investigator

Hiding in plain sight is when people see you but don't pay attention to you or forget all about you as soon as they see you. 

That is our art. But how do we do it? There are some very simple tricks you can use to hide in plain sight that most people (non-investigators at least) wouldn't readily think about. Magically, no one pays much attention to you and thus, you can hide right in view of them. Other than having tented windows on your vehicle, here are some of the best tips I have.

1. Sit in the back seat of the vehicle. Not all states allow tent on the front side windows. If not, sitting in the back seat where you have tinted windows is a good option. I tested this recently and sat someone else in my back seat and I couldn't see them, not even from the front windshield where there is no tint. Most people also don't look toward the back seat normally.
2. Park in a public parking lot. This is one of my favorite hiding spots. Of course you can't find these on every case but if you can, you're sure to blend right in. It's completely normal for someone to sit in their car in a parking lot. People will pass you by without giving you a second thought. 
3. Park between two of their neighbors homes, approximately 50 yards away from the house or more if you can. Sure, they might see your car but will think you're visiting a neighbor. They won't know which one because you're between houses. 
4. Drive through the surrounding neighborhoods. Sometimes the best parking spaces with the best view are not on your suspects/claimants road at all. You could have a significantly better view from the next block over (between 2 houses) or on the hill behind their home. Either way you have to look for it. For suspects with a back patio or yard, this could be your best bet for catching activity. 
5. Park out of their neighborhood completely. If you need to follow someone to see where they go and their activities at home are not as important, don't park in their neighborhood. Set your GPS to the destination you believe they are going to or find a parking spot along their only exit from the neighborhood and park there. They won't be looking for anyone this far from home and will be focused on traffic making it easy for you to being mobile surveillance after they pass by. 

What are some of your best tips for hiding a vehicle in plain sight?