Production talent Benedict "Benno" Bartsch spent a day asking private detective Patrick Kurtz of Kurtz Detective Agency Dresden questions about the detective profession and accompanied him on a light-hearted surveillance operation. An extremely well-executed feature with great editing, scenic footage from Dresden, and a touch of humour – produced for Sachsen Fernsehen and Dresden Fernsehen, among others, and even shown on the Dresden tram.

Kurtz Detective Agency thanks the young but highly talented filming team around Benno, Benny and Keno! Below is the video and, underneath, a transcript for the hearing-impaired.

"A Day as a Private Detective"

Benedict Bartsch: "Today I am a Trovato for a day, as I am going to see how a detective actually works. For that, I meet Patrick Kurtz. He runs his own detective agency and has been a private detective for years. But I am curious: How does a surveillance operation actually work? What does a detective do all day? And, above all: Does he really sit all day on the sofa in a brown coat watching 'Die Trovatos' and some Sherlock Holmes films? Let's find out, let’s go: A Day as a Detective!"

Detective – Quick Overview of the Profession

Benedict Bartsch: "Of course, my outfit for a day as a detective has to be right: leather jacket, fishing hat and a magnifying glass – that is how I meet my boss today: Patrick Kurtz, detective for years. I have to quickly take off my jacket though; it gets really warm in summer. Patrick, since when have you been a detective?"

Patrick Kurtz: "I have been in the industry since 2013."

Benedict Bartsch: "How did it all start? How does one actually become a detective?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Most colleagues, almost all of them, previously worked in investigative authorities – that means police, intelligence services, customs, etc., where they gained the skills needed for this profession. That was not the case for me. I previously worked in literary studies; I studied it, did something completely different, and then trained to become an IHK-certified detective."

Benedict Bartsch: "What kind of people come to you saying: I need a detective?"

Patrick Kurtz: "It is very diverse. Companies, but also many private clients from all social classes: from welfare recipients to A-list celebrities. The main topic for us is fraud: private, classic, infidelity as known from clichés."

Surveillance – What Is It and How Does It Work?

Benedict Bartsch: "How does a surveillance operation work, how does it function? Do you do it in a car?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Most surveillance operations are carried out in a car, although there is usually a portion done on foot. It always depends on the target and the assignment. Sometimes we also do surveillance by motorcycle or bicycle. We adapt to how our target moves."

Benedict Bartsch: "But you no longer do surveillance yourself, right?"

Patrick Kurtz: "I very rarely take part in covert surveillance now."

Benedict Bartsch: "Why?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Because I am the face of my company; it would be irresponsible – I am not often recognised – but still irresponsible, because you never know if the target has already read a newspaper article or something about me."

The Punica Bottle – A Classic in Surveillance

Benedict Bartsch: "It was nice here [note: Elbe meadows]. But now we have another appointment, right?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Yes, we need to follow a person to see what they are up to."

Benedict Bartsch: "What kind of person?"

Patrick Kurtz: "It is a teenager, whose parents are worried, and we need to see if the concerns are justified."

Benedict Bartsch: "Although Patrick no longer does surveillance himself, he makes an exception for me today to show me the process. We head to the appointment by car. Can you tell me a bit: Have you ever had a striking case that stays with you or something that moved you?"

Patrick Kurtz: "It is especially satisfying when you can genuinely help people, not just uncover unpleasant things like infidelity, but truly assist. For example, in family reunifications: I have witnessed a father meet his daughter after 27 years – a big family reunion followed. People are very grateful; that is a deeply satisfying feeling."

Benedict Bartsch: "A bit like Julia Leischik then. What skills must a detective have, are there prerequisites for the job?"

Patrick Kurtz: "There are many prerequisites, most people do not have them. Our field is incredibly broad. We do not only conduct surveillance but also research. Intelligence helps, especially if you want to do more than simple surveillance. You need stamina and patience, because some observations are long. The longest I had was 17 hours – in a car, high summer, sun beating down all day. You need resilience. Also, you deal with practical issues, like using the bathroom: you sometimes need to relieve yourself in a Punica or milk bottle."

What a Detective May and May Not Do

Benedict Bartsch: "What are your limits as a detective, what is absolutely forbidden?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Nowadays, there is so much we may not do; it is getting stricter. Previously, until the early 2000s, detectives obtained DNA samples for paternity tests. We cannot do that anymore. Most of what 'Die Trovatos' do – photographing into private spaces – is strictly forbidden. Using directional microphones to eavesdrop is also illegal."

Benedict Bartsch: "Sometimes from the car..."

Patrick Kurtz: "Yes, highly illegal."

Benedict Bartsch: "Technically possible?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Yes, technically, but illegal."

Benedict Bartsch: "Have you ever been caught?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Once. But I still solved the case. The issue was not even the target, but a farmer passing by on his tractor. Gossip in the village revealed we were there. Eventually, the target knocked on my window."

Simulated Surveillance Operation

Benedict Bartsch: "Oh God, hope that does not happen to us now. We are in central Dresden observing a teenager for potential illegal activity. Patrick spots him at 'Maces'. What now?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Keep distance, maintain visual contact."

Benedict Bartsch: "Take a photo?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Yes, I pretend to show you something on my phone, but in truth, I take a photo. He is currently facing away, but targets can turn spontaneously."

Benedict Bartsch: "Would it be risky to sit nearby? Where?"

Patrick Kurtz: "I would not sit here, but find a shaded spot with partial cover and monitor the target from there."

Benedict Bartsch: "He is getting up now."

Patrick Kurtz: "Very close. Hope he does not head our way; then we would take cover. Luckily, he goes the other way. We keep some distance and follow shortly."

Benedict Bartsch: "The target enters a toy shop. Patrick checks the exits, but does not follow."

Patrick Kurtz: "There is no other exit downstairs. We would wait for him in his path."

Benedict Bartsch: "We sit down briefly, then he leaves the shop."

Patrick Kurtz: "High recognisability if eye contact is made. Avoid at all costs."

Benedict Bartsch: "We look around a bit here."

Patrick Kurtz: "And now he turns the corner."

Benedict Bartsch: "He walks down the street."

Patrick Kurtz: "We should move and follow."

Benedict Bartsch: "If he boards tram line 7, we abort. He goes home then."

Patrick Kurtz: "He boards line 7. Task complete."

Benedict Bartsch: "Okay, the case was fictional. The teen was actually my cameraman Benny. Real surveillance would be too dangerous."

Detective Gadgets Briefly Introduced

Benedict Bartsch: "Before the video ends, Patrick wants to show me his detective devices. Can you show me what is in your case?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Yes, gladly. Most of the items are not used in everyday work. Primarily, it is a forensic kit; you need this if you really want to secure forensic traces, such as fingerprints. What is more relevant for surveillance operations are hidden camera solutions."

Benedict Bartsch: "Wow, okay. That is just a regular wristwatch, like the one I have?"

Patrick Kurtz: "A conventional wristwatch, indistinguishable from a normal watch, with a small lens inside. It can be used for many everyday surveillance situations. Especially in enclosed spaces, when people sit close together – for example, in a restaurant – you can simply sit behind the target person and record very discreetly by positioning your arm accordingly. If audio recording is needed, which is rarer, it can also be used for that. I also have another small item: sunglasses with a similar function. There is also a lens in the middle. They are not super stylish, though some might find them stylish. Perfect for bicycle surveillance. If you are following someone by bike, it is a bit tricky to hold the camera separately."

Benedict Bartsch: "Can I try them on?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Of course!"

Benedict Bartsch: "And now I am filming you here. This is really cool."

Patrick Kurtz: "They even suit you. Surprisingly well."

Benedict Bartsch: "Well, as I always say: a matter of taste!"

May Private Detectives Carry Weapons?

Benedict Bartsch: "Patrick and I are back in the car. I have a few more questions about his job: As a detective, you are not armed, right? Or sometimes for certain surveillance operations?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Some colleagues carry blank-firing pistols. Generally, detectives cannot obtain a firearms licence. Usually, one does not get into dangerous situations. We once had some trouble with a biker gang. We observed a member of the gang, who were quite good at counter-surveillance. They all protect each other. At that time, we only had budget for one operative – I would not do that nowadays; I would always send at least a two-person team for such surveillance. One operative was noticed and even received threats from the target. He temporarily moved away with his family and had the observation carried out by others. In the end, it all dissolved; they were empty threats. Still, the situation can feel a bit tense for an investigator."

Benedict Bartsch: "Thank you very much again!"

Patrick Kurtz: "My pleasure!"

Benedict Bartsch: "That is it for this video; until next time: Ciao, Kakao!"

Kurtz Detective Agency Dresden

Enderstraße 94

D-01277 Dresden

Tel.: +49 351 41 88 44 70 

Fax: +49 351 41 88 44 79   

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

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

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

German National Sport: Skiving Off Work?

Time and again, one reads sometimes alarming figures regarding employees’ willingness to engage in so-called “sick leave abuse”. For example, according to a survey by Keyfacts Onlineforschung GmbH, 2.1 million employees (6.5 per cent of the workforce) planned to feign a cold in the winter of 2015 in order to unlawfully obtain paid days off. The emphasis here is on the verb “planned”, which clearly describes the intent to commit fraud. Forty per cent of Germans admit to knowing employees who have called in sick at least once without justification or who do so on a regular basis. The fact that this type of fraud is discussed so openly illustrates the lack of awareness of wrongdoing across large sections of the population – a circumstance that also frequently becomes apparent during observations carried out by our detective agency in Dresden. Seventy-one per cent of employees state that they are not required to submit a medical certificate for just one day of absence, which definitively increases the tendency to stay away from work without health-related reasons. It is striking that men and younger workers in particular state that they know people who (regularly) abuse sick leave, whereas this is less often the case among women and older employees. However, abusing sick leave is no longer a rare exception and certainly no trivial offence, even if the damage caused by an individual case may still seem limited. Calculated across the entire population and economy, however, annual losses amount to several billion euros, hampering Germany’s economic performance and ultimately manifesting themselves in rising prices and tax increases, which are borne by society as a whole.

If sick leave is not abused for personal reasons (family celebrations, competitions, etc.) or out of simple reluctance to work, medical certificates with dubious backgrounds tend to accumulate particularly before long weekends, public holidays and festive periods such as Carnival, during festival season, at major sporting events, before concerts by international stars and ahead of large city festivals. Given that, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, two thirds of so-called “Blaumacher” (German idiom meaning sick leave abusers) are men, one further major event is especially coming into focus for our corporate investigators in Dresden: the football European Championship, which at the time of writing this article is about to begin.

UEFA Euro 2016 as a Key Factor for Sick Leave Fraudsters

In view of the steadily rising number of medical certificates issued in recent years and the scale of the economic damage incurred, our Dresden detectives predict that, with the start of the European Football Championship in France, an even greater increase – and a conspicuous clustering – of sick notes is to be expected this year. As was already the case during the 2014 World Cup, Kurtz Detective Agency will certainly once again be handling several cases of sick leave abuse, all the more so should the German national team qualify for the semi-finals or even the final. While very few employers will call in sick because they personally have tickets and are travelling to France, the majority of German employees are likely to follow the individual Germany matches closely and enthusiastically. As a result, it can be predicted with near certainty that many businesses will receive medical certificates either on the days following evening Germany matches or at the time of afternoon kick-offs. During the 2014 Football World Cup in Brazil alone, 1.4 million feigned sick notes were expected, according to a survey conducted by the travel portal ab-in-den-urlaub.de on work ethic during the tournament. Respondents stated that, due to the late kick-off times caused by the time difference, they intended to call in sick for up to two days without taking holiday leave. The resulting damage ran into the hundreds of millions of euros: the travel portal calculated losses of approximately 446 million euros. Our corporate investigators likewise conducted observations in several cases of so-called “football sickness” during the summer of 2014.

Even though the issue of time differences does not apply to this year’s European Championship, the clearly evident criminal energy (see statistics in the first paragraph) and the fixation on personal interests are sufficient grounds to expect that hung-over and malingering employees will cause significant losses in many companies and businesses across a wide range of economic sectors, and that Germany will not be able to utilise the full potential of its economic growth. Even those employees who do not take an entire day off sick, but instead turn up several hours late after a late-night match and still leave work punctually at 5 p.m. in order to have time before the next game, are harming their employers. Our private detectives in Dresden support employers in exposing these disloyal employees by obtaining evidence admissible in court through surveillance: +49 351 4188 447-0.

Sick Leave Abusers: Sometimes Foolish, Foolisher, Foolishest

Even if a doctor cannot be deceived about an employee’s actual state of health and issues only a one-day certificate instead of the desired week-long sick note, there are still employees who continually try to outdo one another in audacity. These range from attempted bribery of a GP, to a friendly doctor “turning a blind eye”, to the brazen handwritten forgery of a genuinely issued medical certificate.

The latter case is rather rare, but only a few weeks ago our corporate detective agency in Dresden investigated an especially audacious case involving a serial sick leave abuser who regularly managed to secure at least one long weekend per month by submitting crudely forged medical certificates, which had gone unnoticed by the secretary for a long period of time. What was striking was the employee’s obvious carelessness in producing his sick notes: instead of making a potentially more successful digital alteration using image-editing software, he forged the certificates by scraping out the relevant dates and the issue date with a razor blade, copying the resulting blank sick note several times and filling it in by hand, even drawing the stamp freehand. Apart from the wobbly hand-drawn stamp and the visible scraping marks on the copies, the malingerer failed to notice that the medical practice listed on the certificate had since relocated and was operating under the name of a different doctor. Based on these simple details and a two-day observation of the employee, our Dresden detectives were able to prove that he had not visited a doctor at all, yet had nevertheless submitted a supposedly current medical certificate, which turned out to be a forgery.

Approaches to Dealing with Sick Leave Fraud in Your Own Business

If you or your company are affected by conspicuously frequent, regular or suspected forged medical certificates, do not hesitate to engage our private detective agency in Dresden. As a rule, within just a few days – and in some cases even through a single day of observation – it can be conclusively established whether an employee on sick leave is genuinely ill and behaving in a manner conducive to recovery, or whether they are unlawfully enjoying leisure time at their employer’s expense. In addition, our forgery experts are able to examine submitted and suspicious-looking medical certificates and, through further research, determine whether they were in fact issued by the (allegedly) treating doctor, or whether there may be friendly or family relationships between doctor and patient that could suggest a false certificate.

If you suspect one or more employees of unjustified sick leave – for example because they regularly return after an “illness” in high spirits or even with a light tan reminiscent of a short holiday – you can have this discreetly investigated with the assistance of our IHK-certified corporate and private detectives in order to prevent further damage to your business: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-dresden.de.

Author: Maya Grünschloß, PhD

Kurtz Detective Agency Dresden

Enderstraße 94

D-01277 Dresden

Tel.: +49 351 41 88 44 70 

Fax: +49 351 41 88 44 79   

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

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

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

At the end of 2015, RTL Punkt 12 covered a case handled by Kurtz Detective Agency Dresden. The clients, a couple from Leipzig, had been terrorised for years with threatening and hate letters, defamation, unsolicited parcel deliveries and several other assaults. Although our private detectives were able to locate the perpetrator’s residence using mantrailing dogs, the police remained inactive for months. Two years have now passed, during which evidence even went missing from the authorities’ hands – an outrageous scandal.

The TV segment in full

Katja Burkard: "They have not had a moment of peace for three years. Kerstin and Bernd constantly receive anonymous letters in which they are insulted in the worst possible way. Expensive newspaper subscriptions and parcels that they never ordered also arrive. Because they do not know what else to do and no one is helping them, we have assigned stalking expert Leo Martin to assist them, and he is immediately following a hot lead. Lukas Stege and Denise Westphal report."

Psychological terror and a concrete suspicion

Leo Martin fought organised crime as a secret agent for ten years. Today he uses his skills to confront stalkers. In Leipzig, the ex-spy meets Bernd Mahn and Kerstin Kolditz, whose couple is being severely harassed.

Leo Martin: "You called because you are in a situation where you do not know how to proceed. What is happening here?"

Kerstin Kolditz: "That is correct. We are at a point where we can say we have experienced psychological pressure and stress for three years now."

The couple receives parcels they never ordered and threatening letters in which Kerstin Kolditz is called an "adulteress".

Kerstin Kolditz: "The contents of the letters included so many personal details that we said it could only have come from her, and someone else wrote it."

The couple is certain: Bernd Mahn’s ex-wife is inciting another woman to write the letters. However, they do not have conclusive proof. The couple filed a report against unknown persons – without success, as they state themselves.

Mantrailer deployment with a clear result

Two years earlier, Kerstin Kolditz and Bernd Mahn had already hired a private detective. Patrick Kurtz was tasked with finding out who was sending the letters.

Patrick Kurtz: "Operationally, we then conducted a mantrailer deployment using tracking dogs. The dogs ran very quickly to a specific property. Three different dogs all did the same, so the trail was obviously very, very hot."

The dogs had tracked the threat letters and indicated – exactly at the house belonging to the suspect. Pure coincidence?

Detective observation of the target property

Leo Martin is curious and observes the house: "I am standing right in front of the target property; I can immediately see in both directions if someone approaches. As soon as our suspected perpetrator appears, we move in for confrontation."

However, the target person does not appear. Instead, Leo Martin meets the daughter of the household:

Conversation between TV detective and daughter of the suspected perpetrator/assistant

Leo Martin: "It is about anonymous letters that we have heard of. It concerns insults and defamation."

Daughter: "We have nothing to do with this. It is completely unknown who did it. Accusations were made by the lady. She stole a man from a woman after 45 years of life. That is impossible and there are people who know this, and they do not approve. He boasted about it everywhere."

The suspect is invited to explain her side – no response.

Leo Martin: "She [the daughter] immediately knew which case it concerned but said she knew nothing and was innocent, had nothing to do with it. I asked her to contact the alleged perpetrator because I wanted to give him the opportunity to comment, so we could see both sides of the story."

Unfortunately, the woman did not respond to our offer. However, after our filming, Bernd Mahn and Kerstin Kolditz did not receive any new threat letters.

Kurtz Detective Agency Dresden

Enderstraße 94

D-01277 Dresden

Tel.: +49 351 41 88 44 70 

Fax: +49 351 41 88 44 79   

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

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

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

In 2015, private detective Patrick Kurtz gave a short interview to the radio station PSR (Private Saxon Broadcasting) on the topic of infidelity in relationships and investigations carried out by detectives in cases of suspected unfaithfulness.

How often does Kurtz Investigations Dresden conduct surveillance for infidelity?

Radio PSR: "I have Mr Patrick Kurtz from Kurtz Investigations Dresden on the phone. Good day!"

Patrick Kurtz: "Good day."

Radio PSR: "Mr Kurtz, how many people in Saxony call you wanting to know whether their partner is being unfaithful or not?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Regarding infidelity and relationship issues, we receive approximately two to three inquiries per week in Saxony. Not every inquiry results in a case, but in 70 to 80 percent of the cases our private detectives in Saxony handle concerning infidelity, the suspicion of the client is confirmed."

Who is more jealous? Men or women? And who is more likely to be unfaithful?

Radio PSR: "Are more men or women seeking advice from your detective agency in Dresden?"

Patrick Kurtz: "It is fairly balanced, whether male or female – both among the clients and – logically – among the persons we observe."

Radio PSR: "Is there a case that particularly affected you?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Off the top of my head, there is one case where the client learned through surveillance in a restaurant that his wife intended to

leave him. He was completely stunned, especially because we were able to document the conversations between his wife and her lover very precisely and listen to their plans. Finding out from detectives that your wife intends to leave, and that she also intends to leave the shared child, is, of course, a shock."

Radio PSR: "Absolutely!"

Detectives: Always Invisible?

Radio PSR: "Have you ever been discovered during your surveillance?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Only once, and not during an infidelity case, but in a case of wage continuation fraud. It was an unfortunate coincidence of circumstances. Nevertheless, we were able to bring the investigation to a successful conclusion, and to this day that was the only incident."

Radio PSR: "Fascinating. Patrick Kurtz from Kurtz Investigations Dresden – thank you very much! Goodbye!"

Kurtz Detective Agency Dresden

Enderstraße 94

D-01277 Dresden

Tel.: +49 351 41 88 44 70 

Fax: +49 351 41 88 44 79   

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

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

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