“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8niRGnQONi
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkHv19uVYM
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEb6Wnlecvo
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSJ9F1tbMB
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj827VKBudR
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhYDcHQ3RZ
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4O73rw2LhK
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Uth11eNH8
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUu9xA6PHgX
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4yJLzscmuw
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuB4e0ObSYj
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6jcLoHCKn
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOrA7zQ8aW
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eGqIRbfc7
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaaCCExgtjp
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQGMlQ1ac5
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJx0cxsTuQA
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrjT1J9bZV
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLuacwlbMXq
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjVFqMI3mD
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpNX9i9L8S
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm70jUuoiZY
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAMkT9SZsC
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXZ3bTrwfE
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFOlX7uPzy
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQZ6UbYJ5p
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4d42sZ6U9
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLCe2Jnrhg6
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTJd4kWgaq
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLHwn4jtpoK
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWdwHhvC8j
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRZgtSiSjD
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5c8koXa7dI
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzbi3SD333
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahGuvLSXd5
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20KEpatpv8
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06Xklo97Ss
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJITxinu4BE
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqorYLYz1jM
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCqt5dYcGL
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlb4fE4Rpc
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5lJErTPL7
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8UO54RAD9I
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23xAbzBO7Q
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgAsGSHwMES
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiwiNoHsEV
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbeHYza2Yvw
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PLtzI9gO9
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvv4jwTTEe3
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7jsHepILS
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4lblXTcbfD
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mEyrZ1nHL
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCpWIzuixl
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZq8cxnn8P
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMRtWEK8Yv
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeD95CyujBG
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5tmUfbdAkN
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAFgndYx0P
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCyaYhaWsB
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jwfvTEy1e
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgXhNXQV09
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKMDqIC4ej
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpKW8j75vD
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaMEwAvOSE
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3ToC92SOo
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBp7vhUMZfX
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4vOMaEd3s
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMKKISVssP
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZjs35DDaX
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ513FAjMs1B
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkgLcLFSMV
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3HuJmj7YY
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVgOBFXLsQ
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOC063P56PH
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkoc4AjQac
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ttWQCPKnW
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDKyE5wTA6
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvoexyAoXC
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6oxxRcMuw3
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkaU2LtnUU
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrGL9s5UTmf
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DVLWGaebH
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceRlc8JuLz
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhGptJg7gM
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNi0wB5y1Bq
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdN4R4u12iE
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFJjZHe962
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJob0Gk5S6
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJpTIz4ysQ
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqPqwjQMSx
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUj72p2qp0v
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FIJ9RFGhj
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqDfwEOMUV
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhX3d8Y4yy
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoO42N0oMDI
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmONQd0bM3
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNtNgQLViC
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYZgnlrw0y
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKUhQDgHHn
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLTHcrkdGT
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWnVZlGhOm
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpFRPK5FxO
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUvtrLQBtZ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WZjzAhtG3
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXF3TBQyxud
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmcbH5gSgU
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirIcPXIgd5
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtS9ABtfxxs
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwplw5YAkcK
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7evuaJqn1
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddTmA6lgd0
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡze47aaKV7c
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGQ5hVsTr4
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtqGnqfbjs
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEA1QvZe0o
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6dRd4UqkX
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSi0CbmKXoc
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvNL7lpd2g
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWEjAXukHM
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OkCuXmvYf
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxa6PeoTSC3
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGh6NGjq5p
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEmuC2ceLN
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFp5sJNPAJ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMd8b0nlwd
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCulFfJXP2
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sYeuTPN4U
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSybD70gSf
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQ577ACpAL
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡieh8XgQxZu
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJ6m1X9fXa
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6itbzipb8f
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3aU8IlyUw
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZkSR56LQ1
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDHS1Nhlg3
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLg88EENZI
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tn1n2j78w
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzWfMP8uy9
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7az0waqHJA
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6rLXt5pMWK
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXZqhvGta3
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5aP9OYAP5g
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9r3N2oSEJA
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH55jYnEajQ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPHnZ5AWWj
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwHjvpgFCU
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulw6vkPfN8
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9yW9A2Jwt
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrRfxhpx67
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9wQ2Iu7zG
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGARDKhIQv
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHyembfYxu
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36ox6FG7jC
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstZz4c6uiJ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVaaWAZEoP
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFPO7ySPhI
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF18rixltI8
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXsmNVDOs0
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pe188WLzP
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6Av3N6X13
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZA7B997B7
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70qIaQfHpT
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsiQkSe8iwV
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4ewZM9mtR
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbYIRSYtsj
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuXgDNdhuJ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1agHQ5e05
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkE9D9MpFLq
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCgqtc5UPI
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1zWimfsVK
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTgXetaFUx
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwshxWmgry
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHK9DprI2r
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTnXh65Skj
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOF1KDEEgpU
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEbkNoeoVV
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9EnBgOn7k
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7lY0IVYI88
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDY565XZTiB
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GFI6WIAxu
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXtFmgBWiu
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPl1acVlPx
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3CQUWCPT2
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ue7Ogfdfw
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Dxer4TsMz
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8n41H2Ot7U
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFo9KzHNh2y
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxUnUJNpfd
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39guoUJlPC
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLoTzQ6qFz
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyt5cLgtS2
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtAnawp0oP
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo17WWeUB8g
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLdGfhXLl7
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiZtAlR7Ee
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakWqMYbXQq
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WnIImsgrH
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTRLcVoXtX
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VMCIDPqvX
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmmhYx2Jus
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGojiRQeQf
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUVafZjKjT
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hr7SKZ7pm
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyitwv1mx3K
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmNBdwKB7R
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ETQvoKRrb
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8RZFWp6TH
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4UP7Q2VMN
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52mUaSZET0
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAanWYmgChD
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFqy4hhgxZ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4CWzgwAm4
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTqanpv5U3
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyGaFYED1W
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZyaMfCa8Eu
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHkta9mXrr
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxLzNJi1JP
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWOhPlLNqu
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcY9bStFHzK
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNu5AXaNsx
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKQSvMUODw
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EHADaJTlc
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRlGtqXYhk
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzg23IGDifE
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5c9P8WT7J
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHRuYkmFL7
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPtgkqoCBB
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkpKzlD1HDb
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHlmoUaHUI
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKCboiHWwq
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3xgdYTfLX
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5c8sGWT4o
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zF0bQmCfj
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERQyRaUwHA
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDy1VTJkmQ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWHYvuz6f3
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PBWm4JAKP
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooEphfMQOR
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaN4nnpyhEW
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn62lNngCaE
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMW0PEyE2e6
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWIlpdq9wD
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡViNmNF32sw
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljM6plT31c
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORWJdJg4HO
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3psg4isYl2
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjk6k0gHEY
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcs9WcxaMLl
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUry3rYD51E
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZntdLkmf4
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMEUP5SaDJ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqYcAFtidS
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh468A7Dv6o
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfJeXhU6Vh
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAapMo25HwW
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVkaYZrZkn
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbU2qF18PG
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvTcKYgkBe
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLcOfF4p7U
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qc1MKhmYA
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkJkHtjopV
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPN43wRuDCS
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyg7y8lVqr
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5mpaKd8ch
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Sny6q9IEW
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOpB7ZYJ0G
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJMgju8TpU
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBiL9jVoolA
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7X3xEJrDu5
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHdTZhVBHD
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO51aeCSoF7
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIz3uYUtFzY
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Jrl0oGTOv
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5RjqSpKBWd
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpE1LtltWj
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6b2OvCtOe8
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWJoJoXGTZ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKf4MCVZref
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuLt1iY2Ah
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhB051uq8hP
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5kI4YZ2p8
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaP81r8CAl
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNhnGz9Hbw
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLHqdFQ3mm
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNFZXbInvy
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4ztoAiyoQ
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2JNvqHKPbw
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4wCenzwW5
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6dsuF2XpB
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7mEexFQXW
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZkpF7J0K5
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TrbzqEE2w
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrVKGD5hyF
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxci83rp0g
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOl77mC0KHP
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJteI6OQLN
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX213ilciie
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmHoq8d6jg
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWxITX37hj
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYMSPcTagY
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfL56ZkzmP
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5dIncOC4g
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklCZ0q7gPp
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvDp31fU30
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVv0lLKqX5
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZeNSwsacY8
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMupoWyK8vd
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBbj2EeYVu
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR9WY06nlZR
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3rRAzR2Sy
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6Cd7Wl3fl
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoRpYwvEGy
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvtyi71kiK
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxm1X2waB6B
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtT5Nemsgpb
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OEPcGW6f1
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nflyTT6yk
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvg5nOAi8mQ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2b3Qk3bpc
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLS8Wueo6oW
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAD7fAJVNiq
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVY8NMkrcLI
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEB6lJQsoJ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGAqmlzyex
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJBzBDmipM
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWeP8KrO8u
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGvttqzVRA
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKUYPn7Y8i
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4LUlFZKP3
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8nYbBq1gl
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnW6WaSZS9Z
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPECBzrcEis
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtP8WBZjEEJ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoa8JwceM4
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1dmVzgtlE
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0hE3zKqwu
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQepZIYR3HY
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSEvIkif9hd
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNQqrkbUEj
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6k2vD33qto
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfa5THFuZt
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oQEfVwkgK
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yJE6mHYQc
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTqWzYR9Ms
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0unA1jgVt
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7aKTUrbFB
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3tZt8s3fN
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYme3cRYI8z
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ801b2rWwhB
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xI7himceU
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyOedmQlke
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3mLXoPnkH
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbGnG6bznb
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDtzzO91jI
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQDuylenpF
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8o66SRhrn
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRixrG6rESn
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxe8SqEqNM
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfrtQAYJQa
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNxcxa5EeL
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpd00ilqFgf
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMEFYlEwDp
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIsNgjYFyc
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHuTXNJBiQD
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5B4p5SpzZH
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh60VtarT2H
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjEq29aMmB
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXctiYif7r
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYmsz0xQtC
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4ouswld9z
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuzSTTPG0u6
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSECf4iGnHT
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yKw4YQWYZ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJ0urMrRfa
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6F3rC4tjP
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQy0FWGzvS
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXghclwQQV
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWO78gYxqk
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8aKegKWeW
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Kr1q8iRW3
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwjvAPk07D
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMQkMlwrdK
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWmNWNDEi2l
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjC69jEIzcY
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfRnfxs4kZ
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbHY5Uo1r6
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxySS8afmUY
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRW7xmz4eFE
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbfYnsp4LeU
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoBmENwlLg
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUcqN5p1vU
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpt2HnqH83F
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdWAy2YRY8
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPOEMZjU7H
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsabu3ZdeZ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjNnY1YsvU
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhAUNP3JA0
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogtdO9wnU0
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSy3tN6wv0
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjrVTdlCC0
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZMzRKZjqf
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwf2jv1tEHZ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlu8mFNTjJ9
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxYA9impau
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNHHISNdM3
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZZXZYG5F1
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehw1m5mUT3
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkW67smpsn
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zAIqyFNWZ
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ibSSdX8Kq
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4BddlPcu8
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJAwrnQC0W
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡto8ZbvuClp
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2dJt8ri4q
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnq8YXmEkHP
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl84DzRGaxq
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wXsl9z57e
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uxgf83TRp
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDu9vbCZIi
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGd1m5eXYCF
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuq6t4VCUn
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3SjX5RyCP
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFbQxnmafM
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOsKWhds6n
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTVANmPtQM
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uHOmqKPU3
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpebvupkNE
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0r9DqLz5ao
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnka2m4fFyp
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFAjX9xIp4
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Y3sav1jtA
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoW9GRCVMA
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CeJhJu5Fy
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMyXAFXySC
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMMw7Z43U3
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpL9ALUaWS
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXH5BOM6y5t
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUD7dW1DvWy
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMgVSqpAdf
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rMg904YPy
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPs0PO4Zje
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhwYfIEYrC
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgKnNa4Hff
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuMoGFoSW3
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgfzFLSBu1
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFv32ZdP0NN
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6ai2ZaP5G
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmsdlvSXSja
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDgWnoAhHM
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Wj3h2PGN5
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4b2soPzUyx
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKmWkbjEwA
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNwx5PJrPA
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKRS0IaWWh
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLTsMdywTe
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVK7Bj70wt
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdggSvb0mnn
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRIjQjeQvY
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYVrT47JtUs
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLktJ0es3Zj
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvZYE1LQXX
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsk1dKMYVHP
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyhabWv0PU
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9HxhGwEnN
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEAy3lWaoi2
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBH9ciE3yA
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtPI7TCKnE
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIVDrOTDqj
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOW7cElhN0
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcEvTI2pmf
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23PACVwTV6
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNk6ecXmqkH
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YBe3pqMI8
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaA5jrPoUiC
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡniFhRAu4lV
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFcglVMUEh
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOH0ZTmFU0Q
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrK2Tj5M7b
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBklpCqLXgQ
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WOSn7rKaA
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyej22T00D
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61s28AOHVQ
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qfADGWDbE
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡff85931Dco
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6iLuI7IHDw
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUB4N98GMt
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJbik9iGJ0
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI01vsl660q
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71R0aQaUgZ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCKqwZcACR
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7A9ikU0FQk
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm0znnA3WU7
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnczi39n1i
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49VJtWJn7T
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LBxx2e5J9
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZehR43ffX
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupIqbufHDc
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQ9CxSIEO1
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSJheMFEbM
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWTjHp1DEC
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QY39kqPwM
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEzwvJYnWoa
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpFyGBVg8r
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7l14iP6H8
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqqlsrHbT8
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ts48vKqeP
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡasMARPUrz2
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHgA6GydZV
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TAE0MpABt
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9SB1DdiCl
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnFneDlRmk
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzGJgoRydk
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEHD9JwtLY
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1Wh7YaptU
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpqEPND4en
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVL4EBF9zdD
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoeFk0QPSt
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrz4KKq211A
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1aqK3UBK2C
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3H8AxpggS
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sY2Mstz2o
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlv0lWyzJBC
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1ypsn6M1N
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvbnvZlSm8
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaxvWRMBgY
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFt5ihlJke
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHLdgdt3ye
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3FU8pNofh
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9G5PgMAnRB
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDetagdhpSO
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdkE7iA2VT
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnY7hzjolT
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6nWLk5VjA
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAL9fFPwqR8
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdN4ImxBzfQ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8QG5Soop8
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXpjDymPXEu
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0PoEK7rip
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktutcBOFEb
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoY0FQjn6yd
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCNnPSZl7A
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnV9FRarUp0
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKl7nK1Qajv
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡieLXRgNqJY
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlyc45Z2Snr
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqRfCZhhBo
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5BYMcs2BFx
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5067LepVgX
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnThvANytu
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBOSOTkfZy4
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZbJ6b7YM6
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiWz9Kx6O2
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKW6ATEibC
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfPAQ23cDu
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtgOOWPSaJ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshR0Nsm3zZ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOCM1Elexh
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGopzHaZjdP
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolz6CY5YlF
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoB4JKnLp1e
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgKcg9no4V
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuC3sY1jYa
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPhlAuUasI
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9I2wqN2lLN
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJDx6m2EGR
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUZ6X2HBbv
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7cxzzuxcK
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyvrhaEFMV
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25vJYBm18a
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm30aYEV6uO
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOEtqlJfn8
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYy7U09XMh
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1f3IB4zEwd
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFCMNEXznv
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYWbk2t9vH
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNqe9FudhK
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vZ9l7kYlS
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThtS5K8yJm
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6EI337Pdy
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mKudFixSG
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpeq27LYYm
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUqfBBqutG
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovz26BkH5G
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSMlu3Dxob
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVmRr7pjVn
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yfY4bsHM6
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa2kyJtXOen
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAnA56p0DA
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzcAg39T7K
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv56sWA1BfP
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SHjuhk8qZ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXq6jygNhQ8
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlI2BxTtC5m
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhHVLwkHv1
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmi8qVk8RYo
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyD1TIEiWu8
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1hFwlQo55
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsG9pDhmXTG
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3USRAObHv
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgjJSXgtqv
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡanNsUs1AUT
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMUooKOK0J
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtCz2JDABk
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qAZcoJgSG
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcVZe3J6rU
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbi4IoAvqi
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdEzQhj8uZ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtNm0vmN07L
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjbratBLWm
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3emhmnNAV
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBz2YLOwMF
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DX5DU3Tpi
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRTCc2Mi0Y
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSryYGt4WF
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEr8AXoNtoV
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05obiTkKS1
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjeioJoUn8
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLeXdR0sGYq
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4xKGMUIMG
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhnWZ43ZAK
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Gap4t6bh9
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWrktqSaVt
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1bCN3yUJB
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4JZaFUlE83
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtAOx8x3NP
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vSrzMIxWt
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIK0DdVXnHe
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFfeRnmia0
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaI2zSZz9sQ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYuPpucMdfH
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbNoCXQTwq
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtlTrlVOGk
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfd30KhLkT
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzF3vwnlzgD
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjzAnL1q71k
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcCXp6993T
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5m1aRZWuO
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgGusGWEGu
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsM4TpgDZhO
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrzzV3LIoC
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXQOd5HcJz
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9NqniY7CS
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLn4zSppYp
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMoeKBYZwJ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2KHoHpsuh
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zGWelZJxG
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOeAu30hM0
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXA7713pfv
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2YGPqwiqy
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHaeEUZzmM2
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq40cfR9lR0
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBWDmNZAou
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGRzgAgg9i
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbI7oWe7nld
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnF3ciIHzG
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yNQvusLx1
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjTBYgWzZFB
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLnQklUA3w
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3GJSKIJNmz
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYhRWzu3Dk
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3OJkNar9j
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCNqjZKcSc
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KujPIISXY
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡakbhoXR545
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0sUnNIr8x
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqOUKemJr0
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpZCbOU3TT
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GxIzdp47e
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCdy8Yyui6
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTSudcKnOq
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9xqSKWrzz
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV91wE8rA17
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAFK6nVOkt
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvjxwxyNnG
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8qdCdJ2Ee
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFHYp32pRi
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpPaHisd1G
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUec9SVMaO
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAlFCCJDgr
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrprlR9cLoV
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjVkoixHij
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NdidYuPla
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8h2qDf9K2
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1BXpgEk3D
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUNVAlUVGX
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCfyn3VIQZ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFBCRTQfbA
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ERaujplNe
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtFapjWwzQ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnG8BwunM8
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432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaNM98Xho3
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGtNW8126z
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftBbWwbciO
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8PX0TJbjs
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCUSxnkBx4
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzachF10aa
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdFkMactLS
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iYfosUm2T
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHeEtsS2G7
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVz9W6bshQn
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmkartmSjt
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqplkhbn4bf
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0XmcDXq5jb
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxf3MawSkO
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVBXyXzE99
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbPCtlx25B
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKykDJfSwNL
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekJmiyppvK
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkY0rvMGxZV
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuT38hOvMv
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JfPs62nFg
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡseTbOVw5pT
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkpc4QBCICY
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKyVQ0f2vg
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnsz7k2gsyE
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1lptCDPZl
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSo4V7sLfa
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4FhXNNtUR
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsKrtYisfs
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrEHKR7muLP
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82WCWdhBYz
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrBP9Te8ly
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvdXn1l2pv
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWy2mV8L45
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zHdFbXaYI
Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFcVM4SlEZ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXzsgnpEmcQ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPG6jfaB2gw
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSAaCBVVrU
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxJleGNuH5
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurbzlr8MFJ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjmCiPs8o1
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJHCZkBQq6
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwNTOwSeNb
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡms5hfztrjU
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxirlUiAeN2
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PR0Srhyj9
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRDHppGKdB
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5T7gCltAqN
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9HvWNOan2
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrcgTtTwOQ
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCAJD2ycN7S
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjvlhzuGT6
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xWQiSfhed
“Charlie, how are you doing?”
It had been five years, but I recognized the voice. “Johnno! what’s happening?” How are Mary and kids?”
“We’re all doing fine Charlie. I have a problem you might be able to help me with.”
“At your service Johnno. I owe you a few from old times.”
“A question first Charlie. Are you up to speed on technology these days? You know, the internet, computers, all of that?”
“Read and send email, and Google search, that’s about it Johnno.”
“Ah, pity, this requires somebody who knows their way around technology Charlie.”
“You didn’t let me finish boyo. Got someone working for me who is a rock star at that side of the business.”
I saw no reason to mention my IT wizard, Walter, is a student, 18 years old and lives at home with his Mom and Dad.
“The work he has done to date has been impressive. I have a lot of confidence in him. IT is a part of the game now. I had to do something to keep up. So we have all bases covered. What’s the problem?”
“These days I run a small innovation, design and manufacturing company aimed at various industries. In the past six months one of our competitors beat us to the punch twice with products almost identical to ours. It’s as if they knew our production secrets. We missed out on a lot of money both times Charlie.”
“It might not be as IT intensive as you think Johnno. It sounds like good old-fashioned industrial espionage. Give me a time to come and see you. Make it look like a business appointment. Only the two of us in the room. In the meantime prepare a list of employees with access to vital information, who make a habit of working after hours. Early starts or staying late. And one question Johnno, do you have security cameras in your dumpster rubbish removal area?”
“No.”
“Get onto that quick smart. Cameras and movement activated flood lights. We’ll discuss it when I come in.”
“Ok, Monday 10 am is good for me.”
“I’ll be there.”
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktLxwI3xKm
I could not do much until the meeting with Johnno. A stakeout of the rubbish removal area might be worth the effort. Many business owners give no thought to the information on all aspects of their business, found in their rubbish. I left my car across the street from the front of the building at midnight. 2am to 4am is the preferred time for the people who make a living collecting, sorting, and selling business rubbish. A vantage point behind a hedge gave me a 360-degree view of the entire area. Right on 2am a vehicle with no headlights rolled to a stop opposite the dumpster area. Two figures with torches exited the car and made a bee line for the rubbish area. Five black plastic rubbish bags leaning against the dumpster disappeared into the vehicle, replaced with similar bags. They had come prepared. Switching to a torch with a stronger beam, one bozo climbed into the dumpster. The other did sentry duty. Over a period of an hour they filled three empty rubbish bags from the dumpster
That was it for the night. I raced back to my car and drove up in time to see them turning the corner. With my headlights on low beam, I tracked them for ten kilometres until they turned into the driveway of a house. I gave it ten minutes before walking up to the house. They had clumped the rubbish bags together on the Veranda. The house was in darkness. It took two trips to get the bags to my car. I left a note stuck to the front door: ‘We have reclaimed our property. Any further interference with our rubbish will result in rigorous prosecution.’ It is notoriously difficult to get a conviction on pilfering rubbish. The knowledge we knew where they lived would be enough to deter them until Johnno installed cameras and lights.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRA8AY6Aaj
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7itTk6z8yo
Johnno looked good. He had put on some weight, but then haven’t we all? We reminisced about old times for a few minutes. My small adventure with the rubbish was a wake-up call.
“It never crossed my mind people would go to that extent to get business information.”
“It’s a common practice. A full-time occupation for some.”
Johnno watched as I ran the bug detector over his office. Nothing. While checking the only window, the apartment building next door sparked my curiosity. One window, level with Johnno’s first floor office, had no curtains. The interior behind the window appeared to be unfurnished. I made a mental note to have a nose around over there.
Johnno’s list had three candidates. Two managers and his personal assistant, Judith Preston. I asked his permission to set up a small temporary video camera to take in most of his office. Walter had found it online. 23 mm square, video, night vision, and movement activated. The two managers and Judith Preston had open access to Johnno’s office day and night.
Johnno recoiled at spying on his trusted leaders. Fortunately for me the rubbish incident had loosened him up enough to accept we had to account for all possibilities. I fixed the camera on top of the door frame with bluetac.
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPgEzjrYi6
432Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvK7YP9shB
10 am Tuesday I was outside the apartment block. With most tenants at work it is the best time to snoop around. The one first floor apartment without a tenant name tag had to be my destination. I climbed the stairs, picked the lock, and slipped inside. Other than the carpet on the floor, the place was empty. I opened the door into the room with the window adjacent to Johnno’s office. As I had suspected, a laser bug, also known as a laser microphone, sat on the carpet below the window. A sophisticated device that picks up conversation from sound wave vibrations on a window. Most spy gadget shops sell them.
The faint click of the front door closing caused me to turn. Two men had entered the apartment. One short, thin, with glasses. The other a Colossus who must have been at least two metres tall. The big knucklehead came at me and swung a roundhouse punch. I was slow in deflecting it and it caught me on the side of the head. I staggered back, shaking my head to clear the double vision. Trading blows with this giant guaranteed disaster. If one more of those connected, I would be out cold on the floor. I raised my fists and shaped up to the lunkhead in a boxing stance. is smile He smiled and prepared He smiled and prepared to swing again. Dropping my hands I stepped forward and kicked him between the legs, followed by a hard chop across the throat with the edge of my left hand.
My attention turned to the small guy. His hand had gone into his coat at chest level. Going for a gun? I had to take that as a yes. I smacked him in the face with a straight left and grabbed his lapels to hold him up as his knees sagged. I don’t advocate violence. But I am big on self-preservation. My hand in his coat found a gun in a shoulder holster. Taking the shooter with me, I got out of there. Knowing I had the gun would make them think twice about following me.
Johnno was aghast at my report of the incident. “They have been listening to every word we speak in my office with that thing?”
“Pretty much, yeah. You need a laser bug defeater gadget. An inexpensive gizmo with suction cup for mounting on the window. Most spy gadget retailers sell them.”
I asked Johnno to take the camera down on Friday morning and leave it in an envelope with reception. Walter and I would look over the contents after download to Walters computer.
At Walters House, the reception was always chilly. His Mom had been dead set against him working for me. Dangerous and unsavoury work was the reason. She was right. I did not want Walter exposed to the repugnant people and places I inevitably come across in my work, either. Walter and his Dad wangled her reluctant agreement with the assurance I would confine the work to his computer at home.
Friday afternoon I watched over Walters shoulder as he downloaded video from the camera. The two managers made brief appearances in Johnno’s office amounting to only a few minutes. Judith Preston had come in at 6am on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On all three days the footage revealed her taking files from a cabinet, photocopying them, then replacing the originals in the cabinet. It looked like hanky panky. Walter pulled up the ladies home address for me, and I asked him to do a previous employment check on her, over the next day or two. He tells me the big social media sites are ideal for unearthing details on people and their lives.
“It won’t take me long Uncle Charles.”
“Ok, give me a buzz on Saturday night.”
Watching the comings and goings of Miss Preston was my intention for Saturday. Equipped with my Canon EOS 1300D Digital camera, a thermos of coffee, and five energy bars, I was in place at 9am. 11am the lady left her apartment carrying a briefcase, hopped in her car, drove to the CBD, parked, and walked to a Starbucks coffee outlet. Within fifteen minutes a middle-aged man wearing casual clothes joined her at the table.
My telescopic lens recorded clear shots of Miss Preston passing a thick folder of papers from her briefcase, to her companion. He in turn handed her an envelope. She checked the contents before placing it in her briefcase. Considering everything arrayed against him, I marvelled Johnno was still in business. Later I followed her confidant to his car and recorded his number plate on film. I placed a quick call to Walter asking him to get all he could on the number plate, and to include it in his report Saturday night.
The plate belonged to a Company car at Parkway Holdings Ltd. Walters employment details regarding Judith Preston held no surprises.
“She has worked as a personal assistant at four different firms in the past three years Uncle Charles. Leaving each time after six months. What does that tell you Uncle Charles?”
“Well Walter, it points to her being what you might call a professional industrial spy. She works for six months at a Company, receiving a salary, all the while stealing Company secrets and passing them to the highest bidder.”
“Wow.”
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Dismayed and crestfallen best describe Johnno’s response when I presented the evidence. He confirmed Parkway Holdings was the competitor he mentioned earlier.oldings was the competitor Blatant betrayal is a tough pill to swallow. Seeking his lawyers advice on how to precede was the next task. On the positive side, he was still in business, and delivered from the naïve belief people will always do the right thing.
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