Using the Company Car for Family Holidays

It is not only the average employee who likes to use a company car for private trips; high-profile examples also show that some people are not very strict about the intended business use of company vehicles. While the scandalous 5,000-kilometre trip through Spain by SPD politician and former Federal Health Minister Ulla Schmidt in 2009 is exceptional, employees’ weekend trips in company vehicles are usually less extreme. Nevertheless, they are contractually prohibited and similarly inappropriate. In Ulla Schmidt’s case, the public outrage was particularly great because she had her company car driven 5,000 km across Europe by a chauffeur, incurring hourly and expense rates, and the car was far from fuel-efficient, causing around €1,000 in fuel costs and a significantly above-average CO₂ output.

However, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Much more common—and economically more serious—is the frequent abusive private use of company vehicles. Our corporate investigators in Hanover handle the clarification of such contract breaches. Through surveillance of the relevant employees and/or investigation of travelled routes and trips, we determine whether the employee has violated the vehicle usage agreement. A clear contractual foundation is crucial: does the employment contract or the vehicle usage agreement specify whether private trips are permitted and taxed accordingly, or is the company car strictly for business trips? Although company cars are often permitted for private use, the scope of such trips is usually specified in contracts to prevent employees from exceeding limits. Detective agencies such as Kurtz Investigations Hanover can be engaged to observe suspicious employees and legally document any misuse of the company car: +49 511 2028 0016.

Private Use Rules and Contractual Clarity

If private use is contractually allowed, the company car represents a taxable benefit, which the employee must declare as part of their gross salary. The taxable benefit is determined either using a logbook recording all business and private kilometres or via the “1% rule,” which requires the employee to pay tax on 1% of the car’s list price per month, including VAT and social security contributions. This covers private trips and commuting between home and work. The Federal Fiscal Court clarified in its 6 October 2011 ruling (VI R 56/10) that no taxable benefit arises if the company car is provided only for commuting.

Our Hanover detectives are also repeatedly called when contracts are ambiguous, making it easy for employees to exploit apparent grey areas. Even if the allowed private use is clearly exceeded, surveillance of the employee and/or vehicle is recommended. For example, if commuting is permitted but other private trips are prohibited, our corporate investigators will check any suspected misuse.

If a contract explicitly excludes private use, no non-business trips are allowed—neither commuting nor short stops such as at a bakery or pharmacy. In such cases, the company car is for business use only. Any misuse constitutes a breach of employment and/or usage contracts and may lead to employment law consequences. A 2014 case illustrated that, in some instances, a formal warning may be required before a dismissal for misuse is valid: an employee with a disability used the company car to transport materials home because public transport was not feasible, and the private use was not explicitly forbidden in the contract. The court ruled the dismissal invalid (LAG Rhineland-Palatinate, 03.11.2014, Az. 2 Sa 152/14).

Falsified Logbooks as a Concealment Tool

When employers provide company cars strictly for business use, any private trips—whether to relatives, shopping, or elsewhere—are contract violations. Employers may suspect misuse but lack proof if mileage logs match reported business trips. In such cases, our private detectives in Hanover can observe the employee to determine whether the car is being used for private purposes: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-hannover.de.

Investigating suspected misuse is about more than fuel costs; it is about the employer–employee trust relationship. Even short private trips that cause minor financial loss affect the principle: ignoring breaches encourages further violations. Our Hanover corporate investigators recommend drafting employment and vehicle usage contracts precisely, leaving no loopholes, and acting quickly when misuse is suspected to prevent further losses.

Company vehicle spotted at the North Sea beach? Our Hanover detective agency investigates for your business.

If you suspect an employee is using the company car for private trips despite strict contractual clauses, and it has been seen outside working hours at cinemas, restaurants, or even distant holiday destinations, contact our IHK-certified detectives in Hanover. Our investigators provide indisputable evidence through surveillance of the employee in their free time, showing whether the company car is misused. All evidence—witness statements, written surveillance reports, photo and video documentation—is legally admissible. For a confidential consultation, call: +49 511 2028 0016.

Author: Maya Grünschloß, PhD

Kurtz Investigations Hanover

Kampsriede 6A

D-30659 Hannover

Tel.: +49 511 2028 0016

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

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

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

Time spent away from Home and a suspicious Training Partner

For several months, Mrs Haste, the client of our detective agency in Göttingen, suspected that her husband was being unfaithful; specifically, she suspected one of her husband’s training partners as a rival. Not only did Mr Haste spend suspiciously long hours at the gym, which his wife could not believe he dedicated solely to training (when he left the shared house with his sports bag, he usually returned only after three to four hours – daily). He also spoke enthusiastically about his training partner and, during the little time the couple still spent together, frequently used his phone to exchange WhatsApp messages with her. Mrs Haste also felt their relationship was deteriorating further, as the spouses were merely living alongside each other and her husband showed hardly any interest in her.

For these reasons, she commissioned our private detectives in Göttingen (+49 511 2028 0016) to check the alleged dedicated sportsman to determine whether he truly devoted his daily hours-long outings exclusively to training.

Muscles like Schwarzenegger?

Initial doubts about the target’s training diligence arose for our investigators immediately at the start of surveillance. As the house was located at a cul-de-sac, the two-person detective team positioned themselves outside the street to cover both directions without being noticed by local residents. From the observation position of one detective in Göttingen, parts of the property could be seen, on which Mr Haste was carrying various items back and forth. It was noticeable that, although slim and athletic for a man in his mid-40s, he did not have the physique of someone who lifts weights for 21 hours or more per week in the gym. For comparison: Arnold Schwarzenegger, who won Mr. Olympia seven times in eight attempts (second place on his first participation), trained three to five hours per day, six times per week, during his peak periods. Of course, a lot of training time alone does not guarantee massive muscles, but clearly visible results should appear. In Mr Haste’s case, these were minimal, so our private detective agency in Göttingen could assume from this point onwards that he was engaging in activities other than pure training during the surveillance.

Unsurprisingly, the target did not go directly to the gym after leaving home, but to a multi-family house in Bovenden, where he stayed for one and a half hours without the private investigators being able to determine what he was doing. Afterwards, Mr Haste did go to his gym and spent nearly three hours there, though only a small portion of that was training. Our detectives in Göttingen were able, at times, to observe his activities; most of it consisted of conversations with other visitors and trainers, including the suspected affair, but there were no signs of a physical relationship. The gym seemed to serve as a social meeting point rather than a sports facility for the target. After leaving the building, the suspect went to a snack bar and ate a doner before returning home around 10 pm. In total, he had been out for more than six hours; as Mrs Haste stated that she started work at 7 am, the investigators could imagine how little time the couple spent together and why the client felt neglected.

Göttingen Detectives at Dinner – Part 2

The next day, the target of our corporate detectives in Göttingen spent exactly four hours outside, almost two of them at the gym, and another hour at a travel agency, which Mr Haste apparently left with travel documents in hand. When asked, our client stated that she knew nothing of such a trip and did not have enough remaining vacation days that year to travel.

It got interesting the following day. A peculiarity of the previous observations was absent and thus confirmed itself: Mr Haste had left the house immediately before his wife would return from work on both previous days. This day, however, Mrs Haste went directly to a yoga class after work and would therefore return home only in the early evening – accordingly, her husband’s departure was delayed until fifteen minutes before the client’s return. On this day, our supposed model athlete did not go to the gym, but he still met the suspected partner – for dinner: our detective team in Göttingen observed him picking her up at her home and driving together with her to a restaurant in the city centre. At this point, we naturally thought we could catch him soon; however, it appeared to be a purely platonic friendship – whether Mr Haste had ulterior motives is another matter. The two appeared familiar, sat close together, but aside from a friendly farewell hug, there was no physical contact all evening.

Göttingen Detectives at Dinner – Part 2

Day 4 saw our corporate detectives in Göttingen again not going to the gym, but to an Italian restaurant in Grone, where Mr Haste sat at a table with an unknown woman. After a picture comparison, the client stated that the woman was an employee she knew from the car dealership where Mr Haste had bought his car. No private connection had been known to her so far – this strongly suggested infidelity. During the meal, both consumed a bottle of wine and a long drink or cocktail each; however, there was no intimacy. Only when both left the restaurant did they get physically close, walking closely together to an unknown vehicle, apparently belonging to the woman. At the driver’s door, they stopped in the street, forcing passing cars to drive around them, and hugged and kissed while laughing for several minutes before driving together to a nearby residence and entering it.

When Mr Haste checked his trousers half an hour later upon leaving the house before leisurely walking to his vehicle, our detective agency in Göttingen, after consultation with the client, needed no further evidence.

Investigation Results Likely Just the Tip of the Iceberg

Addendum according to discussion between client and target: At the travel agency Mr Haste visited on the second surveillance day, the adulterer had indeed booked a trip for two, but his companion was neither his wife nor the known mistress, but another affair he occasionally had. He wanted to convince his wife that during the trip he would participate in a bodybuilding competition with “colleagues from the gym”.

To preserve discretion and the personal rights of clients and targets, all names and locations in this case report have been completely anonymised.

Kurtz Investigations Hanover

Kampsriede 6A

D-30659 Hannover

Tel.: +49 511 2028 0016

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

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

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

Detectives from Hanover Investigate Rape and Sexual Harassment

With the amendment to the sexual offence law unanimously passed in the Bundestag on 7 July 2016—establishing that sexual acts are legally classified as rape if they occur despite the communicated refusal—a long-fought battle for women’s sexual self-determination has achieved a victory. For years, victim protection and women’s organisations have called for stricter rape laws, which now also explicitly cover groping, sexual harassment, and violations of sexual self-determination. Previously, an act was only considered rape and could only be prosecuted as such if threats or violence were involved, or if the victim actively resisted. Under the new law, a simple “no” from the victim is sufficient. If this “no” is ignored and the act continues against the person’s will, it is legally classified as rape, and the perpetrator can be convicted. Our private detectives in Hanover, who occasionally investigate cases of sexual assault, welcome this long-overdue tightening of sexual offence legislation.

Critics, however, have accused the grand coalition of making prosecutions more difficult due to evidentiary challenges, claiming the reform goes too far. Both SPD politician Eva Högl and CDU legal expert Elisabeth Winkelmeier-Becker refute this, stating: “Anyone who can express a will is protected in the future by this principle.” Under the previous limitation of rape cases to threats and the use of force by the perpetrator, combined with the requirement for active resistance from the victim, only 8 percent of those accused of rape were convicted. The remaining majority—excluding the innocently accused—could continue as before, potentially harming new victims. For the investigators at Kurtz Investigations Hanover (+49 511 2028 0016), the old law posed significant hurdles to successfully concluding rape cases—hurdles that are hopefully removed with the reform.

Germany and the Fight for Sexual Self-Determination

Germany, a country where marital rape was not legally punishable until May 1997 and which was thus criminally late in recognising women’s sexual self-determination (in 1972 other parties blocked an SPD-led amendment to the sexual offence law), now moves towards a fairer and safer nation through the reform of rape statutes. However, the expansion of the law is also expected to lead to a potentially unpredictable increase in reports per city and federal state. Given that under the previously lax law only 8 percent of cases led to convictions, police and justice authorities may struggle to investigate all cases promptly and thoroughly. This is where our Hanover detective agency comes into play, handling each personally submitted case with dedicated attention and thorough time investment.

Unlike the police, our detectives are authorised to investigate as soon as sufficient suspicion exists; a formal criminal complaint is not required. Desperate victims of sexual assault sometimes approach our private detectives in Hanover to have the suspect observed, potentially uncovering evidence. The professional documentation by our investigators is legally admissible and can be submitted in court. Detectives working on criminal cases thus support police work in a meaningful way, since authorities—dealing with hundreds of reports weekly in large cities—rarely have the capacity to gather all evidence themselves. If a victim feels that official investigations are progressing too slowly, our detectives in Lower Saxony and beyond are available for confidential consultations and strive to assist their clients in resolving cases as quickly as possible: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-hannover.de.

Breaking the Silence – Don’t Rely Solely on Family and Friends

The UN’s 2015 World’s Women Report reveals shocking figures regarding physical and sexual violence against women: One in three women experiences physical or sexual violence at least once in her lifetime; two-thirds of family- or intimate partner-related homicide victims are women. One of the greatest challenges in combating violence and rape is, besides the often deeply rooted cultural belief that women are subordinate and of lesser value, the silence of victims: fewer than 40 percent seek any form of help, and of these, only one in ten contacts the police. Our Hanover detective team repeatedly encounters clients who approach us only under extreme distress or fear of further attacks, whether due to concern about retaliation in case of a report or investigation, or from shame and the common feeling of personal culpability for having supposedly provoked the assault.

In many cases, perpetrators are close to the victim—ex-partners, unhappy lovers, family members, friends, colleagues—which further reduces the willingness to report. Fear of social or professional stigma if the accused is a respected or well-positioned colleague or ex-partner often prevents women from seeking help from friends, family, authorities, or victim support organisations. Our detectives in Hanover continually urge victims of sexualised violence to seek help—not only to resolve their own cases and achieve justice, but also to protect future potential victims for whom they bear a responsibility, often unrecognised.

We Guarantee Complete Confidentiality of Your Data

Thanks to the highly confidential handling of every case submitted to our private and corporate detective agency in Hanover, victims can be assured that their data remains secure. Our detectives assist not only in gathering evidence but also in identifying perpetrators, contributing to justice for both offenders and victims, while helping to reduce the incidence of rape and sexual assault. Contact our detectives for a personal consultation: +49 511 2028 0016.

Author: Maya Grünschloß, PhD

Kurtz Investigations Hanover

Kampsriede 6A

D-30659 Hannover

Tel.: +49 511 2028 0016

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

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

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

“Bromance” between Holmes and Watson

The lean years of literary beginnings, described by Kurtz Investigations Hanover in the previous part of our series "The Private Detective in Literature," seemed finally over for Arthur Conan Doyle. In July 1891, after two novels, the first short story about Sherlock Holmes, A Scandal in Bohemia, appeared in the Strand Magazine, bringing Doyle the long-awaited success: the English master detective became an instant sensation! The Strand Magazine wanted more and was certainly willing to pay a few extra pounds for the continuation of stories. In the following months, Doyle poured his heart into writing, producing 11 more short stories after A Scandal in Bohemia, with Holmes and Watson as central characters maintaining perhaps the first male friendship (today one might say "bromance") in literary history. Doyle’s stories were published monthly in each new issue of the Strand Magazine.

Apart from the chronology of the plot, he varied little in these first short stories – and why should he? Conan Doyle demonstrated full control over his protagonists: the interplay between the loyal, intelligent, and thus seemingly naive Watson and the eccentric, brilliant Holmes worked perfectly! The Scottish author clearly enjoyed having the two interact, and the actual case often became almost secondary. For many readers, Holmes in these early stories remained the true, unaltered Sherlock Holmes, who would later lose some of his quirks (consider his straightforward cocaine use in the early stories).

Collection of the Strand Magazine stories

The two novels A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of the Four had already been published in book form, and the same now applied in late summer 1892 to the short stories, which had grown to twelve. The volume The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes contained all twelve stories in the original order. This shortened the readers’ wait for the next new story – and for Conan Doyle, the next cheque. Unlike his debut, he would no longer allow all rights to be bought for a mere 25 pounds. In October 1892, the collection was published simultaneously in the UK and the USA, where the famous fictional predecessor of our detectives from Hanover had long maintained a loyal fan base.

Doyle grows weary of his detective and kills him off

By December 1892, readers finally received news from Doyle’s pen: with Silver Blaze, a new story featuring the master detective Sherlock Holmes appeared, as usual in the Strand Magazine, whose subscription numbers had now reached an all-time high. The new short stories were well received: Doyle’s already considerable literary skill was now complemented by routine; he knew his heroes Holmes and Watson thoroughly and handled them skillfully.

However, the work was likely becoming monotonous for Doyle: attempts at variation, such as a retrospective into Holmes’ earlier years without Watson in The Gloria Scott ("Holmes Begins"), or introducing new characters like Sherlock’s brother Mycroft in The Greek Interpreter, did not provide the needed excitement. Routine increasingly set in: monthly releases and assembly-line work left little time for research; some stories and “solutions” seemed implausible or marginal to the narrative. Doyle grew increasingly weary of his fictional detective – and decided on a radical step: in December 1893, the twelfth short story of the second series, The Final Problem, appeared, leaving readers shocked at Christmas – for at the end, Sherlock Holmes is dead!

Mourning in London – Holmes’ death sparks (inter)national concern

The timelines of previous stories sometimes spanned several years and frequently jumped back and forth, but The Final Problem takes place chronologically at the end – in April/May 1891. In the climax, Holmes falls to his death during a furious struggle at the Reichenbach Falls, alongside his arch-enemy Professor Moriarty, who appears unexpectedly in this story – how could he have survived? Outrage spread on both sides of the Atlantic; imagine today if the latest Bond film ended with James Bond falling into a lava-filled volcanic crater with Blofeld! Doyle’s global readership was appalled, even expressing their disappointment with mourning bands. The Strand Magazine lost 20,000 subscribers at once. Those who suspected a brilliant marketing move were quickly proven wrong: years passed, a new century began, Queen Victoria died – and still no sign of Sherlock Holmes!

Doyle seemed to have lost all interest in the character that had made him rich and famous. He turned his attention to his family and other literary genres: historical novels and adventure stories inspired by his time at sea. He also wrote a pro-British book about the Boer War (1899–1902) in South Africa, which he later cited as a reason for his knighthood in 1902.

After 2 novels and 24 short stories: Is the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes finished?

For the many fans of Sherlock Holmes, the turn of the century was a dark period. However, in The Final Problem, it is never mentioned that Holmes’ body is found – and it would not have been the first time that Sherlock Holmes outwitted his adversaries! After all, the self-proclaimed “Consulting Detective” would not have become the unparalleled genius and role model for generations of detectives like the investigators of Kurtz Investigations Hanover if he did not still have an ace up his sleeve – more on this in Part 5 of our series "The Private Detective in Literature."

Author: Gerrit Koehler

Kurtz Investigations Hanover

Kampsriede 6A

D-30659 Hannover

Tel.: +49 511 2028 0016

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

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

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

The Detective Through the Ages – Part 3

As we have seen in the first two parts of our series "The Private Detective Through the Ages," covering Vidocq and the Bow Street Runners, there is a clear reason why most private detective agencies today, including the Kurtz Detective Agency Hanover, are still based in major cities. On one hand, this is due to the protective anonymity of urban life, but primarily it is because the demand was simply higher in cities: the rise in crime towards the end of the 18th century did not immediately lead to the establishment of organised state police forces, neither here nor, for that matter, across the Atlantic.

A new profession emerges: the detective

People began seeking protection and information from privately organised helpers. These were, on the one hand, the forerunners of the police, and on the other hand—since there were no uniforms yet—the precursors of private investigators, the “ancestors” of our detectives in Hanover. Following the beginnings with Fielding’s Bow Street Runners in London and Vidocq in Paris, the profession began to professionalise in parallel with policing by the mid-19th century. Two recurring aspects, however, persisted: first, private detectives often had a background either as former police officers or as criminals (Vidocq being an example of both). In both cases, familiarity with the milieu, informants, and operational methods was essential—a requirement that remains indispensable to this day at the Kurtz Detective Agency Hanover, especially when conducting investigations in plain clothes and privately.

Dickens writes about detective Charles Field

While knowledge of the milieu remained important even into 2015, the profession fortunately shed its long-standing poor reputation. Today, a clean record and good character are prerequisites for conducting investigations professionally and effectively—not just for our Hanover detectives, but for colleagues worldwide. In its early days, however, it was possible to succeed with both a criminal and police background, as Vidocq’s example demonstrates. Those who followed in his footsteps and were influenced by him and contemporary literary models were no exception: Charles Frederick Field, for instance, was reportedly active with the Bow Street Runners and became a long-serving Inspector at the then-young Scotland Yard before founding a private detective agency in 1852.

The Londoner—our second point of interest—also maintained close ties with the literary world. None other than Charles Dickens accompanied Field and other police officers on their rounds for extended periods. A long friendship developed between him and Field. Besides his essay “On Duty with Inspector Field,” Dickens wrote numerous articles about the detective, often under altered names. He frequently drew on real police-life motives, and Field is commonly regarded as the inspiration for the character Inspector Bucket in Bleak House (1852). That same year, 47-year-old Field retired from public service but did not intend to stop working—he established a private detective agency and practised as a private investigator for ten years. Today, he is remembered as a master of disguise and undercover work, skills that remain essential for our Hanover detectives.

Private detective “Paddington” establishes international connections | The internationalisation of the detective profession

During his time as a private investigator, one of Field’s employees went on to achieve fame in his own right: Hungarian-born Ignatius Paul “Paddington” Pollaky, who arrived in England in 1850 and soon began working for Field’s newly founded agency. After several years, he became independent and opened his own detective agency in 1862, competing with Field. Pollaky—nicknamed “Paddington” due to the location of his office—represents an important milestone in detective history, as he was the first (at least officially) to pursue international collaboration at high political levels: during the U.S. Civil War, diplomat and businessman Henry Shelton Sanford commissioned Pollaky to investigate suspected Confederate agents in London.

Pollaky’s advertisements soon explicitly addressed an international clientele with phrases such as “Discreet investigations in England or abroad.” Close collaboration with the London police also led to the registration of all foreign immigrants by Pollaky and the establishment of a regulated immigration policy—a milieu he knew well, having immigrated to England himself in his youth. Ironically, in 1862, his application for British citizenship was denied; it was only granted in 1914.

Foundation for modern private detectives

It is unknown how close Field and Pollaky were or whether they saw each other as friendly competitors or fierce rivals—but it is clear that, in chaotic times with a nascent and unprofessional police force, they helped transform private investigation from a semi-shady occupation with criminal backgrounds into a respected and essential profession. Discreet and professional investigations, assistance in private and business matters, domestically and internationally: this was the agenda these two London gentlemen established. Even today, far from the clichés of detectives in film and literature, this remains the true vocation of a private investigator—a principle our Hanover investigators at Kurtz Detective Agency wholeheartedly uphold.

Author: Gerrit Koehler

Kurtz Investigations Hanover

Kampsriede 6A

D-30659 Hannover

Tel.: +49 511 2028 0016

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

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

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

Years of Embezzlement and Disappearance

From 2002 to 2007, Mr. Dendemann and Mr. Thiem were equal partners in a Hanover-based GmbH. Their collaboration had always worked well, the company prospered, and personally they got along. One day—shortly after closing a major real estate deal—Mr. Thiem discovered that a six-figure sum had been transferred from the company account to an account in Guernsey (Channel Islands), leaving the GmbH completely illiquid. When Mr. Thiem tried to call Mr. Dendemann to report the incident, he received a message that the number was not assigned. Further checks revealed that Mr. Dendemann had recently sold his home and aging van and cancelled all ongoing service contracts. He had absconded, creating a case for the detectives at Kurtz Detective Agency Hanover.

Insolvency and Personal Downfall

Due to outstanding obligations that could no longer be met, Mr. Thiem filed for the GmbH’s insolvency. He suffered financial ruin, and his social and family life deteriorated. He drank excessively, often spent nights away from home, and eventually his wife left with their child. He finally hit rock bottom and entered rehabilitation.

Once sober, Mr. Thiem set his sights on holding Mr. Dendemann accountable for the fraud and losses. Over the following years, he pursued every avenue to track down his former partner. By late 2012, he had traced him to southern Spain, and by spring 2015, the fugitive was nearly within reach. The final step would be carried out by the detectives of Kurtz Detective Agency Hanover.

Creating a Legend – Strategy by Our Hanover Detectives

Using an elaborate cover story, Mr. Thiem approached his former business partner with classic detective precision. This was possible because Mr. Dendemann had largely exhausted the embezzled funds and now relied on fresh income to maintain his lifestyle. He was therefore willing to attend a meeting regarding an “investment project” in central Hanover.

Working closely with Mr. Thiem, our Hanover detectives refined the cover story into a coherent but fictitious investment concept. The client and investigators ensured the presentation materials would impress at first glance and be difficult to verify online. If the target had discovered the fiction via a simple Google search, he might have evaded authorities, rendering all prior investigative efforts pointless.

Observation by Our Detectives: Departure or Flight?

With the plan in place, one of our Hanover detectives went to the meeting point and waited for the target, while two additional investigators positioned themselves to monitor the two possible exit routes. Mr. Dendemann arrived in a rental car, as a rapid licence plate check confirmed, and entered the venue. After the approximately two-hour, meticulously prepared meeting between the private detective and the target, our team continued with vehicle surveillance of the departing subject. The drive initially led our Hanover detectives toward Hannover-Langenhagen Airport, raising the previously anticipated concern that the target might attempt to flee by air. Given the many potential flight destinations, further tracking would have been challenging. While it would have been possible to acquire a plane ticket to monitor which aircraft the target boarded, the trail would likely have been lost upon arrival, as personal surveillance could no longer be maintained.

Luxury Life Under an Alias | Investigation Success

Our Hanover private detectives were considerably relieved when Mr. Dendemann turned onto the A2 Autobahn heading southwest toward the Ruhr area. The drive continued uninterrupted to Trier, where the subject returned the rental car and switched to a luxury vehicle with a Bremen license plate. The journey concluded half an hour later at a grand property in Luxembourg, where the target drove the car into the garage and entered the house. The mailbox and doorbell displayed one of the subject’s known aliases. Subsequent registration checks confirmed the vehicle in the garage was registered to Mr. Dendemann’s sister. Thanks to the observation by Kurtz Detective Agency Hanover, the fugitive’s location was determined, enabling Mr. Thiem, in consultation with his lawyers, to pursue the appropriate criminal and civil actions against Mr. Dendemann.

To maintain discretion and protect the privacy of both client and subject, all names and locations in this case report have been fully anonymized.

Kurtz Investigations Hanover

Kampsriede 6A

D-30659 Hannover

Tel.: +49 511 2028 0016

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

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

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

Fraudsters are often cunning and unscrupulous, sometimes even highly creative in their “schemes,” constantly inventing new ways to deceive unsuspecting people. Yet, all too often, it is the same “tried-and-true” methods that prove most successful in extracting money. This is something the detectives of Kurtz Private Detective Agency Hanover encounter repeatedly—most recently, when a victim contacted our private investigators in addition to having already filed a police report.

The elderly gentleman, Mr. H. Schäfer, had not personally fallen for the fraud, but his wife had. She was now tormented by guilt and unable to sleep. Mr. Schäfer did everything he could to reassure her, but his wife Else could not forgive herself for “ruining” them, as she put it. The police had already been informed, but no results had emerged, so he decided to enlist the help of a Hanover-based private detective as well. Ironically, it was the well-known so-called “grandparent scam” that had ensnared Mrs. Schäfer.

Mr. Schäfer had to undergo a minor operation and spent two weeks in hospital. Whether the fraudsters deliberately chose this timing or whether it was coincidental cannot be determined in hindsight. What is clear is that the events followed the classic pattern familiar to our Hanover detectives:

A young man called Mrs. Else Schäfer, who was home alone and unsuspecting. He claimed to be her grandson Carsten, who was studying in Tübingen and “wanted to get in touch again.” The clients of Kurtz Detective Agency Hanover do indeed have such a grandson, so the fraudsters must have done their research. According to the supposed grandson, he was in financial distress and needed help from his grandmother, as he had no other recourse. Typically, people in such situations become suspicious if their beloved grandchild suddenly speaks in a different dialect or with a foreign-sounding accent. In this case, however, the caller spoke fluent standard German, as is common in Hanover. A voice on the phone is often difficult to recognise, Mrs. Schäfer later recalled, but she had no doubt it was her grandson, as the caller also answered questions about the family without arousing suspicion. He told the unfortunate client of Kurtz Detective Agency Hanover a heart-wrenching story: he had been unable to pay his rent for a long time, his parents had helped him where possible, and yet he was now on the verge of eviction by the landlord. He asked if his dear grandmother could help with several thousand euros, promising to repay the money as soon as possible. He claimed he could not come in person because Tübingen was too far, but that a friend in Hanover could collect the money and bring it to him shortly thereafter.

Mrs. Schäfer had no reason to be suspicious; it was obviously her grandson on the other end of the line. She agreed, and indeed, the next day, a young woman of about 20 came to the clients’ apartment, apologised profusely, and thanked Mrs. Schäfer repeatedly, receiving an envelope containing €3,000—the total cash she could quickly gather. Believing this insufficient, she also gave the girl an old gold pocket watch, which she had purchased cheaply decades ago. She had no sentimental attachment to it but knew it had become quite valuable and had intended to give it to her grandson anyway. The girl accepted the gift on behalf of the grandson, unaware that this very watch would ultimately betray the fraudsters.

“I can’t blame my Else; she has a big heart,” Mr. Schäfer told our Hanover detectives, “but damn it, they couldn’t have done that to ME!” Two days later, after leaving the hospital, he heard his wife’s story and immediately became suspicious. A call to the grandson in Tübingen quickly confirmed that he was fine, financially stable, and had certainly not called his grandmother asking for money two days earlier. Minutes later, Mr. Schäfer contacted the police, but they made clear that the likelihood of recovering the money was realistically low.

“Now, however, Else gave the girl the watch—perhaps that’s a clue,” explained Mr. Schäfer, deciding to enlist the help of Kurtz Detective Agency Hanover to possibly apprehend the fraudsters. Typically, in grandparent scams, the fraudsters take the money and vanish without a trace, often never appearing in the same region again. In this case, however, the watch could be unequivocally identified thanks to an engraving—giving our Hanover detectives a clear starting point.

Since there was no immediate suspect for our investigators to observe, the Hanover private detectives carefully assessed the situation from the fraudster’s perspective: the watch directly linked back to the Schäfers’ scam and would likely be quickly converted into cash. This did not necessarily require a fence, as often shown in crime films. In reality, the fraudster would often sell it online, through platforms like eBay, or take it to a pawnbroker or jeweller—especially if confident they had not yet been caught. Comprehensive online research and contacts in the jewellery trade were therefore the primary approach for our Hanover investigators to recover the item.

While online research initially proved fruitless, the cooperation of a pawnbroker in Hanover’s old town ultimately led to a breakthrough. After careful questioning, the broker confirmed that a young man had sold him the watch a week earlier for €1,500. It had not yet been sold and remained in the shop.

A promising first lead for our Hanover private investigators. While the pawnbroker did not know the customer personally, he had good contacts and offered to inquire further to uncover the person’s identity, as it was in his own interest to recover the €1,500. “Of course I want to help wherever I can,” said the broker. “We’re a reputable business, not fences for stolen goods!” It is often impossible to prove ownership for every item; instinct plays a key role—and the young man had seemed very professional and friendly. With the watch recovered, it could be returned to its rightful owners, the Schäfers, after police verification. Shortly thereafter, the young man who sold the watch was identified by the broker and taken into police custody. This led authorities directly to his accomplice—the blonde young woman who had innocently appeared at Mrs. Schäfer’s door four weeks earlier.

Our Hanover detective clients had no difficulty identifying the young woman, allowing the fraudster pair to be apprehended. “Without the watch,” noted the responsible private investigator from Kurtz Detective Agency Hanover, “we and the police would have had little chance of uncovering the pair. Their greed ultimately led to their capture.” Fortunately, not only did the Schäfers and the pawnbroker recover their losses, but three other victims who had unwittingly handed money to the young woman also recovered their funds. We at Kurtz Detective Agency Hanover are naturally delighted to have played a decisive role in this outcome.

Author: Gerrit Koehler

Zur Wahrung der Diskretion sowie der Persönlichkeitsrechte von Auftraggebern und Zielpersonen wurden alle Namen und Orte in diesem Fallbericht bis zur vollständigen Unkenntlichkeit verändert.

Kurtz Investigations Hanover

Kampsriede 6A

D-30659 Hannover

Tel.: +49 511 2028 0016

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

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

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

Ιmage Attribution

1. The Beauty of Old Age, Urheber Vinoth Chandar: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
2. img_0001, Urheber Jannis: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
3. Im Trödel am Arena Gelände, Berlin, Treptow; Urheber Andreas Lehner: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

An unusual case of medication theft recently occupied the detectives of Kurtz Detective Agency Hannover: Dr. Drießen, director of a private clinic in Hannover, contacted our private investigators because a considerable quantity of narcotics, primarily morphine and barbiturates, had been stolen. The investigators at Kurtz Detective Agency Hannover know that medication theft in hospitals is not uncommon – usually, however, under different circumstances than those described by Dr. Drießen. Most often, drug addicts or so-called “hospital wanderers” feign treatment and, in an apparently unobserved moment, gain access to narcotics to steal as much as possible to satisfy their addiction. Offenders are usually caught quickly, either in the act or because excessive greed makes them noticeable.

In our client’s case, however, things were somewhat different: this was not a single theft that would immediately lead to police involvement and a formal report. Instead, the theft appeared to span several months, with small amounts taken each time, so that initially the missing medications went unnoticed. A comparison with the inventory list and subsequent internal investigations revealed that one or two packages of prescription drugs were repeatedly removed. The Hannover private investigators of Kurtz Detective Agency were tasked with resolving the case.

The tip Dr. Drießen could provide was a first suspicion: Thea M., a nurse on the relevant ward, was known to have financial difficulties, had started working on the ward roughly at the same time the thefts began, and was indeed on duty each time a theft could later be traced. For our investigators from Hannover, a discreet approach is always essential: even if evidence points to Thea M. as the perpetrator, no one should be accused without solid proof – hence, irrefutable, legally admissible evidence had to be obtained by Kurtz Detective Agency Hannover.

Within the limits of the law, surveillance devices were initially installed by our Hannover investigators in the relevant area to capture visual proof, as further thefts were anticipated. Less than a week later, medication packages were removed from a cabinet on the ward that were not needed for ongoing treatment; about a week and a half later, the same thing happened again. Indeed, the video recordings of Kurtz Detective Agency Hannover indicated that Thea M. was in both cases the one taking the medications.

The next step was to clarify her motive and gather final proof. Our private investigators from Hannover continued to observe Thea M. over the following period, restricted for legal reasons to areas outside private residences. This, however, did not hinder the investigation: observations revealed that Thea M. was in contact with Hannover’s drug scene and regularly met with a dealer already known to Kurtz Detective Agency Hannover from a previous case. Even though the investigation reached such circles, meeting the client’s needs remained the top priority, keeping the focus on Thea M. Two meetings of the target person with the dealer were observed and recorded by our Hannover investigators, providing sufficient evidence to confront her.

The private investigators confronted Thea M. with the evidence but encountered denial: while she admitted to the acts, she showed surprising lack of insight, citing debts and low pay, claiming her work was undervalued and downplaying the thefts, insisting the clinic had enough. Our Hannover investigators, however, follow a principle: if circumstances allow, an out-of-court settlement between client and target is sought. Here, Thea M. was uncooperative, showed no remorse, and refused to acknowledge guilt. Consequently, our investigators advised Dr. Drießen to report the case to the police – after all, investigations revealed that Thea M. had stolen and resold narcotics worth over €12,000, constituting a criminal offence that could not be resolved privately. Our private detectives could therefore hand the case over to law enforcement with a clear conscience.

Thus, Kurtz Detective Agency Hannover was able to close the case to the client’s satisfaction, and Dr. Drießen could dismiss Thea M. from her position without concern.

Author: Gerrit Koehler

To preserve discretion and protect the privacy of clients and subjects, all names and locations in this case report have been changed beyond recognition.

Kurtz Investigations Hanover

Kampsriede 6A

D-30659 Hannover

Tel.: +49 511 2028 0016

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

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

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

Image Attributions

Kurtz Investigations Hanover

Kampsriede 6A

D-30659 Hannover

Tel.: +49 511 2028 0016

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

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

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

Ms. H. approached the detectives of the Kurtz Corporate Detective Agency Hannover because, after many years and countless intrigues in the agricultural business she had founded, she had enough. She wanted to leave the company and enjoy a comfortable retirement with her share. However, her fellow shareholders put a stop to these plans.

Several hectares of fields, a small complex with four large storage halls, plus rapeseed and wheat worth several hundred thousand euros – all situated on the flat plains in the middle of nowhere in Lower Saxony. An interesting surveillance area for the corporate investigators of Kurtz Detective Agency Hannover.

The issue: For several years, Ms. H. had observed that large quantities of the company’s produce repeatedly disappeared – sold past her, in other words embezzled. The profits were pocketed solely by the other shareholders, or so the suspicion goes. Our Hannover detectives were now tasked with producing investigation results and clarity.

Ms. H. herself even lives within sight of the storage area, but she cannot conduct continuous surveillance day and night. Nor does she feel she has many allies in the neighbourhood who could report their own observations in her absence. “They’re all in cahoots anyway!” Ms. H. told our corporate detectives from Hannover.

Because the fields are constantly cultivated and the storage hall complex borders several other agricultural businesses with a lot of traffic, inspecting the surveillance location during daylight is impossible for the Hannover corporate detectives. The investigators must wait for darkness and, around 2:00 a.m., enter the area with night-vision equipment.

There is only one possible exit route, but vehicle surveillance there is not feasible because it is a federal road where vehicles only park several kilometres away. Prior to that, there are numerous turn-offs, so positioning in the nearest villages is not an option. Furthermore, recording trucks on the road would not provide proof of where they loaded their cargo.

No, the observers of Kurtz Detective Agency Hannover must position themselves within sight of the storage halls to document the loading process and correctly identify the trucks. Using Ms. H.’s keys and a ladder, one investigator is taken into the attic of the storage hall before dawn to document any removal of wheat. A second observer of Kurtz Detective Agency Hannover hides the ladder behind the rapeseed storage hall and, dressed in camouflage with binoculars and a telephoto lens, monitors vehicle and personnel movements in front of the hall.

Two additional Hannover detectives are positioned behind the rapeseed storage hall – without direct line of sight to the main activity – to record the departure of trucks under the direction of the observers on foot. The rapeseed storage hall is a good location because it is shielded from the rest of the complex, has a field path directly to the federal road, and, due to the season, no activity is expected.

Four observers from Kurtz Detective Agency Hannover – a significant financial effort for Ms. H. Now it is a matter of waiting and hoping, in the interest of the client, that the suspected perpetrators do not take too long. The removal can only be roughly limited to a period of three weeks, with Saturdays and Sundays as possible as weekdays.

On the fifth day of surveillance, and several thousand euros later, Ms. H. and our Hannover detectives are finally lucky: Two trucks with Dutch licence plates arrive at the site around 6:10 a.m. and begin loading from the company’s wheat warehouse. While the corporate detective in the hall’s attic has a clear view of the personnel involved and can photograph, among others, the presence of a shareholder, the observer in the field records the license plates of the parked trucks.

About three hours later, the signal is given to the two vehicle observers of Kurtz Detective Agency Hannover behind the rapeseed barn. The recording of the target vehicles succeeds, and our Hannover detectives follow the trucks via the federal road onto the A1 motorway. At the exit to the A2, one truck continues on the A1 and the other takes the A2 towards the Ruhr region. The further tracking of both vehicles succeeds up to their destinations, which are both in the Netherlands.

The proof of embezzlement is thus successfully established by the detectives of Kurtz Corporate Detective Agency Hannover. Ms. H. charges the cost of our services to her (former) shareholders, and a substantial claim for damages has been filed.

To maintain discretion and protect the personal rights of clients and target persons, all names and locations in this case report have been changed beyond recognition.

Kurtz Investigations Hanover

Kampsriede 6A

D-30659 Hannover

Tel.: +49 511 2028 0016

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

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

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

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