Stalking | Harassment | Threat Letters: Detectives Identify the Perpetrator and Gather Evidence

Stalking, first identified and named as such in the USA in the 1980s, was not merely a trend in early 2000s Germany, which in 2007 led to the inclusion of the offence of harassment (§ 238) in the Penal Code. It continues to persist stubbornly in German society. Our Hanover detectives repeatedly encounter clients being subjected to anonymous threat letters, insults, defamation, and harassment in the form of following, telephone harassment, and orders placed in their name. The list of criminal offences involved is long and extends to bodily harm through psychological pressure.

Victims should act early and enforce their rights in court with the evidence collected by Kurtz Investigations Hanover: +49 511 2028 0016.

Anxiety from Unlawful Pursuit

Almost half of perpetrators are ex-partners, short-term affairs, or one-night stands of the victims, and the overwhelming majority are men. These stalkers feel rejected after a breakup or after the victim refused further meetings and become obsessed with being close to the pursued person. Sometimes the perpetrators are colleagues or former school friends who have been secretly in love with the victim for a long time and cannot break free from their obsession. Constant harassment causes many victims to suffer: they experience a loss of control over their own life, anxiety, inner unrest, sleep disorders, and sometimes difficulties in social interactions due to fear of closeness.

It is important that victims do not retreat into their victim role but take active countermeasures. This does not primarily mean confronting the perpetrator directly, as this can pose a risk of violence in some cases, but rather openly communicating the problem within one’s social environment and seeking professional help: counselling centres, the police, or private detective agencies such as Kurtz Investigations Hanover: +49 511 2028 0016. For psychological support, we recommend the expert Lydia Grünschloß, M.A. (Praxis Grünschloß).

Stalking can Escalate to Violence

Rejected stalkers can sometimes lose all control and resort to violence to gain the attention they so desperately seek. In 2014, there were 21 attempted murders in Hanover, eight of which resulted directly in the victim’s death. There were 575 reported sexual offences, though a much higher number of unreported cases is likely. In addition, there were nearly 11,000 assaults. Stalking is not to be taken lightly: for many perpetrators, the obsession intensifies the more they are ignored or confronted. Extreme caution is required. Victims should never defend themselves alone but always seek help – particularly from family members.

Anonymous Threat Letters: Stalking, Defamation, Psychological Terror

Experience shows that authors of such letters are rarely careless and take precautions to avoid being identified. Unfortunately, in many cases, the police remain inactive, shifting responsibility to the public prosecutor, which in turn refers it back to the police.

Investigations of threat letters are often very challenging. However, the handwriting experts of Kurtz Investigations Hanover analyse these letters and prepare reports that can serve as indicators, evidence, or a basis for further investigation. Sometimes mantrailing can also be a useful alternative investigative method.

Our handwriting experts also verify the authenticity of wills.