High Number of Offenders and Lack of Awareness of Wrongdoing

Which employee hasn’t encountered it: the office desk is stocked with a variety of appealing and useful supplies, and it seems harmless to “borrow” a few pens, erasers, and notepads for home use. Perhaps a branded pen for yourself, a file for your spouse, or a birthday letter on premium company stationery for a relative. According to a study by the market research institute GfK (Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung), many employees do not consider this behaviour illegal or criminal, believing the company suffers minimal financial harm. In fact, one in four men and one in five women admitted to having taken office supplies at least once.

The Crux: Apart from exceptional cases, even the theft of small, almost worthless company items (petty theft) is considered a valid reason for dismissal, often without notice. Such acts irreparably damage the trust between company management and the employee. Naturally, our Bonn-based detective agency (+49 228 2861 4084) is far more often commissioned to investigate serious offences such as warehouse and transport theft, burglary, or the theft or embezzlement of company vehicles. Nevertheless, office theft continues to appear in everyday investigative work and will be examined in detail below.

Seemingly Minor Items with Major Implications

Of course, for most employers, it is financially not worthwhile to commission the Kurtz Detective Agency for investigations into items such as toilet paper, as investigative services are not free (for our fees see here). However, the situation changes if these thefts acquire a commercial character, as even low-value items can add up to significant financial damage. This can occur, for example, if an employee operates a side business and requires larger quantities of such items on a regular basis.

To continue the hypothetical example of toilet paper: a few years ago, our Bonn detectives proved that an employee who also organised events (mainly club concerts and disco parties) had stolen toilet paper over a period of more than one year, amounting to a five-figure sum.

Not a Trivial Offence – Detectives from Bonn Expose Office Thieves

Even if 50% of long-fingered employees like to take pens, 27% take paper, and 26% take paperclips—causing minimal financial loss in individual cases—these offences are not trivial. The German Criminal Code (§242 StGB) clearly defines theft as the unlawful appropriation of another person’s movable property in order to keep it or pass it on to third parties. “Small fry also makes a mess,” as the saying goes, and office supplies represent a not insignificant part of many companies’ annual budgets. Naturally, stealing a pen is not comparable to the theft of more valuable items or cash—at low cent or euro values, courts may occasionally turn a blind eye—but the legal basis is clear: even the removal of a printer cartridge constitutes theft, which, even if it does not lead to a conviction, severely damages trust in the employee. The severity of penalties generally depends on the value of the stolen items; willingness to steal high-value items is naturally lower than for seemingly worthless possessions. Accordingly, thefts of office materials occur far more frequently than, for example, the theft of entire construction machines.

Other problematic aspects include the impact on workplace security and the boldness of offenders, which increases with each undetected theft. Offenders gradually target larger quantities and more valuable items. Where criminal intent exists, experience shows that an employee will rarely be deterred by high-value targets or the prospect of heavier penalties. Whether valuable or not, even initial suspicion should prompt the employer to act without delay and involve our IHK-certified business detectives from Bonn (kontakt@kurtz-detektei-bonn.de). We aim for a prompt and smooth resolution of thefts, preventing further loss and enabling companies to set an example to deter potential copycat thieves.

The Perpetrators Are Not Necessarily Employees

We do not wish to portray employees as inherently criminal, but it is important to raise awareness of internal corporate crime and the workplace as a crime scene. Without such awareness, companies often lack the attention required to detect irregularities, and the willingness to take action emerges only slowly.

Of course, external parties may also be responsible for thefts within a company: clients, freelancers, suppliers, service providers (cleaning staff, etc.), competitors, or simply visitors. Any of these could take and remove valuables. If unusually high losses follow meetings with a particular supplier, suspicion naturally arises.

Companies Should Send a Clear Message

Regardless of who is behind the theft, one of management’s most important tasks is to communicate, both preventively and after an incident, the consequences that thieves will face. This can have a strong deterrent effect on potential future offenders, and even prompt guilty parties to return “borrowed” items to avoid a formal investigation. This approach is particularly effective when management can publicly demonstrate the apprehension of a thief and the resulting consequences. Our Bonn business detectives assist with identifying and prosecuting workplace thieves, and can even confront them if desired—for example, to obtain a notarised acknowledgement of debt.

A tip: Studies show that employee willingness to steal decreases significantly when they are well paid and their work is highly valued. Employees who feel exploited may believe that taking “just a little” is a fair compensation for their efforts and the lack of recognition.

Workplace Thieves – Bonn Business Detectives Supporting Companies Across the Rhineland

If you or your company have noticed unusually high usage of office supplies, missing money, or disappearing company property, you are likely dealing with one or more internal offenders. Whether you already suspect specific employees or only have general concerns about a department, Kurtz Investigations Bonn can assist using a range of investigative methods, including surveillance, undercover operations, and sting operations (e.g., test purchases)—not only in Bonn but throughout the surrounding region, including Koblenz, Euskirchen, Cologne, and Siegburg. For a free, no-obligation consultation, contact us at +49 228 2861 4084.

Author: Maya Grünschloß, PhD

Kurtz Detective Agency Bonn

Zeppelinstraße 8

53177 Bonn

Tel.: +49 228 2861 4084

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

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

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

Claiming Bratwurst and Caviar as Business Expenses

Unless a flat-rate per diem arrangement has been agreed upon, every business trip and business meal requires a precise expense report, ensuring that the travelling employee is reimbursed for additional costs incurred through work. Usually, the difference is reimbursed based on the actual amount of meal, accommodation, and travel expenses, as well as any other relevant items, alongside the usual costs for food and drink at the workplace. As it can sometimes be difficult to itemise every expense down to the last detail, errors and negligence can occur, particularly if the employee or accounting department is not meticulous. However, if the off-site employee deliberately manipulates expense reports – for example, claiming a fancy candlelight dinner with their fiancée as a work meal with colleagues – this constitutes fraud under § 263 of the German Criminal Code (StGB). Expenses are reimbursed tax-free, which may increase the temptation for small “errors” at the company’s cost; after all, “it’s just a small amount” – as many expense fraudsters likely believe.

Our detectives in Bonn (+49 228 2861 4084) regularly track such fraudulent employees as soon as company or HR management contacts us regarding inconsistencies in their staff’s expense reports.

Typical Perpetrators: Field Staff and External Contractors

The risk of expense and payroll fraud is particularly high among field sales personnel and also among external service providers, suppliers and subcontractors whose activities are difficult for the company to verify. Unlike employees working on-site, it is often not apparent exactly what has been consumed or ordered at the company’s expense and in what time frame which tasks have actually been performed. Trust from employer to employee must exist in these cases, and it is therefore easily abused by disloyal employees acting in their own interest. Frequently, fraud and contradictory claims only come to light months or even years later and are thereby difficult to reconstruct and, consequently, hard to pursue in court.

Eyes and ears open are therefore essential in every company to identify and hold the bad apples to account. Our experienced private detectives in Bonn assist you here; they investigate at the first justified suspicions and also retrospectively where submitted claims appear suspicious: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-bonn.de.

“The Company Thanks You” | A Distorted Work Ethic

The attitude of many field staff and employees on business travel is “no claimant, no judge”, because they believe the proverb “out of sight, out of mind” also applies. All too often they are right – but whoever overdoes it will sooner or later be caught, and the company’s eyes will then quite literally be our corporate detectives in Bonn. Often, the performance of contractually agreed working time, which should be self-evident, is felt to be “extra work”, a favour to the employer. A consciousness of wrongdoing is lacking when claims are embellished or forged. The employees concerned imagine themselves to be in the grey area of the misapplied notion of a “victimless” misdemeanour (“everyone does it”) or even in the right when miles driven are conspicuously “rounded up”, repair work on their private car is presented as business expenditure, or private taxi journeys and restaurant visits are claimed as company costs.

All these and many other examples of false claims not only destroy the precious trust between management and staff, but are by no means trivial; quite simply, they constitute fraud. In serious cases the Criminal Code provides for imprisonment from six months up to ten years. Deploying our detective agency from Bonn can not only lead to catching the suspect(s) in the act and bringing them before the courts, but also, by starting investigations at an early stage, prevent further damage to the company.

Deterrent Effect through Detective Deployment

The more detailed and comprehensive a company’s rules on expenses and other claims, the more difficult it becomes to commit fraud undetected. Accordingly, risk and inhibitions rise and a deterrent effect sets in. The importance of precise regulations and functioning control mechanisms must not be underestimated. After all, payroll and expense fraud cause damages in the millions every year, although precise figures are hard to obtain because companies naturally have little interest in publicly disclosing how often and how easily they have been duped by disloyal employees. Moreover, the exact amount of loss becomes increasingly difficult to reconstruct the longer the period since the offence or the longer the duration of the fraudulent activity. Wherever possible, other employees should not be informed that colleagues have been able to enrich themselves through false claims – unless management succeeds in setting a deterrent example. This may include immediate dismissal on the basis of the court-admissible evidence collected by our corporate detectives in Bonn, a civil claim for damages against the fraudulent claimant and/or a criminal complaint for fraud.

Various Options for Retroactive Evidence-Gathering

In many cases of claim fraud it is necessary to produce forged documents in order to make the submitted receipts appear credible. This offence (Section 267 of the German Criminal Code) includes, for example, forged signatures, backdated receipts and altered sums of money, which allow a company, where appropriate, to take legal action even against an employee who has already left the company. This course of action is particularly relevant when the fraud is discovered only retrospectively. In such cases our Bonn private detectives can also assist – not by surveillance, but by conducting investigations and authenticity checks.

Our measures include, on the one hand, document analysis to verify originality by our forgery and handwriting experts and, on the other hand, enquiries into alleged client visits, hotel stays, restaurant visits and travelled routes. We visit the relevant places and persons and are often able to gather numerous witnesses. Plausibility checks frequently lead to strong further indications and thus valuable arguments in legal proceedings.

Inefficient Field Staff, Inconsistent Claims, Concrete Signs of Fraud? Kurtz Detective Agency Bonn Provides Case-Specific Help.

If you or your company’s accounts department have justified suspicions due to contradictory expense reports, tips from customers, employees or business partners, or other inconsistencies that suggest one of your staff—whether internal or external—is falsifying or embellishing their expense or hours claims, obtain free advice from our detectives in Bonn on the next steps in your case.

In consultation with you and according to your personal wishes, our private detectives will become active in the form of enquiries, surveillance, analyses, covert interviews, undercover placements within the company and much more to either substantiate your suspicions or to allay your concerns about the probity of the employee in question (the latter occurs far less frequently). Utmost discretion and professionalism are a matter of course for us. You can reach us on: +49 228 2861 4084.

Author: Maya Grünschloß, PhD

Kurtz Detective Agency Bonn

Zeppelinstraße 8

53177 Bonn

Tel.: +49 228 2861 4084

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

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

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

Public Viewing as an Opportunity for Perpetrator Detection

Since the thrilling evenings of the 2006 home World Cup, which fostered a sense of community among complete strangers across Germany while watching football, the so-called public viewing (a borrowed English term with a shifted meaning) has become extremely popular at major sporting events. In 2006, the word "Fanmeile" was named Word of the Year, the term "Rudelgucken" entered the German dictionary, and the Japanese adopted our term "Public Viewing" for their own broadcasts. As this social phenomenon became established, our detective agency in Bonn (0228 2861 4084) has observed a rise in assignments every two years during major international football tournaments, particularly concerning absentee employees and unfaithful partners to be exposed at public viewings. The following example illustrates such a case from the 2016 UEFA European Championship.

Noticeable Behavioural Changes as an Indicator of Infidelity

A partner’s infidelity is always a painful and hurtful matter for the person being deceived. It typically leads to major life changes, leaving many in despair when uncertain about their partner’s fidelity. Our private detectives in Bonn help eliminate this uncertainty by establishing facts – wherever and whenever the infidelity can legally be documented.

Mr Mendig from Euskirchen spent sleepless nights filled with doubt. The behaviour of his long-term partner had changed and grown distant. She spent a lot of time on sport, stayed out late in the evenings, and showed little interest in the man she – Mr Mendig was certain – had sincerely loved for many years. She frequently spoke of her training partner, a well-built forty-two-year-old policeman with a characteristic steroid baldness, in a manner that unsettled Mr Mendig in a vague, uneasy way – a strange feeling, a negative premonition, without concrete evidence. Unable to let it go, he decided to hire our private detectives in Bonn to observe his partner during the public viewing of the Euro 2016 semi-final between Germany and France. According to his statement, the target person intended to meet a friend in a bar for a “football and sparkling wine girls’ night”.

Public Kisses and Other Public Displays of Affection

Mr Mendig personally drove the target person of our two deployed detectives for Bonn to the public viewing venue, after which the lady intended to take a taxi as it would be late. Upon arrival, around 100 football enthusiasts were already present. After our client left, his partner, her cheek painted with a Germany flag, walked directly towards a man matching the description of the aforementioned training partner, wearing a Germany jersey. They greeted each other with cheek kisses, as is customary even among platonic friends. The target sat beside the man, and they began a very familiar conversation.

At kickoff, our private investigators in Bonn observed the policeman and the target share a quick kiss on the lips, which appeared like a small good-luck ritual. Throughout the evening, they repeatedly exchanged affectionate gestures: stroking, toasting kisses, cuddling, etc. After Schweinsteiger’s handball in the penalty area, giving France a lead just before halftime, the mood of the observed couple briefly dipped, but within minutes, during the fifteen-minute break, they took selfies together – head to head, head on shoulder, mouth to mouth. As the game progressed and it became clear Germany would miss the final, the bar grew increasingly subdued. Conversations became quieter, faces more frustrated, and our target persons in Bonn were no exception. Mr Mendig’s partner, whose hand was continuously held by her companion towards the end of the game, gave the impression she wanted to leave the bar as quickly as possible.

Private After-Match Party: Car Intercourse in Euskirchen

After the match, both target persons appeared happier and, as later revealed, more anticipatory. Hand in hand, chatting cheerfully, they went to the athlete’s vehicle, followed by our detective team for Bonn. Since the operation vehicles were not close to the previously unknown target car, the investigators had difficulty resuming the pursuit. By chance, a traffic jam caused by departing football fans assisted the surveillance. The target vehicle stopped a few kilometres later at a deserted allotment site and parked by a narrow driveway. Our detectives could not immediately follow without being noticed. While one investigator remained in the car to monitor the departure route and continue the pursuit, his colleague approached the target vehicle on foot. Inside, it was dark, but faint, indiscernible human sounds could be heard. The detective positioned himself behind a brick corner next to the vehicle and listened carefully. Gradually, he could confirm beyond doubt that the targets were having sexual intercourse in the car.

Once certain, the investigator returned to his operation vehicle. Half an hour later, the target car returned to the main road and drove towards Mr Mendig and his partner’s residence. About a kilometre from their home, the policeman dropped off his affair at a taxi rank; she took a taxi the rest of the way home – evidently to maintain the pretense of a girls’ night. Mr Mendig, continuously updated by our private detectives in Bonn, was waiting for his partner and ended the relationship that same night.

All names and locations have, of course, been changed to ensure complete anonymity.

Kurtz Detective Agency Bonn

Zeppelinstraße 8

53177 Bonn

Tel.: +49 228 2861 4084

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

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

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

Patrick Kurtz, owner of Kurtz Detektei Bonn, appeared on the radio magazine Mephisto 97.6 – Faustschlag discussing Sherlock Holmes and modern detectives – here is the second part. The first segment can be found here on the website of our Bonn detectives.

Genius Detectives on One Hand, Spiritism on the Other?

Arthur Conan Doyle was born in 1859 in Edinburgh, Scotland. While much of the Holmes stories reflects Doyle’s biography, one aspect seems incongruous: Conan Doyle believed in fairies and the supernatural.

Maria Fleischhack: “That came after the First World War, because he had lost his brother and his eldest son, and naturally he sought hope that he could perhaps communicate with spirits. His interest in spiritism existed earlier; in the 1880s the occult was very much in vogue. Especially in Britain and London, there were countless séances; people tried all sorts of ways to communicate with spirits. Doyle had an enormous interest; he had previously written many books on the topic and tried to frame it and explain it scientifically. It is said he was always a fan of the irrational, which is fascinating, because he then created Sherlock Holmes, a completely rational character.”

Do Our Bonn Private Detectives Investigate Like Holmes?

“When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth,” Sherlock Holmes states in a 1983 German adaptation. Although the detective is a fictional character, he has influenced the real world. Methods such as securing a crime scene are now standard practice. In Doyle’s time, they were not. Scotland Yard even named a database after the detective: the Holmes Office Large Major Enquiry System, or simply “Holmes.” Otherwise, however, cases are hardly comparable to the day-to-day work of a detective in Bonn, notes Patrick Kurtz.

Patrick Kurtz: “We must of course remember that it was 120 years ago, so many methods have since become outdated. Also, our cases are not as mysterious, not as intricately organised as in the stories. Furthermore, it’s mostly not the single effort of a private detective that counts, but teamwork. So in that sense, it is quite different.”

Even Today, Detectives Must Have a Sharp Mind

Detectives still need intelligence and analytical skills, just like their literary predecessor. This is confirmed by Bonn private detective Patrick Kurtz and English studies lecturer Maria Fleischhack. Sherlock Holmes stories reveal a lot about their author, and for this reason, the detective character belongs to Arthur Conan Doyle – even if he hadn’t planned it that way.

Maria Fleischhack: “He continued writing stories until 1929, a year before his death. On the other hand, he wrote a foreword to the penultimate short story collection, in which he said he simply no longer liked Sherlock Holmes, that he had to do something else, but eventually reconciled with him and enjoyed it. It was actually like a real relationship with a real person, a kind of ups and downs. Towards the end of his life, he was quite reconciled with his character,” says Maria Fleischhack, lecturer in English at Leipzig University.

Information about Arthur Conan Doyle was provided by Christine Warnecke.

Kurtz Detective Agency Bonn

Zeppelinstraße 8

53177 Bonn

Tel.: +49 228 2861 4084

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

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

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

Patrick Kurtz, owner of the Kurtz Detective Agency Bonn, appeared on the radio magazine “Mephisto 97.6 – Faustschlag” to discuss Sherlock Holmes and modern detectives:

Sherlock Holmes remains as popular as ever

Introduction: “Sherlock Holmes: Throughout his adventures, older listeners have likely enjoyed following him, particularly through the Guy Ritchie films. Even the trendier youth know this figure thanks to a rather successful BBC series. Arthur Conan Doyle is the intellectual father of the detective, who, despite many minor characters and stories, has endured in cultural awareness up to the present day. Doyle passed away 85 years ago — it’s hard to imagine. Towards the end of his life, he stood somewhat in the shadow of his own creation,” reports Christine Warnecke on the life of the Scottish author.

The “death” and “resurrection” of the iconic private detective

“He felt somewhat overshadowed and decided to kill Holmes off for a while. Doyle remained emotionally rather detached about Holmes’ death,” summarises Maria Fleischhack, English Studies lecturer at Leipzig University, regarding the fate of the world’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes. Granted, he is a fictional character, but a very popular one — even in early 20th century England, as sales figures of magazines demonstrate.

Maria Fleischhack continues: “When he killed Sherlock Holmes in The Final Problem, several thousand subscribers cancelled their subscriptions, causing a huge loss for the magazine. The numbers collapsed and then, of course, returned in large numbers with Holmes’ ‘resurrection.’ In fact, even more people then subscribed, so the initial loss balanced out.” In The Empty House, Doyle resurrects the detective because the readers demanded it. The character of Holmes continues to resonate to this day.

The Kurtz Detective Agency Bonn was also inspired by Holmes

Patrick Kurtz: “I am Patrick Kurtz, working as a detective in Bonn. Sherlock Holmes is, in a broad sense, connected to my career path because I devoured the novels and short stories from the age of 13 or 14, developing an affinity for detective work and for Sherlock Holmes in general. That naturally led me to this profession, and I have remained a fan of Sherlock Holmes — that’s clear.”

Unlike Patrick Kurtz, who studied literature, Doyle was primarily a scientist. He studied medicine and served as a doctor in the British Army. He wrote a book about the Boer War from 1899 to 1902 in South Africa, for which he was knighted. From a colonial perspective, it describes the British campaign against the African republics. After the war, he worked as an eye doctor. Lacking patients for his practice, he increasingly turned to writing stories, explains Maria Fleischhack:

“Doyle created Sherlock Holmes for fun, without a major plan. He wanted to immortalise his professor Bell in Edinburgh, from whom he had learned, and so drew on various literary models, such as Edgar Allan Poe’s Dupin. That’s how Sherlock Holmes came to be. Then a second novel was commissioned, which was better received. Subsequently, The Strand Magazine, newly founded at the time, asked him to write popular stories. That’s how Sherlock Holmes was serialised.” The stories have been adapted into films and reprinted numerous times. The character of the intelligent, yet unconventional and occasionally drug-using Sherlock Holmes remains largely consistent.

Detective Holmes could only be as brilliant as his creator

Maria Fleischhack: “Arthur Conan Doyle essentially immortalised himself in the role of the assistant, Dr Watson. Watson is described much like Doyle: military service, a handsome moustache, a fondness for women. Holmes is extremely intelligent, but it takes an equally intelligent mind to write such stories. Doyle’s mind and spirit are therefore embedded in Sherlock Holmes. Watson, on the other hand, is biographically represented, having also served in the military, travelled the world, and been a patriot. You can see his love of Scotland clearly — for instance, Lauriston Gardens in Edinburgh appear in the stories. Parts of his childhood were also transplanted to London.”

Part 2 of the Arthur Conan Doyle feature

The second part of this feature on Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes can be found on the Kurtz Detective Agency Bonn website. It should be noted that older generations likely enjoyed classic productions like the 1980s Jeremy Brett series and the Basil Rathbone films more than the Guy Ritchie movies.

Kurtz Detective Agency Bonn

Zeppelinstraße 8

53177 Bonn

Tel.: +49 228 2861 4084

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

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

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

Eugène François Vidocq

The profession of private detective has a long and eventful history, and it is certainly worth taking a closer look at how the work, field, and reputation of detectives have evolved over time – especially the latter, which for a long period in some countries was far from honourable. Although the history of private spies and agents is probably almost as old as humanity itself, it was not until well into the 19th century that the first office comparable to a modern private detective agency, such as the Kurtz Detective Agency Bonn, was established. Not in England, as one might assume, but in France in 1833, when Le bureau des renseignements (“Information Bureau”) was founded, recognised as the world’s first detective office.

From Rogue to Lawman: Vidocq’s Rise as a Detective and His Mastery of the Social Milieu

The founder of this first detective bureau, a colourful figure with a turbulent life, was intimately familiar with the shadowy, secretive, and illegal world – having been part of it himself for many years. Eugène François Vidocq (1775–1857) was occasionally involved in petty thefts as a child, served in the French army as an adult, and gained a reputation through various (apparently successful) duels, scams, and romantic entanglements, which repeatedly led to pursuit, escape, and imprisonment. Tired of life on society’s margins, he decided to turn the tables: from then on, he would stand on the side of the law, while remaining loyal to his milieu.

As an informant and secret agent in the service of the police, and later as the founder and head of an initially unofficial security brigade of the Paris police, Vidocq stayed close to the underworld, both in prisons and on the streets. He knew the milieu intimately, was familiar with its hotspots, and for a long time was regarded by many criminals as one of their own. Recognising that successful investigations require a thorough understanding of the environment, he frequently employed former criminals who maintained his direct link to the Parisian underworld. However, some of these questionable detectives were not as reformed as Vidocq, and crimes committed by police personnel occurred regularly. These incidents and other “irregularities” increasingly damaged Vidocq’s reputation with the authorities, leading him in 1832 to resign definitively from his official position. With the subsequent founding of his detective bureau, he was no longer bound to his former superiors and could devote himself fully to his new enterprise with his employees – again, mostly former criminals – fighting swindlers and fraudsters for private and business clients: essentially exactly what the detectives of the Kurtz Detective Agency Bonn still do today, albeit using strictly legal means.

Revolutionising Criminal Investigation Techniques

“Father of All Detectives” Inspires the Arts

Although Vidocq can be seen as the father of the modern detective and of criminology in general, recognition – especially in his native France – was slow to come due to his criminal past. And with strict lawfulness, let alone IHK-certified training like that of the Kurtz detectives in Bonn, Vidocq was never entirely aligned: the line between legality and illegality was often blurred for him and his detectives, many of whom, like him, had a criminal background. This led to repeated conflicts with the Paris police, occasional imprisonment, but also public attention and a certain notoriety. He became an inspiration for various fictional characters by his friend Honoré de Balzac, and figures inspired by him also appear in works by Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas, both part of his social circle. For example, both the protagonist of Hugo’s Les Misérables, Jean Valjean (most recently portrayed in 2012 by Hugh Jackman), and the antagonist Javert (Russel Crowe) are modelled on Vidocq’s life and character.

Ultimately, Vidocq’s detective bureau laid the foundation for private individuals to seek assistance when they felt defrauded – people whom the authorities could not help but who still wanted justice or simply to “be on the safe side.” This had never been done before in history and quickly proved a successful model, from which the modern private detective and detective profession evolved. At the Kurtz Detective Agency Bonn, we continue this tradition in a modern and lawful form, paying tribute to the man who, almost 200 years ago, laid the groundwork for our work today.

“The Detective Through the Ages” – Part 2

The second part of the series The Detective Through the Ages can be found here.

Author: Gerrit Koehler

Kurtz Detective Agency Bonn

Zeppelinstraße 8

53177 Bonn

Tel.: +49 228 2861 4084

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

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

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