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(Continued from HOW TO DETECT SURVEILLANCE AND SHADOWING, PART I and PART II, COUNTERSURVEILLANCE)

After shadowing is detected, you should determine what actions to undertake. Do not panic and try to hide – it may be a preventive measure on the part of somebody (your wife, for example). But on the other hand, the danger should not be underestimated - in most planned kidnappings, muggings or assassinations the victims are under surveillance for a period of time prior to the confrontation attacks. In this case shadowing is a signal that something bad is planned against you.

Much depends on what you have learnt in the process of surveillance disclosure. Observers behavior will tell you about their skills and equipment, and these parameters can drop you a hint at the principal criminal. Try to estimate approximate number of observers. If they are one or two, it usually indicates ordinary interest (it may be your partners, who want to make certain, that you can be trusted). You do not need to elude such a tailing, if there is no direct danger. It is much worse if the shadowing is carried out by a brigade with a vehicle. And if you detect that observation brigades change each other during shadowing, the jig is up – somebody has taken you gravely in hand  and does not spare expense. The time also matters: if shadowing is carried out not only in the daytime but at night as well, it indicates that your opponents mean business.

Eluding shadowing is fully justified, if it is conducted in a demonstrative and rough manner. Such tailing is usually carried out when opponents believe that the subject has nowhere to go. Thus they put psychological pressure on the target. Detection of such shadowing does not make a problem, however it is difficult to elude it, as observers do not need to hide. Such impudence of the enemy frequently indicates a forthcoming assault. Therefore after eluding such a shadowing it is advisable to disappear from the city and to hide the family to a reliable place.

If nevertheless you decide to break away, do not use rough methods. Persecutors should think that it was their mistake that let you escape. Rough methods are useful only when you are exposed to immediate danger.

First of all, vary the times and routes to and from work. Avoid fixed schedules and routines. Change clothes more often. Observers get used to stereotypes, including the time of your leaving or coming home. You can use it to your advantage: after some time, having changed clothes, imperceptibly leave the house without turning off illumination.

Try to get lost in a populous place or in a crowd. After losing yourself in a crowd, take off your jacket so that it would be more difficult for observers to spot you leaving the place. Often change the way of movement - on foot, in a vehicle, by bus or in the underground. Leave public transport in the last moment before closing the doors. After turning the corner hit the pace, go through a gateway, take advantage of a store or a through path. Of course, you need to have thorough knowledge of the area you are walking in.

Try to elude shadowing while driving the vehicle by using the following:

• run a red light,
• drive the wrong way on a one way street,
• while traveling on a freeway at high speed, suddenly cut across 4 lanes of traffic and make an exit,
• after turning a corner, pull over and park. Take note of all vehicles passing by,
• while driving over a long undivided bridge, suddenly make a bootlegger"s turn,
• use the signal lights to your advantage: if you come up to an intersection, try signaling right or left and wait until your suspects signal comes on - just drive straight through with your signal on.

If you are stopped by police for traffic rules violation, tell them about the cause of your strange behavior.

Be aware of some tricks the tail may employ to make his job easier. At night, he may break a taillight or place a small luminous sticker on the rear of your vehicle to make it more distinguishable. An electronic tailing device, the bumper beeper, can be attached to the underside of your car. The device sends beeping signals to a receiver in the tailing vehicle. To determine if you are the victim of these devices, first make a complete visual inspection of the underside of your vehicle. What you are looking for is a small metal box with one or two skinny antennas sticking out of it.

You can ask your friends for help to cut off the tail in a natural way. For example, when a tail shadows the subject, several people running across him, knock him off his feet, apologize, help him to rise and shake off the dust – in the mean time the subject takes a taxi and goes away. Or a car with unskillful driver may block the tailing vehicle in a narrow street. As an extreme measure it is possible to catch the tail around the corner and provoke a scandal or even a fight (if the tail can not get support from his colleagues).

So, let us sum up. One off the keys to avoiding a confrontation is recognizing when you are under surveillance. You should understand that surveillance and shadowing costs much. So, if your opponent is ready to spend a large sum of money it means troubles for you. The best way to stop a confrontation is to organize countersurveillance with the help of specialists. In many cases a competent countersurveillance can wreck surveillance and stop confrontation before it takes place.

Have a look at other security tips.