A private investigator with 42 years in the business has revealed the great lengths that some people go to to hide their infidelity – with one cheating husband even spinning a fantastical tale about being kidnapped and held ransom abroad.
It’s not easy to shock Tony Smith, who, having completed his detective training in the early 80s, opened offices in his native Liverpool and on the Isle of Man, and today works at Insight Investigations, a nationwide firm that receives 50 new enquires each month.
He’s surprised neither by the fact that 60 per cent of cases concern cheating nor the reality that there are now as many men as there are women calling up to have their romantic partners followed – but there’s one change he’s observed during four decades on the job that does baffle him.
‘It’s the amount of convolution that goes with it,’ Tony, chairman of the World Association of Professional Investigators, said. ‘There used to just be simple explanations but now they’re getting more complicated. People will come up with such complex stories.’
The case in point revolves around a man suspected of cheating by his wife, who, in turn, enlisted the help of Insight Investigations to determine the truth.
Like 99 per cent of Tony’s clients worried about cheating, the wife’s hunch was correct – but that didn’t stop her partner from fabricating one of the most outlandish stories the private investigator has ever heard.
Having been missing for two days, the cheating husband, when he finally turned up, told his spouse that he had been kidnapped and held at ransom while on a business trip abroad.
While such a tale might sound absurd, the level of detail that it contained actually worked to make it more convincing, not only to the man’s wife but to the seasoned investigator too.
Tony Smith, originally from Liverpool, has been a private investigator for 42 years (stock image)
Tony recalled: ‘He fabricated a story about a ransom situation where he had to pay a certain amount of money every month.’
Because the man’s business ‘was a little shady’, his claim that he was at risk of being reported to the police unless he paid on monthly basis appeared more authentic.
‘It was just a cover, a complete cover for seeing another woman,’ Tony explained.
Yet, often the opposite is true and the reality that’s uncovered is stranger – and much more serious – than anything that the client had originally suspected.
Indeed, a recent job saw someone who was initially believed to be cheating exposed as a criminal whose actions did damage well beyond the confines of a romantic relationship.
While Tony was unable to reveal precise details since the case is currently going through the courts, he admitted that the infidelity they were tasked with exposing was nothing short of a fiction.
‘The whole infidelity had been based around [the crime],’ he revealed.
And then there are the close shaves. Tony recalled one case where a stalker was intercepted on his way to kill the client’s daughter. He received a six year jail sentence and was deported.
There are all sorts of telltale signs suspicious partners can look out for, including changes in their spouse’s attire or habits (stock image)
But, for all the fabricated stories, the fake infidelities and the cases that have nothing at all to do with adultery, Tony has become an expert on tracking cheating during his long career.
So, what are the signs, both obvious and subtle, that someone should look out for if they suspect their partner is having an affair?
First, pay attention to any technology that collects data on their whereabouts. Tony said: ‘The sat nav on the car – are there any strange addresses? And what about the mileage? Does that tie in with what they say they’ve been doing?’
There are, of course, key behavioural changes to look out for too, for example, do they look or smell different than usual? Are they dressed better? What about their habits – are they suddenly taking the dog out for walks?
And then there are signs that can be observed in and around the home. Is the ring doorbell faulty all of a sudden? How does the passenger seat in the partner’s car feel? Even if it had been adjusted only a small amount, someone who frequently sits in that seat would feel the difference.
Reflecting on infidelity, Tony said: ‘It’s a strange thing for an investigator to say but there can be reasons behind it. It could be someone they’re speaking to. It’s someone that they’re discussing their problems with.’
Yet, while he acknowledges grey areas in human relationships, Tony has a stark warning for would-be cheaters. ‘Don’t do it, because somebody will see it,’ he insisted. ‘If it’s happening, we’ll see it.’
