Surveillance Private Investigationa on Long Island & New York City

What Should You Expect When You Hire a Surveillance Private Investigator?

At Root Investigations, we receive a lot of calls asking what surveillance investigations entail. We are here to break it down for you. If this is your first time considering hiring a PI for surveillance, and wonder what it is, our investigations consist of watching someone’s activities and documenting what they’re doing. This can include where they go, who they meet, and what they’re up to when they think no one’s looking. Our PI’s videotape, take photographic evidence, write reports, take statements, and gather evidence for a report. Although it sounds simple and appears that way in the movies, unless you have an unlimited budget, the movies are far from reality! We cannot stress that enough. No matter who you hire, there are a multitude of things that can affect a surveillance, such as traffic, the block you are staking out, nosy neighbors, being “made,” etc. Staying completely invisible while capturing high-quality video and photo evidence is our end goal – and the best way to do that is by creating an actionable plan with the client during our consultation. Our goal is to work with you and gather the truth, facts, and evidence.

Our specialty is in surveillance so whether it is your significant other cheating, a custody battle, time theft at a place of business you operate, or a personal injury matter, our private investigators are able to assist and have extensive experience.

Call (516) 297-1958 for a free consultation. We’re available 24/7.

Who Is Root Investigations Surveillance Investigators?

Root Investigations is a licensed and insured private investigation agency, located on Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk County) and serving NYC. Our team has included former NYPD officers, FBI agents, retired CIA, and seasoned private investigators who understand how to blend in while obtaining the evidence you need to get to the root of the problem. We hire individuals from diverse ethnicities, ages, genders, and professions, allowing us to remain covert in any situation. We pride ourselves on utilizing different vehicles during surveillances whenever possible, switching PI’s if need be, or continuing with the same investigator if you are getting optimal results.

How Does Surveillance Work & What Do We Offer?

Root Investigations handles a few different types of surveillance. During your free consultation, we would help determine what is best suited for your case and if it is a type of case we take on.

1. Physical Surveillance: This consists of following someone in person. Depending upon the location and case, we work either in a car, on foot, or by staking out a location. We rotate investigators if needed for privacy and document everything we observe on video and in detailed reports. We offer affidavits from our investigations. During our free consultation, the owner, Liz, will go over the logistics with you and figure out how many investigator(s) are necessary for your case. Typically, after a 4-hour shift or dependent upon your intel, we will know if more than 1 investigator will be needed to successfully obtain your results. In NYC, all cases are a minimum of 2 private investigators (1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle). We do this to get you the best results and so you can utilize your money without going over your budget.
2. Electronic and Digital Surveillance: A lot of evidence lives online. People post on social media, check in at locations, share photos – sometimes without realizing they’re leaving a digital trail that can be documented. Our Internet & Social Media Investigations  services track someone’s online activity, posts, interactions, and digital footprint. Unlike the movies, we are legally not able to access someone’s account and we follow all of NYS laws regarding this.
3. Vehicle Tracking: We offer Vehicle Tracking/GPS services, but NYS law is very limited. We can only install GPS trackers on vehicles you own and have registered in your name – if you’re not listed as the owner/operator, we legally cannot assist.
4. Undercover Investigations: Sometimes you need more than surveillance from a distance. Undercover work can include posing as a customer, staying at hotels, or gathering intelligence through discreet and confidential methods. We have extensive experience conducting undercover investigations legally.
5. Employment Investigations: We are often contacted by lawyers or business owners to check on their businesses for things such as time stealing, going undercover, and more. We will discuss your case thoroughly to determine if we can assist. Learn more about our Business & Corporate Investigation services.
6. High Profile Investigations: We handle cases for all types of clients, from individuals dealing with personal matters to high-profile figures, executives, and large corporations. The common thread? Every case requires complete discretion and confidentiality, and that’s exactly what we provide. Whether you’re concerned about a cheating spouse, corporate espionage, or protecting your public image, our investigators know how to conduct surveillance without drawing attention. We take the same extra precautions for every client to ensure your case remains completely confidential from start to finish. Everything we do must remain legal and in accordance with NYS law.

What Are Your Primary Cases?

Although most surveillance cases begin the same way, with watching someone, during the actual surveillance (dependent upon the type of case) different evidence is specified for your case.

1. Infidelity & Cheating Spouse Cases: If you are worried about infidelity, although we are watching everything – we are hyper vigilant looking for that. We understand how valuable peace of mind is and are here to walk you through your case and talk to you during the investigation. You deserve to know what’s really going on so you can make decisions about your relationship and future. We’ve handled hundreds of infidelity investigations throughout NYC and Long Island.
2. Child Custody Investigations: If you are concerned about your children’s safety or well-being when with the other parent or guardian, surveillance provides documented proof for court, such as speeding, substance abuse, dangerous behavior, neglect, leaving kids unsupervised, not utilizing seatbelts, or concerning situations with new partners. Judges need evidence, not just your word. Our child custody investigations give you the documentation you need to protect your kids. We will work with you or your lawyer dependent upon the situation.
3. Insurance Fraud & Workers Compensation Fraud: Lawyers, insurance companies, and businesses hire us to investigate people claiming injuries or disabilities who might not be injured. We document them lifting heavy objects, playing sports, working side jobs, doing jobs outside of their house when the weather permits – activities that directly contradict their claims. These types of investigations can save companies significant money by exposing fraudulent claims with video evidence. We are usually contacted by these types of firms and companies when others fail to deliver results. Our insurance fraud investigations and workers comp fraud services provide the documentation needed. If a claimant is hyper vigilant, we recommend at minimum 2 investigators, otherwise the individual may remain at home all day.
4. Corporate & Business Investigations: This includes but is not limited to employee theft, time theft, corporate espionage, partners running side businesses with your clients, employees claiming to work from home but not actually working – these are all situations where surveillance provides the proof you need.
5. Attorney & Law Firms: We work with law firms throughout New York for litigation support, witness interviews, background investigations, and surveillance. Learn more about our specialized lawyer services.

Why Work With Root Investigations?

Root Investigations is a female-owned business, and we’ve found from clients that often makes a difference in how we approach cases. We tend to be more detail-oriented, and because we have a diverse staff of different genders, ages, and backgrounds, we see situations from multiple angles. Our clients tell us this matters, whether you’re a man dealing with a painful situation who appreciates straightforward communication without judgment, or a woman who wants someone who actually listens and keeps you informed. We stay in communication throughout your case, and many clients keep in touch with us long after their investigation is complete.

Our team has real experience. Our diverse staff allows us to adapt to any environment and location.

We’re licensed and insured in New York State. Our license number is 11000210387. This means the evidence we gather is admissible in court, you’re protected from liability, and we follow all legal requirements.

Everything is documented properly for court. Not all surveillance evidence can be used in court. Sometimes an investigator without a license will advertise and cannot help when it is time to go to court. This means all the evidence that they found is then dismissed. We know New York’s requirements for admissibility. We time-stamp our video, authenticate it, maintain proper chain of custody, and can testify if your case goes to court.

We’re a local, boutique agency. Based on Long Island, we know the neighborhoods, traffic patterns, and best vantage points throughout the Island and NYC—things only a local investigator knows. You’re not a case number here. You’ll always speak directly with the owner, Liz, and have a dedicated case manager assigned to your investigation. We stay in communication before, during, and after your case, treating your situation with the urgency it deserves. Our all-inclusive rates mean you’re not paying for inexperienced investigators and you are treated always as our #1 client no matter how big or small the case may be. As the owner, my job is to stay in communication with you before, during, and after an investigation, and we treat your situation with the urgency it deserves.

I Think I Am Ready – What Are The Next Steps?

Step 1: Free Consultation

Email us or call us at (516) 297-1958 for a free consultation. We’re available 24/7.
to discuss what’s going on, what you’re looking to find, and whether surveillance makes sense for your situation. We’ll be honest with you about what we can and can’t do. From there, we conduct a case intake, have you sign a DocuSign agreement, and collect payment prior to surveillance beginning.

Step 2: Planning

We develop a plan with you. Although we are the experts, sometimes the client knows particular things we wouldn’t—when they leave for work, usual routines, known addresses. We’ll ask: what type of surveillance is needed? When and where? How many investigators? What specific evidence are you looking for? How many days? How much will this cost? We go over all the logistics with you upfront.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Step 3: Conducting Surveillance

Our investigators gather evidence discreetly. We use professional equipment and counter-surveillance techniques to avoid detection. If it’s a digital investigation, we document online activity and social media. We provide you with updates throughout the shift – either by via text, email, or telephone call (clients preference).

Step 4: Evidence & Reporting

Once the case is complete, we compile everything into a comprehensive report with video, photos, timestamps, GPS data (when applicable), detailed observations, and a timeline of activities. Everything is prepared for potential court use.

Step 5: Review & Next Steps

We go over the findings with you, explain what the evidence shows, and discuss your options. If you need us to testify in court or continue the investigation, we can do that. Testifying is not included in our fee and typically paid for an 8-hour shift. We highly recommend leaving reviews when your court case is fully completed, that way you can help others who were once in your situation.

What We Can and Cannot Do Legally

We follow New York State privacy laws and federal regulations. This means we can conduct surveillance in public spaces, document publicly visible activities, monitor social media, and use legal methods to gather evidence. We cannot trespass on private property, hack into accounts, plant listening devices, or use any illegal methods to obtain information. We won’t risk your case or our license by cutting corners. We also DO NOT specialize in TSCM/bug-sweeping and currently do not have any recommendations on Long Island or New York City. The closest recommendation we have is in New Jersey.

What Areas Do You Cover?

We conduct surveillance investigations throughout NYS, but specialize in the following:

Long Island – Nassau County: Although we cover all of Long Island, towns can include Freeport, Long Beach, Great Neck, Garden City, Manhasset, Old Westbury, Hempstead, and all other Nassau County towns.

In Suffolk County, we are located in Huntington, NY. We cover cases throughout all of Suffolk County, including the Hamptons (Southampton, Bridgehampton, Hampton Bays), the North Fork (NOFO), Smithtown, Brookhaven, the town of Riverhead, Islip, Ronkonkoma, and all other Suffolk County towns.

Throughout New York City: we conduct cases in all five boroughs – Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. If we are conducting a case in New York City, a minimum of two investigators is always required due to public transportation, and a multitude of exits at many buildings.

Westchester & Putnam County: Westchester and Putnam County includes, but it’s not limited to White Plains, Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, and surrounding areas. Sometimes these cases cost slightly more but we determine this during the consultation.

Cases that are located in more rural or discreet towns required two or more investigators for optimal results.  We know these areas well. From Manhattan’s crowded streets to Nassau’s suburbs to Montauk, our local knowledge makes our surveillance more effective.

Pricing & What’s Included

Our all-inclusive surveillance packages start at $900 (can be a slightly lower) for 4 hours and include investigator time, video and photo evidence, written reports, and follow-up consultations—no hidden fees for travel, mileage, or equipment. While our rates may appear slightly higher than some competitors at first glance, they’re actually more affordable because everything is included with no surprise charges. For complete pricing details, visit our pricing page for all information.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ We cannot stress enough how essential when shopping around to ask what is included and what is not, as often there are hidden fees and the bill comes to much more than initially stated. Furthermore, make sure the investigator is licensed so your evidence can be utulized in court.

Questions People Usually Ask

How long will the surveillance take?

Surveillance truly varies case by case. Sometimes we get what you need in one 4-hour shift. Other cases require multiple days or weeks of monitoring. We’ll give you an honest assessment during the consultation.

Will the person know they’re being followed?

Typically – no. Unless the individual has been followed already and you do not make us aware or they are highly sensitive due to a court case coming up, we are able to remain discreet. We’re trained in covert surveillance techniques. We change up our appearance and employ counter-detection methods. If we suspect we’ve been spotted, we pull back and adjust our approach.

Can the evidence be used in court?

Yes. We document everything according to New York’s court admissibility standards with proper timestamps, authentication, chain of custody procedures. We can also testify in court if needed. Pricing for testifying is one 8-hour shift per day of testifying. Typically our clients do not need us to testify, but instead provide an affidavit, which is included if needed.

Do you work nights, weekends, and holidays?

Absolutely. We conduct surveillance whenever it makes the most sense for your case. People don’t just live their lives 9-5 Monday through Friday, so neither do we. If you were looking for surveillance on a holiday, we recommend booking in advance as surveillance books quickly during the holiday seasons.

What if the person leaves New York?

If the subject travels outside of New York, we can coordinate with licensed investigators in other states through our professional network. We’ll discuss this if it becomes relevant to your case.

How do I know the video and photos are real?

In the age of deep fakes, this is an excellent question. All of our evidence is time-stamped using verified equipment. If your case goes to court, we can authenticate all evidence and testify to how it was obtained or provide an affidavit.