A Day in the Life

[Admin]

A not uncommon scenario (lesson to be learned, be flexible):
A DAY IN THE LIFE
Specific instructions 16:15 Thursday 17 April 2014 were received at our office to undertake an urgent surveillance over the Easter period to establish Silly Subject’s current level of activity and/or level of incapacity. Surveillance was instructed to be undertaken from Good Friday, 18 April 2014 – Easter Monday, 21 April 2014 inclusive.

Surveillance was conducted on the above dates, during which Silly Subject was found to be residing at the address listed in your instructions.

At 06:00 surveillance commenced. At 07:11 on Friday 18 April 2014 the Subject was observed to depart her address as a front seat passenger in a Toyota 4WD towing a boat on a trailer. A male, believed to be her partner, was driving the vehicle. Mobile surveillance was conducted and the vehicle stopped at a service station in (location redacted) (161 km) where they refuelled the vehicle and then departed a short time later with the Subject now as the driver.

Mobile surveillance continued and the Subject drove the vehicle to (redacted) (144 km), where they again stopped, attended some toilets and purchased some food at Subway. After consuming the food the Subject boarded as a front seated passenger and the Subject’s partner drove the vehicle. Mobile surveillance again continued until they arrived at (redacted) (112 km) where they attended a Café and the boyfriend attended a local service station and purchased ice.

The Subject was again a front seat passenger as they departed and headed in a generally easterly direction.. The vehicle was then observed to turn off XX Road (25 km) and enter the X National Park. Mobile surveillance continued from a distance along the dirt tracks into the National Park and signage indicated two possible campgrounds could be their intended destination; (1) That Creek Campground (14 km), or (2) This Creek campground (19 km).

Mobile surveillance continued from a distance and at the fork in the track the tyre tracks indicated
they had taken the route to the That Creek Campground that was a further 13.5km along a four
wheel drive only access track. Mobile surveillance was attempted along the track, however without
having a four wheel drive to assist if the surveillance vehicle became “bogged”, it was elected to
discontinue the mobile surveillance. A local lookout was checked to determine if it afforded a view of
the campground, however this was unsuccessful.

Local accommodation was obtained in Town Near By and on Saturday 19 April 2014 enquiries were
conducted at various hire car companies and eventually a four wheel drive vehicle was obtained.

Some basic provisions such as a fishing rod and some food were purchased so as to have a suitable
explanation for being at the beach campground. The area was attended from 11:15, and video footage was exposed of the Subject conducting various activities around the campsite.

The Subject was observed seated in a camping chair, walking, bending at the waist, twisting her upper torso to look behind her when seated, reversing a trailer on the back of a Toyota 4WD, looking out of the driver’s window when reversing the vehicle, walking about the camp area, and standing at a gas cooktop stove and cooking food.

Difficulties were experienced remaining discreet in the campground area as other campers were taking particular interest in our Investigator’s presence. The campground is small and only five groups of campers were present. Due to the inaccessibility, it is not an area that generally has day trippers attend. In the afternoon the Subject appeared settled in the campsite and the males all started consuming alcoholic beverages and playing loud music. It was elected to suspend surveillance on this day with a view of attending the following day early in the morning to potentially observe any wakeboarding or skiing activities.

Surveillance was conducted on Sunday 20 April 2014 commencing at 07:00 and upon arrival at the campground the Subject and the majority of her fellow campers appeared to still be asleep. The Subject was sighted later in the morning and throughout the morning footage was exposed of the Subject engaged in multiple activities packing up the campsite. She was observed bending at varying degrees at the waist, squatting, kneeling on her hands and knees, bending forward at the waist to retrieve items from ground level and to sweep out the tent with a dustpan and brush. She was also observed to bend to ground level when dismantling the tent. Surveillance was again ceased due to interest from other campers at the campground and so as to not arouse sny suspicion from the Subject.

The male companion of the Subject had been overheard advising they were changing campsites and going to move to the other side of the headland. Surveillance was maintained from a distance, however the Subject was not observed to depart from the National Park and it was suspected they may have attended the alternate campground within the same National Park.

When observed, the Subject did not demonstrate any obvious sign of pain or restriction and was observed to bend at varying degrees at the waist without apparent restriction.


Silly Subject had been claiming a total incapacity to work due to a lower back injury cause great pain and severely restricted movement .... a good result