HUMINT

Vehicle Observation

Student Objectives

• To develop the ability to recognize. important information from a vehicle.
• How to describe a vehicle.
• What other details are available from the vehicle.
• How to recognize a disguised vehicle.
• How to develop additional leads.

Overview

There is a tremendous amount of information that may be gleaned from a vehicle. Much more than the license number. A vehicle can tell you where it has been from the dirt on the tires. Where the driver works, lives and plays. The following will provide you with the some of the basic points to look for when investigating a vehicle.

Vehicle Description

• Vehicle description is much more than the license plate number and color.
• What other details do you see?
• Type of rims.
• Any damage.
• Tinted glass.

What Did You See

• Tell me 5 identifying characteristics of the blue van you just saw!
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

What Are the Most Important Items?

Priorities

• First item is the tires are all low indicating that the van is overloaded with a more weight than it is designed to carry.
• This is an indication that it could be loaded with explosives.

Second

• The windows have been painted over to obstruct someone seeing inside the van.
• The van has been painted but the damage was not fixed.

Third

• The red around the edges of the doors would indicate that the van was red and was painted quickly and unprofessionally.
• The front rims are not the same as the back rims. Could this be a heavier tire to hold more weight?

Vehicle Report

• You will be reporting the obvious such as the Make, Year, Color, Style and license plate number.
• If possible the VIN number.
• Your Intel Training then takes over and you need to make note of the additional items that you notice.

Window Decals

• Make note of any stickers or window and bumper sticker.
• You may locate the employment from their parking pass.
• You may also determine where they live or what clubs their belong.

Tickets

• Parking Citations can assist in providing a time line of when the vehicle was parked and for how long.
• The information on the ticket can lead to information from the officer that wrote the ticket.

Bumper Decals

• Be sure to check the bumpers for decals.
• There are also locations that have RFID sensors that are mounted under the vehicle that remotely open entrance gates at locations such as country clubs.

Handicap Permits

• There is a vast amount of data that may be obtained from referencing the registration number on a Handicap Permit.
• You will be able to determine ownership as well as the individuals doctor and medical records that will normally contain next of kin.

Damage to Vehicles

• Recent Damage that they have not had time to repair could provide you will valuable information.
• You may also find damage to the under carriage.

Condition of Vehicle

• You can see that this vehicle has not been moved recently.
• The condition of the parking from snow, mud or water may provide additional information.

Mud, Salt and Dust

• Note the vehicle covered in mud, salt or dust.
• It also tells you the vehicle has been driven.

Snow on Roof

• Snow on roof of vehicle with no snow on the ground indicates that they have driven from a colder area or from the mountains.

Parking Stub

• Parking Stubs also indicate where the vehicle could have been and how long it was there.

Walking Past the Vehicle

• If you can see into the window without being noticed you may gain insight into the owner.
• It is obvious that static surveillance of McDonalds may provide you access to the owner of this vehicle.

Rifle Scope in Vehicle

• This vehicle has a rifle scope and a gun case exposed on the glove compartment lid.
• Could they be waiting to assassinate someone or bird watching?

Street Signs

• What do you see?
• Can you read the signs as you pass in the dark?

Knowledge of the Area of Operation

• You must know your area. Pre Surveillance planning is critical.
• You can’t always depend on street signs.

Signs

• When on the road you have 4 to 6 seconds to see a sign and comprehend it.
• What do you see?
• Look at the following photos for 5 seconds and then list the characteristics of the photos.

Van

What did you see?

• A Dunkin Donut Van!
• Step Van
• Orange
• 2 Service Windows
• 3 Donuts and a Coffee
• 2 Air Conditioners
• Brown rims
• Service board table on side of vehicle.

Vehicle Sign

Vehicle Sign

• Kennedy Pest Control
• 800 422 PEST
• Palm Tree
• White Pickup

Truck Sign

Truck Sign

• Dynamite Document Destruction
• Red International
• 4400 Diesel
• Glover Body
• External Mirrors Silver with Black brackets
• Black door handle
• Side Fuel Tank

Road Sign

Street Signs

• Cleveland
• 90 East
• 176
• Heinen’s Truck going West on 90 490
• White Vehicle traveling East on 90.
• No Trucks on 90 East

Summary

• You need to practice your observation skills as often as possible.
• Practice while traveling and walking.
• Your observation skills have to become part of your everyday life.
• You need to learn to not only observe the details but also be able to report the details using complete descriptions.