In a large industrial plant, unrest had been brewing. For weeks, copper and aluminium plates kept disappearing. Theft, embezzlement, or errors in recording or inventory management? It seemed plausible – the stolen materials were mostly production remnants, but still valuable enough to spark temptation.
Security measures in the plant were extensive, but one weak point remained: a remote gate that wasn’t covered by video surveillance. The stolen metal was apparently being placed there for collection.

But the big question remained:
Who was behind it, and who leaked the internal information?

The Investigation Begins

A private investigation agency was hired by the industrial company to look into the matter. The police, overwhelmed with other tasks – apparently more concerned with parking offenders and political critics – had no capacity for such surveillance.

Detective Jonas Falk and his partner Lisa Sommer led the operation. Both were experienced with cases requiring technical expertise and keen observation.
The first clue pointed to a suspicious white Mercedes Sprinter that had been seen near the plant several times. Its licence plates changed frequently – sometimes German, sometimes foreign – clearly an attempt to cover the perpetrators’ tracks.

To coordinate the team efficiently, the investigators used the PAJ GPS tracking system. This allowed them to follow all team vehicles on a live map, keeping operations centralised and ensuring the detectives were always in the optimal position.

On the very first day of surveillance around the remote gate, progress was made.
A white Mercedes Sprinter approached around midday – the same vehicle suspected earlier. The detectives stayed hidden while the van stopped at the gate. The driver got out, entered a code, and the gate opened. He obviously knew the access code – strong evidence of inside help.
The fact that the act took place at midday suggested routine and boldness. Sometimes criminals deliberately operate openly, knowing most people assume crimes happen only in the shadows.

The Trail Heats Up

After some time, the Sprinter left again. The van now sat noticeably lower on its suspension, struggling and smoking as it accelerated uphill – clearly loaded with metal.

The operations centre used the PAJ tracker to direct surveillance vehicles discreetly and avoided drawing attention. A second team was positioned in a neighbouring village to cover another potential route.
The roads became more rural and isolated. When the Sprinter eventually turned onto a remote forest track, the detectives held back to avoid being detected.

The operations centre relayed that there was a secluded farm nearby. A private investigator was guided via PAJ GPS to a higher forest trail where he could observe the area.
Better still: a hunter’s stand was nearby. From there, the investigator spotted the property clearly – and also a white Mercedes Sprinter without licence plates.

The Take-Down

The central office notified the local police. The station chief recognised the property – it had previously been rented by criminals.

But it was still too early to intervene; more evidence was required.

Soon after, a car with two men arrived. Based on photos sent from the scene, the plant’s operations manager identified the men as employees of the industrial company.
Together with another man – presumably the Sprinter driver – they unloaded the metal plates. Then they attached foreign number plates to the van.

From the hunter’s stand, the detective captured high-resolution images and forwarded them to the team. The operations centre sent them to the plant’s operations manager, who was now certain that this was the missing metal.
The dimensions and colour matched perfectly.

Now it had to happen fast.

The police arrived with three patrol cars. One detective was allowed to accompany them to photograph the transporter and the stolen materials on-site.
The three men surrendered without resistance.

The combination of modern PAJ GPS technology, sharp observation, and flawless coordination of the investigative team...

*Translated from German