Establishing the Baseline
You cannot spot the abnormal until you know what is normal. The first step in all counter-surveillance is to establish a baseline for the environment you are in. This means paying attention to the normal flow of people and traffic, the typical attire, the ambient noise level, and the general mood. A business district at lunchtime has a different baseline than a residential street at midnight. Any person or vehicle that is incongruous with this baseline—someone wearing a heavy coat on a hot day, a vehicle parked in an unusual spot—is an anomaly worth noting.
The Surveillance Detection Route (SDR)
The SDR is the primary active tool for confirming surveillance. It is a pre-planned route that creates opportunities to observe your surroundings in a non-obvious way. An effective SDR forces a surveillance team to make difficult choices that might expose them. Key features of an SDR include: making sudden turns, entering a building with multiple exits, stopping abruptly to look in a shop window (using the reflection to see behind you), or using a public restroom. The goal is to see if the same anomaly (a person or vehicle) reappears after you have made these maneuvers.
Recognizing Surveillance Tactics
Professional surveillance often involves a team, not a single person. Understanding their tactics helps in detection. A 'leapfrog' tactic involves multiple operatives who take turns being the primary follower, so you don't see the same person behind you for too long. They may also use a 'pincer' movement, with operatives on parallel streets. Recognizing that the person who was behind you before a turn is now suddenly in front of you is a key indicator of a coordinated team.
Detecting Technical Surveillance
Detecting electronic bugs and trackers is a specialized skill. A physical inspection is the first line of defense. Check your vehicle regularly for small magnetic boxes attached to the undercarriage or in the wheel wells. Be wary of new, out-of-place items in your home or office, like a new clock or phone charger, as these are common concealments for listening devices. For a more thorough check, a TSCM (Technical Surveillance Counter-Measures) sweep using professional equipment like RF detectors is necessary.
Confirmation, Not Confrontation
The goal of reverse stealth is to gain information and confirm surveillance, not to confront the surveillance team. Confrontation immediately alerts them that you are aware, causing them to change their tactics or abort their mission, leaving you in the dark about their ultimate objective. Once surveillance is confirmed, the correct response is to act as if you are unaware and proceed to a safe location to plan your next steps, whether that is evasion or gathering more intelligence on your observers.