The private investigation services market - Italy (2023)

1.2 The global market

The global private investigation services market is registered at $**.* billion in **** and is expected to expand at a CAGR of *.* percent, reaching $**.* billion by the end of ****. In addition, private investigation services account for nearly ** percent of the global security services market in ****.

Value of the global private investigation services market World, ****-****, billion dollars (***) Factmr

The relationship between private investigation agecies and businesses

The market is strongly influenced by the rapid increase in fraud among industry verticals, which has created a huge demand for private investigation services. In recent years, multiple companies are going digital and consequently trying to capture a larger share of the market share with the help of increased visibility. However, digitization has led to new frontiers of fraud that were not possible in the pre-digitization era. In the short term, a huge global demand for private investigation services in the field of finance is expected.[***]

1.3 The local market

The private investigation services sector experienced an**.* percent decrease in revenue compared to ****. However, it must be considered that the private investigation sector is known for its adaptability, with professionals who can diversify their skills to meet the changing needs of the market. So the adoption of innovative strategies could be key to stimulating a recovery and ensuring the long-term sustainability of this crucial sector.

Turnover of companies active in private investigation services Italy, ****-****, in millions of euros (***) Istat

1.4 Coronavirus: boom in requests for private investigation

With the imprisonment related to the health emergency there has been an increase in private investigation activity. Many individuals have turned to these companies to find evidence of marital infidelity, especially because of the post-pandemic sentimental implications: in fact, there are many who have decided to use lawyers as well. Investigative agencies were halted for nearly two months during the lockdown. Despite this, at the beginning of phase *(***) there were multiple investigative agencies contacted for information related to the discovery of cheating by a partner. In the case of suspicions of infidelity, there are many clients who expressly ask how evidence of adultery might affect and whether it might affect a different division of assets and maintenance.

These situations are strongly linked to the increased use of social platforms during lockdown, increasing courtships via social and the desire for escapism after forced cohabitation. The task of private investigators has been to check PCs and cell phones, complete with online and social activity of the person to be monitored.[***]

2.1 Demand characteristics

The numbers below represent search interest relative to the highest point on the graph, in relation to the region and period indicated. The closer the value is to *** the more frequently the term is searched, ** indicates half of the searches.

During ****, Italians' online search for the keyword 'private investigator' showed a significant increase in interest. From the data collected from January to December, a significant ** percent increase was observed over the month of January.The higher incidence of searches could stem from a number of reasons, including increased awareness of the importance of such services, the need to resolve complex personal or professional issues, or growing trust in private investigators as a reliable resource.

Online search for "private investigator" Italy, ****, Google Trends index Google Trends

2.2 Demand drivers

There are several reasons why Italians turn to a private investigator; some of the most common include:

suspicion of marital infidelity: many clients turn to private investigators to prove or substantiate a suspicion of marital infidelity. When there is a hunch that one's partner may be betraying trust in the relationship, a private investigator can be hired to conduct a discreet investigation and obtain hard evidence. missing persons search: private investigators can play a key role in missing persons situations (***). legal disp utes: when involved in a legal dispute (***) a private investigator can play a valuable role, gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and providing support in preparing a defense or lawsuit. background check: in the business world and in the world of interpersonal relationships, it is sometimes useful to know a person's background; in this case, private investigators are tasked with conducting thorough background checks to provide crucial information about individuals or companies, helping to ensure that informed decisions are made. witness reliability check: in the legal field, witness reliability check is crucial, determining the course of dispute resolution. corporate security: companies often hire private investigators to protect their interests; professionals conduct internal investigations to uncover corporate fraud or illegal and/or ...

2.3 Geographical distribution of demand

To visualize the geographical distribution of demand, an overview of online interest by search term "private investigator" in the various regions of Italy is proposed. Values are calculated on a scale of * to ***, where *** indicates the location with the highest frequency of searches as a proportion of total searches in that location, and a value of ** indicates a location with half as many searches. A value of *, on the other hand, indicates a locality for which insufficient data were collected.

The highest value is in Umbria, while in Molise, Aosta Valley and Trentino-Alto Adige not enough available data were recorded.

3.1 Market structure and dynamics

Firms active in private investigation services showed a slight decrease from **** to **** (***) occurred gradually from year to year.

Firms active in private investigation services Italy, ****-****, hundreds of units Istat

The data indicate that the private investigation sector is large and diverse. The significant presence of sole proprietors, with **.* percent, suggests widespread participation of self-employed professionals. At the same time, the presence of **.* percent limited liability companies(***) indicates significant participation of structured firms, highlighting the variety of approaches in the sector.

Legal form enterprises active in private investigation services Italy, ****, % Istat analyzing the geographic distribution across the country of enterprises active in the sector shows that the Northwest is home to **.* percent of enterprises. This is followed by the Center and the South, accounting for ** percent and **.* percent, respectively. Lower shares of the sector's activity are recorded in the Northeast(***).

Macroregion Number of Active Businesses Northwest *** Northeast *** Center *** South *** Islands **

Consistent with the gradual reduction in the number of enterprises active in the sector, there is also a reduction in the number of employees, which records the lowest value in **** at around *,*** . From **** to ****, a decline of**.* percent is noted.

Number of active employees in the private investigation sector Italy, ****-****, ...

3.2 Value Chain

The following are the different stages that contribute to providing private investigative services:

Research and Development (***): Innovation in surveillance and investigation techniques. Development of new technologies for data collection and analysis. Training and Certification: Training of investigators in surveillance techniques, intelligence gathering. Obtaining necessary licenses and certifications. Marketing and Client Acquisition: Advertising and promotion of services offered. Networking and relationship building to acquire new clients. Case Assessment and Investigative Planning: Analysis of client needs and case assessment. Investigative strategy planning. Field Operations: Execution of field investigations, such as surveillance and evidence collection. Use of advanced technologies and techniques to gather information. Analysis and Reporting: Processing and analysis of collected data. Preparation of detailed reports for clients.

3.3 Main actors

The following is an overview of the major players in the industry, ranked according to annual revenue value:

Abbrevia: Abbrevia S.p.A. is an Italian company specializing in investigative services. It offers credit, business information, and corporate, private, and criminal investigations. It uses a holistic approach that combines different forensic sciences, providing services tailored to clients' needs. Attentive to the quality and accuracy of information, the company uses advanced technologies. Founded in ****, Abbrevia has several operating offices in Italy and a network of agents throughout the country. Mr. Security s.r.l.: MR Security S.R.L., located in Asti, Italy, offers security and reception services to the public. Their mission is to provide personalized service based on thoroughness and investigation by a team of professionals. They focus on solutions for delicate and complex situations. Top Secret Investigations and Security s.r.l.: Top Secret is an Italian company that provides security services, private surveillance, private and corporate investigations, and security systems. It offers security solutions for events, public venues, and bodyguard services. It also provides armed and unarmed surveillance services, commercial investigations, and installation of burglar alarm systems. The company also specializes in cyber security and facility management. Top ...

4.1 Type of Offering

Services of the private investigator

The private investigator specializes in finding information and evidence on behalf of principals. The services offered by a private investigator are different and can be useful in the resolution of personal, legal or financial issues. A very interesting and peculiar aspect of private detective work, is that of the autonomy of action that distinguishes this profession.

In order to obtain the information he or she needs, the investigation professional may feel that he or she must do:

stakeouts; stalking; phone calls; interrogations; online searches; access to databases and offices.

Among the various investigations that the investigative agent may be assigned to conduct we can mention:

research into a person's past (***); tracing of physical subjects; tracing stolen or misappropriated assets; investigations to counter insurance fraud; investigation of bank accounts; investigation of a person's lifestyle; investigations for workplace absenteeism; investigations to protect intellectual and industrial property; corporate governance audit; evaluation of a debtor's solvency; financial and bank-support investigations.

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Overview of offerings

Most private investigation agencies offer the following services:

premarital investigations: conducting investigations by collecting film and photographic evidence to ascertain the honesty and fidelity of the partner; marital infidelity: investigations related to spouse's behavior to test ...

4.2 Prices

Outlining the costs of an investigative agency is a complex task, as prices change depending on the plan of action to be implemented. In addition, one must always consider that rates vary not only depending on the type of service requested but also based on how feasible that investigation is with respect to privacy laws and European regulations. The following are the average prices for private investigation services:

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4.3 New supply trends

Investigative activity has been made more effective and efficient with the advent of new technologies and the development of digitization, leading to a real revolution. Investigative investigations have encountered a radical change in the methods and organization of their activities.

The private investigator today combines the human aspect with that of Cyber Intelligence, that is, the set of technological tools that can assist the professional in his or her employment. These are devices that transmit, in real time, sound, images and video. An example are micro-cameras, software, tools and the Internet. In this way, the detective will have at his or her disposal a greater number of useful "weapons" to optimize each stage of investigative investigations (***). With more information available, evidence will be multiplied and the percentage of successfully closing an investigation will increase.

Open Source: ****

Today, Human Intelligence is being joined by Open Source: ****

The role of drones in private investigation activities

Drones in private investigation activities represent a useful frontier of new technologies in the field, useful for enabling the visualization of an aerial perspective during survey activities and verification of the state of places. Through the recording of high-resolution images and video, drones can gather detailed visual evidence, ...

5.1 Rules and regulations

Italian and European legislation related to private investigations has undergone recent updates and implementations:

Legislative Decree No. **/****, which implements EU Directive No. ****/**** on whistleblowing. This legislation establishes a legal framework for the protection of individuals who report violations of national or EU law that put public interests or the integrity of public or private entities at risk. The new rules aim to promote transparency and accountability and make whistleblowing a key tool for preventing criminal activity and violations of national and EU law, including for private sector companies. Companies with at least ** employees, those that have adopted a compliance program in accordance with Legislative Decree No. ***/****, and those operating in specific industries (***) must establish an internalwhistleblowing system that ensures the confidentiality of the identity of the person reporting, any third parties involved, the circumstances mentioned in the report, and related documents. Whistleblowing can be done in writing or orally, or both. Oral reporting can be done by telephone or voice messaging systems and, at the request of the person reporting, through an in-person meeting within a reasonable time. Cross-border investigations present specific challenges because of the need to identify which states have relevant jurisdiction and then the full cooperation of actions ...

6.1 Segmentation

Leading macroregional breakdown

• Axerta
• Top Secret Investigazioni e Sicurezza
• M.r. Security
• Abbrevia
• Stargate Security
• Stuppia Investigazioni
• ITS International Top Service
• Excursus
• CDM Vigilanza