As you all know, southern Louisiana was recently devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. You can help your fellow colleagues in this time of need! LPIA (Louisiana Private Investigators Association) has put together a database on our website, www.lpia.net, which lists Louisiana investigators that were affected by these hurricanes. Please go to the website and click on “Louisiana Hurricane Relief.” There you will find their contact information and a short excerpt about their situation.

The purpose of this database is to connect private investigators in need of assistance with other investigators throughout the country who want to help. Please contact one or more of these individuals directly to determine their needs and help them out. Some of those listed have lost everything they have owned and desperately need your assistance. For example, they may need money, food, clothes, equipment, job openings, or a place to stay or work. We ask that you contact investigators privately and do not send donations to LPIA.

This database is not complete as we have not been able to reach many who are displaced or without means to communicate. Please get the word out to every investigator you know that was affected by the hurricanes or wants to help, then send an email to lpia@lpia.net with their info so we can post it on the database. Include yours or their name, company name, past and current address, telephone number, and email address. Also include a short paragraph or two about the individual’s past and current situation.

Thank you for your assistance.

Robert M. Garcia
LPIA President
Centanni Investigative Agency
P.O. Box 23752
New Orleans, LA 70183
Office: (504) 733-6914
Fax: (504) 733-6909
Email: NtrepidPI@aol.com
www.centanni.net

Liam Aspeling smiles after being reunited with his family
October 26, 2005, 08:45

Three men arrested in connection with the kidnap of Liam Aspeling (10) would appear in the Vereeniging Magistrate’s Court today, a court official confirmed.

Jacob Themba Sishange (27), Phamuel Filane (25) both from Soweto and Elton Serdihe (28) of Kliptown, were arrested after a private investigator found the boy in Freedom Park.

The child’s father is a State witness in a truck hijacking case currently running in the Cape High Court.

Liam has since been taken into a protection programme. – Sapa

Police mum on PI’s involvement in Liam case
October 13, 2005, 13:00

Police today did not want to discuss how a private investigator (PI) became involved in the successful search for kidnap victim Liam Aspeling.

Aspeling was snatched from outside his Ennerdale home on Tuesday morning, but was found safely at a house in Freedom Park, south of Johannesburg, and reunited with his family yesterday afternoon.

Police at the time attributed his safe return to community involvement. However, news reports say that Andre Burger, a private security company investigator, found him.

Serious and violent crimes unit
Burger, reportedly a former member of Soweto’s murder and robbery unit, now the serious and violent crimes unit, told the media that informers had told him where the boy was being held.

He said that he was called to work on the case on Tuesday night by a former police colleague, because of his extensive network of contacts, a local newspaper reported. Before finding Liam, he went to two other houses in the same suburb.

“The child had basically been moved twice since he had been kidnapped on Tuesday morning. When we finally got to the house, there was a guy sitting on a chair outside,” Burger told the newspaper.

“He had a pistol on his lap, and that’s when I knew the child had to be there.”

Still in school uniform
The gunman fled when Burger spoke to him, and when he went into the house, he found Liam sitting on a bare bed, still in his school uniform.

“We will not comment on that yet,” said Maria Mazibuko, police spokesperson, when asked for details on Burger’s involvement. Slang van Zyl, a private security specialist, said that it was not usual for private investigators to be called in by the police.

Private involvement had stopped and there was a “hostile” relationship towards private investigators. However, he said that while a private investigator could contribute to a police investigation, it had to be done in a coordinated way.

Hourly and daily rates
He said that because of the fees they charged, private investigators were usually the preserve of those with financial means. The hourly and daily rates charged could make it about R10 000 for private assistance.

Mazibuko said she could also not elaborate on reports that the whole Aspeling family would be placed under the witness protection programme.

The boy’s father is in the witness protection programme at the moment ahead of his testimony in a hijacking trial expected to start in a Cape court on Monday. It has been speculated that the boy’s kidnapping was related to this.

“I can’t divulge more information on how we are doing the investigation,” said Mazibuko. “We will let you know what happens, because we know that the public want to know that it (the case) is closed.” – Sapa