Your San Marino Private Investigator for Surveillance and Investigations
If you need a private investigator in San Marino, Bear Witness has been documenting the truth for California clients since 1996. San Marino is a city of about 12,000 people in Los Angeles County. Surveillance is our specialty, and every case is handled by a licensed investigator — never a call center.
From infidelity and custody cases to workers’ compensation fraud and litigation support, we keep our caseload small so every San Marino client works directly with the investigator in the field — and gets a clear answer, documented to the standard California courts expect.
Surveillance Specialists Serving San Marino
Most investigations come down to one question: what is really happening? A private investigator in San Marino answers it with surveillance video, photos, and a written timeline.
Mobile Surveillance
Experienced drivers who anticipate turns and freeway exits, so your subject is documented from stop to stop.
Static Surveillance
We hold position at the locations that matter to your case and record activity with time-stamped video.
Two-Investigator Teams
For careful or unpredictable subjects, two investigators trade off so the same car is never seen twice.
Like much of Los Angeles County, San Marino mixes residential neighborhoods with busy commercial corridors. We combine discreet residential positioning with mobile coverage on the roads in between.
What Our San Marino Private Investigators Handle
Whatever the situation, the work comes down to documenting the facts lawfully and clearly.
Personal Cases
- Nanny & daycare surveillance — peace of mind about who is caring for your child in San Marino.
- Runaways & missing persons — people-location work to find someone who has gone missing or run away.
- Infidelity & cheating spouse — documenting where a partner goes and who they meet, without them knowing.
Family Law Cases
- Child visitation — documenting visitation exchanges and compliance with the court order.
- Lifestyle investigations — what someone’s day-to-day life really looks like.
- Child custody — parenting-time compliance, home conditions, and welfare concerns.
- Cohabitation — documenting cohabitation that can affect spousal support under Family Code 4323.
- Child support — documenting employment and income the other parent may not be reporting.
- Divorce investigations — documentation that supports your attorney’s strategy.
Business Cases
- Workers’ comp fraud — comparing a claimant’s real activity to reported restrictions.
- Insurance defense — claim investigations built for insurers and their attorneys.
- Employee theft — facts for San Marino employers before they confront anyone.
- Injury claims — verifying the extent of claimed injuries through lawful observation.
- Business partner surveillance — answers before you sign or after trust breaks down.
Law Firm Cases
- Court testimony — investigator testimony in California courts when needed.
- Records research — court, property, business, and public records research.
- Evidence gathering — court-ready documentation for litigation.
- Evasive subpoena service — serving witnesses and parties who are avoiding service.
- Surveillance — defensible surveillance your team can rely on at trial.
- Witness statements — tracking down witnesses in San Marino and beyond.
Why San Marino Clients Choose Bear Witness
Not every San Marino private investigator specializes in surveillance. Here is what makes Bear Witness different.
Surveillance Specialists
We specialize in surveillance, so your case gets investigators who do this every day.
Honest Results
We report what we observed — no stretching thin evidence to justify a case.
Statewide Coverage
From San Marino to the rest of California, we follow subjects wherever the case leads.
Direct Access to Your Investigator
One investigator from your first call to your final report, with updates along the way.
Absolute Discretion
Your case is never discussed with anyone outside the firm, and the subject never knows we were there.
Available 24/7
Nights, weekends, holidays — we work when your subject is active.
What Our Clients Say
Real reviews from Bear Witness clients across California.
“Thank you for all your help. You guys were really great! I will definitely refer your private detective agency to all my friends & colleagues in need.”
“Excellent communication, insight, and follow-through skills. Very impressed with your surveillance video. Excellent work. Thank you! Will refer to friends in need.”
“Of all the private investigators I have used, the Bear Witness Detective Agency has proven to be the only investigation company I can completely rely on and trust. When I need smart surveillance investigators who get the job done right, they are always at the very top of my call list.”
Names and/or locations altered for client privacy. Read more client reviews →
Where San Marino Cases Are Heard
San Marino sits roughly 18 miles from Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County seat, where the main Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles facilities are located.
If your San Marino matter ends up in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, documentation quality decides whether the evidence helps. We keep chain-of-custody records and write reports in plain chronological order.
About 83% of San Marino households own their homes. Stable, quiet neighborhoods mean residents notice unfamiliar cars, so residential surveillance here takes careful positioning.
Nearby Areas We Cover
Cases rarely stay inside one city limit. From San Marino, we regularly work:
Straight-line distances from San Marino.
How Hiring a Private Investigator in San Marino Works
- 1
Call Us
A short, private conversation about your situation, with no obligation.
- 2
Strategy
We decide when and where surveillance in and around San Marino is most likely to answer your question.
- 3
Fieldwork
One investigator handles your case from start to finish.
- 4
Results
Documented findings in plain language — including a clear “nothing found” when that is the truth.
San Marino Private Investigator FAQs
Do you also cover San Gabriel and South Pasadena?
Yes. San Gabriel is about 2 miles from San Marino and South Pasadena about 3 miles, and both are part of our regular coverage in Southern California.
What does a private investigator in San Marino do?
We document facts for personal, family law, business, and legal cases — most often through surveillance, along with background research, people location, witness statements, and process serving.
Do you specialize in surveillance?
Yes. Surveillance has been Bear Witness’s specialty since 1996, and it is part of nearly every case we handle in San Marino and across California.
How do I verify your license?
Look up PI License #18755 on the California Department of Consumer Affairs license search.
Do you handle workers’ compensation and insurance claims?
Yes. We conduct claimant surveillance and claim investigations for employers, insurers, and defense counsel.
Is surveillance legal in San Marino?
Yes, when done correctly. California allows observation in public places where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy. Our investigators do not trespass, use hidden vehicle trackers, or record private conversations.
Is everything I tell you confidential?
Yes. Your case is handled by your assigned investigator and never discussed with anyone outside the firm.
What if the investigation finds nothing?
You get an honest report that says so. A clean result still answers the question.
How is a San Marino investigation priced?
Surveillance is billed by time. After a free consultation, you get a written estimate before any billable work begins.
Every case starts with a free, confidential consultation. Call 1(877)PROOF-24/7 to speak with a licensed investigator about your San Marino case.