Andy Chambers - Problem Solved: True Stories from a Blind Private Eye

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andrew was born in post-war Scotland and adopted as an infant. Uninterested in academic pursuits, after leaving school he instead sought adventure, travelling before moving to Australia in 1981. There he began a career in investigations and security, eventually developing his business to an international level and working with the world-famous and oldest investigation firm. In 2000, Andrew received devastating news that he was going to lose his eyesight.

Despite his blindness, Andrew continued to perform investigations across the world. Before long he was legally blind and soon couldnt see at all, but rather than find a new line of work, he stuck with his PI business. Surrounded by a strong team, Andrew repositioned himself as the blind private eye, relying on his remaining 4 senses to guide a successful career in an industry where sight is traditionally a significant inherent requirement. He sold his company in 2019 and is now retired.

CHAPTER 1

UNDERCOVER JOB

I had been working for a small investigation company in Sydney for around 18 months when I was called into its Castlereagh Street office for a meeting with Johnno, my boss. He told me over a coffee that a client of his was having problems in the workplace. This client was a director of a company that owned a steelworks and a couple of the staff members on permanent night shift were creating problems.

There were reports of bullying, borrowing money and not paying it back, and physical attacks. Word had got back to management through the union but most of the affected workers were migrants and reluctant to make official reports. The union organiser was also fairly weak and tended to turn a blind eye. Senior management had interviewed both the perpetrators but had simply been told to go fuck themselves. The fact that they could say this directly to senior management without any repercussions gave a good indication as to the state of the company. The situation could not be allowed to continue and something fairly drastic had to be done.

Johnno suggested that I go undercover and record their antics so that evidence could be accrued and the workers sacked. Whilst working on night shift I would get a feel for what was going on and prepare detailed notes which could be used in evidence. There really was not much of a plan. Put simply, it was just a matter of casting the net and seeing what it caught.

As it was my first undercover job, I was fairly nervous and spent a considerable amount of time working out my background story. As is the case when you assume a new identity, the secret is to keep it as close to the truth as possible. Do not make it too complicated. For example, use family and friends first names and try and stay away from surnames as much as possible. Tell them the truth about your hobbies and sporting interests. Keep it simple was my motto.

I studied the history of the company and was presented with the personnel files of all involved. The two main perpetrators, Jack and Ray, were third-generation Aussies from working-class backgrounds. Although they both had criminal records, they were for minor offences such as drunk and disorderly, breach of the peace, and driving offences. Put simply, they were just two working-class men of average intelligence who pushed the boundaries and, to date, had gotten away with it.

The victims in this case all appeared to be new Australians from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. There was a Kiwi, three South Americans and an African guy being harassed. There may also have been others. Time would tell.

I commenced night shift on a Thursday evening and was introduced to a middle manager who gave me the site induction. He was a thin and sickly looking individual who had a weak handshake which could be described as like holding a dead fish. It was cold and clammy and so was his personality. I was given overalls, boots and a hard hat and sent to the supervisor. At this time, although the board were aware something was going on, only my boss and his client knew I was undercover.

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There were 12 guys on permanent night shift. There was one supervisor, who was also the union delegate, and the rest of us were general labourers. Two guys put metal into the large pots for melting, before pouring the molten metal into large pits where the casts would form. These pits were around six metres deep and, after the steel had been taken out, one of the workers would be lowered down to clean out the walls. It was a filthy place at the best of times, but this task meant you literally came out black from head to toe.

My two new best friends would take great delight in unbuttoning their overalls and urinating on the rotund little Kiwi guy scrubbing the floor of the pit. They would call on him to look up and you could see his glasses blink in the spotlight as they pissed on top of him. All you could hear was an echoey aw fuck coming from the pit as he realised what was happening. The two amigos howled with laughter and that was the joke of the night. The other workers nervously laughed along, mainly because they didnt want to fall foul of these two jokers.

I decided to create a bit of a name for myself when we stopped for smoko at around 2 am. As the guys gathered in the canteen, I took a seat near the door and made an announcement that from now on this was my seat. A few of the guys just shrugged and continued their business; however, my action had the desired effect on Jack and Ray. They sidled up next to me.

We like your attitude, Jack said. Youll fit in just fine with us.

Over the next few shifts I got to know Jack and Ray but still found time to talk to the other workers. Emilio was from South America. He had been a lab technician who wanted to get a degree at Sydney University and was working night shift because the money was good. After I felt I had gained his confidence I asked him if Jack or Ray had ever hassled him. Emilio told me that once, when everyone was in the showers washing up after a shift, Jack grabbed him from behind and bent him over, simulating sex. Jack had laughed, shouting out, This is what the farmers do to South American pigs! Emilio told me he felt humiliated but didnt say anything because he feared physical retribution from Jack, who was stronger than him and heavily tattooed.

The following Saturday morning I met with Johnno and the client at the Hilton Hotel in George Street. There was a discreet coffee area near the main foyer, and we knew it would be highly unlikely that any of the night shift workers would be in such an establishment. Even so, we sat in a far corner. The client asked me what my thoughts were about the situation. I informed him that I felt both Jack and Ray fed off each others ego, but that when they were isolated they were more introverted and subdued. I felt they were not particularly intelligent and possibly on the edge of being mentally backward. They tended to laugh loudly at each others comments, even though they were not particularly funny. They also seemed to take pleasure in humiliating and demeaning anyone from an ethnic background, especially if they were of small stature. The only ones they left alone were the union rep/ supervisor and me.

Johnno and I made small talk while the client considered the situation. Finally, he asked if I could come up with an idea to get Ray and Jack out of the company with a minimum of fuss. I explained that on the weekend shifts, Friday being the last one, Jack and Ray would occasionally bring in a couple of beers. They would go to a deserted corner of the shop floor and drink them. This was absolute taboo as any form of alcohol consumption during work hours could lead to a fatal accident; they were working with metals that got to extremely high temperatures. My suggestion was risky but could well bring about an end to their reign.