News

Back in June we posted about the importance of a Clear-desk-policy (CDP) both in the office and at home. In early July over a weekend at the request of a client we conducted a physical-penetration-test (PPT) on a central London office.  If we were to gain access, the client specifically asked us to access what […]

By Matthew Newton, Director of Investigations and Crisis Response, Valkyrie The Met Police is the biggest police force in the UK. London didn’t have a professional police force until 1829. Before then, volunteers policed the streets and the army helped whenever needed. It’s been just over 100 years since women became police officers in the […]

Back in June, we were involved in a photoshoot close by to our offices.  One of our clients was participating in the photoshoot and we accompanied her during the busy and public tasking. This task reminded me of my time in the police where a film crew were filming on an estate in central London.  […]

E-scooters are still relative newcomers to the streets, but their story has evolved rapidly. E-scooters are popular as they are a cheap and environmentally friendly alternative to motor vehicles and their use involves less physical effort than a bicycle. They are being utilised by many people, from school children, commuters, tourists and, of course, criminals.  […]

We are lucky to have an office in Belgrave Square which is a few hundred metres south of Hyde park. Hyde Park was created for hunting by Henry Vlll in 1536 after he acquired the manor of Hyde from the Abbey.  It was enclosed as a deer park and remained a private hunting ground until James I permitted limited […]

As the cost-of-living crisis worsens, there has seen a significant increase in scammers impersonating energy firms to trick victims into handing over money or payment details. January 2022 saw a 27% increase in such reports, when compared with the previous January. Fake refunds Fraudsters posed as major supplier Eon to claim that the recipient was […]

Following on from my Underground security thread dated 26th May 2022. This morning I was travelling on the overground followed by the tube and I noticed the person sat next to me was concentrating heavily on her mobile phone looking at her Barclays banking APP.  As I observed I was able to see her name, sort […]

In January this year, we wrote an article about the growing problem of revenge porn and ways to prevent yourself from being a victim.  Recently, the media reported that private photographs of female sportswomen, including members of the England women’s football team have been circulated via WhatsApp.  This is clearly very distressing for the women […]

By Gurpreet Thathy, Director of Cyber Security and Electronic Countermeasures, Valkyrie Since its launch in 2010, Instagram has seen more than 1 billion accounts opened, and users on the service share close to 100 million photos every day. Unfortunately, the popularity of the platform makes it an ideal place for cybercriminals to operate large-scale scams. […]

By David Webb, Managing Director, Valkyrie This weekend marks the eleventh anniversary of the London riots. These were a series of riots between 6 and 11 August 2011. Thousands of people rioted in cities and towns across England, which saw looting, arson, as well as mass deployment of police and the deaths of five people. From 8 to 11 August, […]

Following our Battersea Power Station post 14/07/2022 one of our team had just dropped off a client in the area and noticed two CH-47’s heading over the power station. Knowing Dave often mentions his love for these ‘beasts of the air’ one of our team took a few snaps on his phone, although he was […]

In 2021 we were tasked by a client to investigate an individual who was using threatening words and behaviour towards the client and persons connected with the client. This individual was already charged and awaiting trial for Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH).  This proved to be substantial and complicated investigation, and the police were heavily involved. […]

Here at Valkyrie, we continue to provide training in our superb facilities at 15 Belgrave Square.  Thanks to Vantage Media we were excited to wear our new Valkyrie branded polo shirts. Dave Webb took photographs of me delivering an introduction to our most recent surveillance and counter-surveillance course. If you would like to receive training […]

By Gurpreet Thathy, Director of Cyber Security and Electronic Countermeasures, Valkyrie The use of mobile phones and photography is now commonplace in our everyday lives especially with the popularity of social media sites such as Instagram. With the considerable advancements in mobile phone camera technology in recent years, it’s fair to say it has also […]

By David Webb, Managing Director, Valkyrie Protests in the UK (especially London) are pretty much a daily occurrence, and the Police are well versed in dealing with them. However, in recent months there appears to have been an uptick in protest activity and tactics with protest groups related to Climate Change, fuel prices, cost of […]