Burn Notice - Season 02 - Episode 06 Spy Tips & Tactics

Burn Notice Season 02 Episode 06 "Bad Blood" was first aired last August 14, 2008 and below are the spy tips and tactics:

* When meeting a covert operative for the first time, the arrangements can tell you a lot. If they give you a map and a photo, they trust you. A place and a time, they want to check you out before they make contact. A cryptic clue like "tidy pelican", they've just got an irritating sense of humor. 

* Sometimes, when you meet a new operative, it's a good idea to open with an aggressive move. You learn about people when you make them play defense: their reflexes, weaknesses, how they handle themselves under pressure. And even if they're able to counter, it never hurts to know how far they're willing to go.

* You can use cell phone towers to triangulate the position of someone's cell phone but you're going to have problems anytime they go out of range. Use an enhanced G.P.S., on the other hand and you can pinpoint their location in real time, almost anywhere
on the face of the planet.

* If you want to empty a building, pulling a fire alarm is useless. No one pays attention unless they're actually on fire. A bomb scare next door to your target strikes the right balance. Everyone clears out and then pays attention to the other building.

* Most modern bomb squads are equipped with an R.F. Jammer. It blocks a wide spectrum of radio frequencies preventing people from detonating bombs by remote control. It'll also block all electronic transmissions in the area. Cell phones, for example or wireless security cameras.

* The interior locks in an office suite are usually low-end, they're just there to keep white-collar workers from stealing coffee cups. File cabinet locking bars, on the other hand are a more serious security measure. Their main vulnerability is that they depend on people's faith in padlocks. People have too much faith in padlocks.

* Air ducts in a modern office are 18 inches wide. So if you need to make a quick escape and you're older than four, you won't fit. A more viable option is the sub-ceiling. Once you're in the sub-ceiling, you can get to a bathroom or closet and make your way out from there.

* When you're working a target, it's all about getting a good read. What makes him tick? Is he insecure? Does he have something to prove? It all factors into your approach.

* There's nothing in the world easier to get into than an empty condo that's been on the market for six months. Never mind picking the lock. You can just call and ask for the keys.

* When your cover's compromised, often the best defense is a good offense. Admit nothing, deny everything. Make counteraccusations.

* Once somebody's watching for cops, they see them everywhere. Anyone in dark sunglasses is FBI. Any car with tinted windows is a tail. Their paranoia does most of the work for you.

* Knowing what someone wants can tell you a lot about who they are. So if what they want comes in a wooden crate you're not going to be allowed to open, you might have to turn your trunk into a makeshift X-ray machine. The tube from an old TV set is a good place to start. As part of the projection process, they emit X-rays. They're meant to handle around 30,000 volts. Any more than that, and they'll cook your eyes with radiation. So pump a hundred thousand volts into one from a Taser and you won't be able to diagnose a hairline fracture but you'll get the basic idea.

* Criminals are, as a rule, paranoid and self-serving. So if you're using a criminal cover I.D., you can't be too helpful. Luckily, you can usually count on the other guy not to let you off easy.

* In any kind of covert operation, one of the toughest challenges is using information that you're not supposed to have. If going in guns blazing will blow your cover sometimes you've gotta get creative. Under the right circumstances, a well-placed rock is as good as a bullet.

* One of the most difficult skills to master in combat is taking a dive. Sometimes an operation demands that you lose a fight. But it's the hardest thing in the world to see the opening and let it go.

* Notorious for causing brush fires, 12-gauge incendiary rounds create a small explosion that burns at 3,000 degrees. It'll also stop a car pretty well. People don't drive when their tires are on fire.

* Water sealant is a common sight around Miami where it's used to protect buildings from hurricane flooding. It's also extremely flammable, which means it can be useful in other ways too.