Breaking & entering....

Any CCTV or alarm system on the building?
Do they keep much cash in the office? This would make it more likely there's significant security

And if the suspect is doing anything criminal or confidential, much more likely to have an office security system, especially if there is little building security. Also, what is the cleaning schedule? And are there other tenants? What are their schedules and security like?

How about having your PI, or his friend, become a part of the cleaning crew? That way you can avoid issues like alarms, cameras etc.

Setting aside the electrical aspects, such as the equipment needed to bug, you should also consider that in addition to facing criminal charges, your P.I. would lose their license for this.

Additionally none of what they find as a result of the bugging would be in anyway legally admissable.

Now obviously none of that stuff should get in the way of a fun story, but still!

Couple of things that might help.

• A lock-pick kit will get you in standard lock. You can (or could) find info on HOW to pick a lock, on-line.
• MANY places will have crappy locks on the doors. Lots of builders and/or landlords will put the cheapest locks possible on doors. (Actually they will put the cheapest everything in.)
• A cheap lock, you can kick the door open. AND it is possible to do this and not break the lock. Bigger risk is that you'll bust the door-frame, but even then, if you do it right, you can leave everything intact (I locked myself out of my room back in college and did this, so I'm speaking from experience here - seriously, college, that's all).
• Cheesy as it seems, the right lock in the right frame, you can open with a credit card - but you will just as likely snap said card. So I would advice using the fake ones they send you in junk-mail to get you to sign-up with this Visa-company or that Mastercard-company.
• Looking like you should be there will also help. My wife used to work in a building where you needed a security passes to get to her department. Couldn't work the elevator without a swipe-card. Couldn't enter her floor without a swipe-card. I got in. Just looked like I should be there, had the appropriate props and made my wife jump out of her seat when I showed up and said "Hi!" The "fitting in" goes anytime, since you never know who you will meet, even after-hours.
• Another option might be to rent the next office and do a little drilling, or suspended-ceiling prodding.

Y' know, looking at the above, I come off sounding like a career criminal!

Hmm ...try lock bumping. I find this interesting & scary!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_bumping

From what I've seen in various Hollywood-produced films, it seems quite possible to pretend to be; the gasman, an electrician, a representative from the fire-dept, a landlords representative measuring for rebuilds etc, etc. The list can be made long enough. But then again, Hollywood doesn't really bother with legalities and such, so maybe that would be impossible.

Also, of course depending on what kind of business office, the PI with a helper, can pretend to be clients and lure the clerk out of the room for a moment long enough to plant the bug and camera.

Come on people, step into the 21st Century. Going into an office to bug it is so Old School. To bug a phone just access the phone box in the basement or outside the building or even from the telephone pole. All are very easy to do.

To bug an office there are many ways to do this without even entering the building. There's a bug you can use that looks like a big nail. Pound it into the wall of the room you want to bug, then sit in your car and listen to whatever is going on in the room. You can also bug an office with a laser device pointed at a window pane in the room. The window works like the diaphragm in a stereo speaker. Or you can use a parabolic microphone.

If you have money, you can use an infrared device from outside the office that shows outlines of the people in the office. They look like reverse shadows. A small camera could also be put on a window sill or just look through a window if there's no curtains. Small camera lenses are no bigger around than a pencil lead and use fiber optics to connect to a camera, video camera or device that transmits the image to a computer several blocks away.

If you must put a camera inside, be a HVAC tech and put a camera in a vent. Or any service person can go into an office and replace an item, like a clock, statue or almost anything else, with a duplicate that has a camera built into it. To give you an idea of where cameras can be hidden, go here http://www.palmvid.com/content/categories/video-cameras/sub-categories/wired-pre-hidden-cameras.html

Have Fun,
Jeff

You didn't say "when" the story is set, if it is pre- all of this technology...

You could send in an older woman; she's lost, upset, flustered, charming, and very distraught. After they give her directions, she takes a seat because she might faint; she asks for a drink of water, to take her heart medication, and they kindly oblige. She then plants the bug & camera while they go to fetch the drink. Or, she asks if she might use the phone, they oblige and she plants the bug while she's using the phone.

Or, waiting until the office closes for lunch (most very small offices do close for an hour). While everyone is gone, someone uses the ladies room, opens the ceiling vent and goes through the HVAC ducts and plants the bugs from above.

Judy