Occupation: Detective

Spyros Zakynthinos

"A Private Investigator in our town!"

The recent renovation of the neoclassic building on Iolkos Street, with its impressive lighting and exquisite taste, has not gone unnoticed. It is an old mansion which has stood proud in our town since 1930 and was restored in 1994. Recently, this beautiful building here in Volos has become the headquarters of mr.S.Zakynthinos, private investigator.

The 45-year-old enterpreneur gives us a warm welcome in his office and immediately gains our trust, contrasting the obscure image which usually surrounds the reputation of his job. The entrance fills the visitor with awe, with its impressive staircase decorated with engravings as well as old photographs of the town as it was through the years. The inside of the building is equally breath-taking, with tall rooms, wooden floors and well-preserved mosaics. Mr. Zakynthinos has taken great care to emphasise the classical elements of the building, which is a perfect match for the furniture and impressive tapestries.

The company's trademark (and the logo used by spyro.gr) is the owl. "The own was the bird of knowledge and wisdom. It has a very sharp vision and hearing, and its flight is completely silent, which is a metaphor for the nature of our job. Who else, but this bird, could become our trademark?" mr. Zakynthinos, a private investigator for the past 12 years, notes. He started in Germany but has been working in Volos for the past 10 years. His new office on the corner of Iolkou and Dimitriados has been operating since 2009, and he has a second one in Larisa, on the 3rd km of the Larisa-Athens road. Both offices boast a team of highly qualified, well trained associates. His agency specialises in cases all over Greece, but especially Thessaly, as they know the area and its people better and can therefore handle cases more effectively than a colleague who doesn't know the area.

"It is a tough, tiring job. We operate throughout Greece and abroad. The nature of the investigation varies, depending on the needs of our clients." The www.spyro.gr company can guarantee a discreet solution to our problems. It appeals to both private individuals and companies.

As mr.Zakynthinos notes, "the world did not become worse. It's just the newscasts that have become better. We always had to deal with difficult cases, but today information travels faster and we can know what happens around us more objectively. The nature of our work always aimed at solving contemporary problems. We do the same, at a time of modern crisis."

The agency takes on investigations for divorce cases, the protection of minors, harassment and conflict of interests. It specialises in judicial cases in collaboration with law firms, in finding missing people, locating witnesses and fighting fraud. "All of these are obviously dealt with using completely legal means", mr.Zakynthinos stresses. The agency and its associates possess a legal permit from the Ministry of Justice which is accompanied by the necessary professionalism and right information, making it among the best in its sector.

For the investigations themselves, the agency owns top-of-the-line gear, which is constantly updated. "A reliable investigation agency like ours has a very hight maintenance cost, if you take into account the fact that our technical equipment needs to be constantly updated with the latest technological tools. And of course human resources too", mr. Zakynthinos stresses, "which consists of the best investigators in the field. Very often, to ensure complete discretion and avoid data leaks, the investigation is undertaken by specialists outside the area. However, our prices remain reasonable, depending on the professionalism and nature of each individual case."

"A professional investigator never hides the truth from his clients. The evidence collected is entirely true. We do not base our searches on suspicions, assumptions and various scenaria" mr. Zakynthinos states."If there are any doubts on my part about something, the investigation will continue until all facts are totally clarified, with no concern for the cost or the time needed for completion. It is common for the clients to refuse to accept the truth and not have patience. But after the investigation is over, the evidence is always verified."

"It is our principle to try and give solutions after the investigation is over, trying to change the outcome, but the final decision lies with the client, whose will is always respected. I try to handle each case as painlessly as possible and always have extensive discussions with my client about which direction to take, always keeping the client's best interest in mind.

However, the dangers looming are many, both for our personal integrity, as well as possible material damages. You have to always be prepared for any possible outcome. You need to plan your every move, think ahead, know your target's moves, organise your team, which in our case knows only the predetermined moves I set them, and never the people involved. I am the only one who knows the client, and therefore minimise the risk of leaks. The price you pay for doing this job is the high risk involved, and this is why both me and my associates try to protect ourselves as well as possible.

Of course this job also has its funny moments. For example, a few days ago some high-school graduates asked me to find them the questions for this year's entry exams to the university!

As for my private life, my time is limited. I don't have as much time as I would like to spend with my family and my 16-year-old son Sotiris. But they are always supportive, knowing the nature of my work."

You can find more information about mr.Zakynthinos and his private investigation agency by visiting his website on www.spyro.gr or calling 24210-27106 for Volos and 2410-663111 for Larisa.