Colin's Investigation Services was a private investigation practice led by Colin van Bellen, a former Detective Sergeant with West Yorkshire Police who served for 31 years — most of them in Huddersfield, where he was described as one of the finest detectives the town ever produced.
Colin built his reputation on painstaking, methodical casework. In 1981 he was awarded the Dennis Hoban Trophy, West Yorkshire's top detective honour, for his role in solving the notorious Boarded Barn murders. Over the course of his career he earned numerous commendations and the deep respect of colleagues and community alike, known as much for his quiet approachability as for his extensive knowledge of the criminal fraternity.
After retiring from the force, Colin continued to put his skills to work in private practice. He carried out investigation work for insurance companies and, drawing on a lifetime of experience, helped colleagues pursue cases that mattered to them — including supporting his friend and former fellow detective Steve Lawson in the long campaign to clear the name of Alfred Moore, a Huddersfield farmer hanged in 1952 in what many believed was a miscarriage of justice.
Colin brought that same thoroughness, discretion, and local knowledge to every case he took on.
