transitive verb. 1 : to assign (someone, such as a police officer) to an area usually to conduct a surveillance. 2 : to maintain a stakeout of. 3 : to claim as one's own.

Why is it called Stake Out?

The word comes from the stake that a surveyor uses to mark off a piece of land, and it's been around since the 1940's.

What is stake out in criminal investigation?

A stakeout is the process of monitoring a location, person, or group of persons. The process is usually done to monitor criminals and to catch them doing something illegal or illicit.