44 investigation was an adequate and effective means of protecting the rights recognized in the Convention. 150. Based on the evidence presented, this Tribunal has determined that the State carried out two investigations into the threats and harassment of which members of the García Prieto Giralt family were victim. The first occurred as part of the criminal proceedings under file number 110/98. This investigation was closed on August 15, 2000 by the Third Criminal Court (supra para. 132). The second investigation was part of the prosecutor’s file number 4799-UDV-2001. 151. In the prosecutor’s investigation under file number 4799-UDV-2001, the Court observes that, although the authorities ordered the verification of the vehicular records corresponding to the license plates of the vehicles reported to have followed José Mauricio García Prieto Hirlemann and Gloria Giralt de García Prieto, in some cases the owners of the vehicles were not interviewed. Moreover, in the daily incident reports of the agents of the Protection of Important Individuals Unit, several events of intimidation and harassment against some members of the García Prieto family were recorded (infra note 102). The case file reveals that the state authorities have not exhausted the investigation into the events reported. 152. Given the evidence submitted in the present case, the Court observes that the origin or authorship of the threats and harassment perpetrated against some members of the García Prieto Giralt family has not been determined in the domestic forum, despite the fact that this situation has existed for more than nine years (supra para. 135). 153. This Tribunal finds that when a pattern of these types of acts exists, the State’s investigation of such acts must make use of all the technical means appropriate through its institutions, in order to obtain the effective protection of personal integrity through an exhaustive, diligent, and effective investigation. The foregoing entails the use of technical means such as studies and analyses of risk factors for the individuals that suffer from these acts, the use of caller identification devices, interviews, and the use of interrogation along logical lines of investigation. 154. In light of the foregoing, the Court must examine both the gravity of the events investigated by the State authorities and the investigative activity undertaken by these authorities in order to determine the truth of the events. This analysis must take into account the fact that the duty to investigate is an obligation of means, not results. 155. The Tribunal notes that the majority of the events occurred starting from 1997. Nonetheless, as is verified in the prosecutorial investigation, some of the steps taken to clarify them were undertaken long after the events took place, such as the statements taken form the agents who provided security to some of the García Prieto family members.102 On the other hand, with respect to the investigation into the 102 For example, security agents were called to testify before the National Civil Police some time after the threats and harassment detailed in their daily incident reports occurred. See, among others, the statements of Mario Molina Morales of January 22, 2002, prosecutor’s file No. 4799-UDV-2001 (exhibits to the brief containing pleadings and motions, exhibit 16, Volume 5, page 6078 to 6081); Luis Ernesto García of 22 of January of 2002, prosecutor’s file No. 4799-UDV-2001 (exhibits to the brief containing pleadings and motions, exhibit 16, Volume 5, page 6090 to 6092); José Ulises Alemán of 22 of January of 2002 prosecutor’s file No. 4799-UDV-2001 (exhibits to the brief containing pleadings and motions, exhibit 16, Volume 5, page 6093 to 6096); Julio Alberto Barrientos of 24 of January of 2002 (prosecutor’s file No.