Criminals follow patterns. Markets do too. Most traders miss them until it is too late. Here is how my policing background taught me to spot setups before they happen
In investigations, repeat offenders rarely change their behaviour. They use the same methods again and again because it worked once. Markets behave in exactly the same way. The crowd repeats predictable mistakes
Before every major event there are small signals. The same faces appear. The same setups form. In policing you learn to watch for tells. In trading you must do the same
A classic example is the liquidity grab. Price pushes into obvious levels. Retail traders rush in. Then the market reverses sharply and cleans them out
The tell is always there. Look for fast moves into crowded levels followed by hesitation or a sharp wick. That is usually the trap being set
When I worked cases, patience won more than aggression. The same rule applies here. Wait for the setup to show its hand before acting
Pattern recognition is not about predicting the future. It is about recognising behaviour that repeats. Most traders focus on noise. Professionals watch for tells