AboutRob Painter, ASE, CFL, CFEI Expertise My background in auto theft is extensive. I have been directly involved in the repair of over 10,000 theft recovered vehicles. I also do insurance investigation as to how a vehicle was last operated. My clients are insurance companies and attorneys. Was featured in the A & E auto theft documentary "Stealing Wheels" July 26, 2000. Has consulted with Daimler Chrysler steering column engineers to make their steering columns harder to defeat. Holds patent # 6,039,140 for 8 different variations to protect air bags from theft.
Experience ROB PAINTER, ASE, CFL, CFEI
Forensic Vehicle Component Analyst
Diplomate, Board Certified Forensic Examiner
ASE Certified Auto, Collision, Med/Hvy/Duty Truck Technician
Certified Forensic Locksmith
Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator
Certified Vehicle Fire Investigator
Certified Forensic Auto Theft Examiner
Certified Auto Theft and Fraud Expert
http://www.autotheftexpert.com
Email-rpainter@wi.rr.com
P.O. Box 190
Big Bend, WI 53103
Phone (414) 698-9696
Fax (262) 662-1352
As per federal court rules of evidence (702) (Daubert) my testimony has qualified me as:
Auto Theft and Fraud Expert
Forensic Vehicle Analyst
Fire Origin and Cause Expert
In the trial transcript of Holiday vs Progressive Insurance Company (March 12, 2002?Eugene, Oregon) with Holiday being my client-named ?the expert for experts.?
BUSINESS EXPERIENCE
Founder of the ?Forensic Institute of Auto Theft Analysis? (January 2002). This is the training school that will set the standards in determining the last operation of a reported stolen vehicle-burned or unburned. Much of my testing and procedures have been accepted as the guide for the forensic community.
1986 opened Auto Recovery Specialists Inc., providing exclusive repair of theft recovered and vandalized vehicles. The initial concept of the business was to return vehicles to their original shape before the theft, vandalism or fire. In 1987 bought the rights to the theft deterrent known as the ?Chicago Collar?.
Duties include complete component replacement: dash, stereo system, interior,
locks and coding, rebuilding steering columns, repairing and installing vehicle security system components (factory and after market), engine components, body repair, glass replacement, repair and service of air conditioning components, brake and suspension repair, and replacement, wiring harnesses etc. to return vehicle to pre-theft condition Complete reconstruction.
During the past 17 years directly involved in the repair of over 10,000 theft-recovered and fire damaged
Personally examined and rebuilt thousands of steering columns on both import and domestic vehicles
Internationally acknowledged as expert in auto theft including court, consulting with insurance companies, attorneys and law enforcement.
Consultant on steering columns, locks, stereo systems and vehicle security for Special Investigation Units for many large insurance carriers during the past eight years. Consulting services include but not limited to: How a vehicle was last operated (with or without keys in burned or unburned vehicles), Origin and Cause of vehicle fires, and vehicle defects.
Provides services as a consultant and researcher to attorneys and insurance companies, and private industry throughout the US in cases related to vehicles.
Has worked with crime prevention officers throughout the US establishing training programs designed to protect the public from becoming victims of auto theft.
PATENT: 3/21/00 issued patent# 6,039,140 for 8 different variations of airbag anti-theft devices.
PUBLICATIONS
Currently authors articles and test reports on an ongoing basis for SIUs and the forensic/vehicle fire industry.
Published author: (1,297 slide training course) Auto Theft/ Fraud Training Course) ?The Modern Forensic Approach to Auto Theft Investigation.? (January, 2001)
Author: ?Variables to Be Considered In Vehicle Fire Investigation after Suppression.? (Insurance publication-November 2001)
Author: ?Ford Magnesium Steering Columns and the Results to Ignition Components after a Fire?. Article for peer review from the fire and forensic community. (November 2001)
Author: ?The Truth About GM VATS.? (Article) (November 2001)
Author: ?The Truth About GM PASSLOCK TM? (Article) (November 2001)
Author:? Auto Theft Investigation: Hollywood vs. Reality? (Article) (February 2001) For the John Cooke Fraud Report.
Published author: (Manual) ?Forensic Vehicle Fire/ Arson and Auto Theft Investigation? (October 2000)
Published author: (Article) ?Petty Claims? for the John Cooke Fraud Report (October, 1998)
Published author (Manual) ?AUTO THEFT: LET THE TRUTH BE KNOWN!? (1998) (Previously distributed by Barnes & Nobel)
Co-authored the investigation manual, ?Surreptitious Entry & Auto Theft & Burn & the Investigator.? (1999)
Authored test questions on the subject of steering columns and vehicle security for CFL designation to be given by the International Association of Investigative Locksmiths. January, 2000
Published author: (Manual) ?Saginaw Steering Columns-What Has Not Been Told? Training manual for fire investigators. (March 2000)
Published (Article) ?Beyond The Lock? (May 2000)
Published Author: (Article) Fraud Defense Network-August, 2000 Edition-?Melting Steering Column Tests.? http://www.fraudreport.com/index.cfm?month=08&year=2000
Published author: (Test Report) ?Burned Toyota Steering Column Testing to Determine How Last Operated?. Tool marks and procedures. (December 1999) Currently at the FBI Crime Lab in Washington DC and the US Army Crime Lab in Atlanta, GA for peer review.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Defeated the ?unstealable? Ford Securilock transponder system for a court case 10/10/00. They said it could not be done!
Primary designer of a state of the art ?bait? car for a police department to catch car thieves.
Worked with The National Highway Safety Transportation Administration and
discovered a potential fire hazard on a vehicle and determined origin and cause of under hood fires on this type of vehicle.
Featured as ?Auto Theft Expert? in the A & E auto theft documentary ?Stealing Wheels? that aired July 26, 2000.
Contacted by Sears and Edelman Marketing to be a national spokesman for an anti theft device for vehicles. (November 1999)
Invited to provide evaluation and consulting to steering column engineers at Daimler Chrysler Corporation in Auburn Hills, MI (10/19/99-10/22/99). The purpose of this project was to demonstrate how steering column locking mechanisms could be defeated without the use of a key and how to reinforce the columns against theft.
Court Qualified as an Auto Theft Expert and my videos of defeating columns were also accepted by a Cleveland, Ohio Court in October 1999 as a valid piece of evidence.
Contacted by Disney Touchstone Pictures for technical assistance in making the movie ?Gone in 60 Seconds? (March 1999)
CONSULTANT FOR FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS
? Former contributor for The Insurance News Network (Auto theft and prevention) includes heading a forum for the public on how to protect their vehicles for 3+ years.
? Former editor and consultant for the public on matters involving auto theft and prevention 2000-2001 on the web at http://www.autotheft_forum.com.
? The Insurance Career Center (Auto theft and fraud).
? National Association of Investigative Specialists (Auto theft and fraud)
? Expert Find (Auto theft and fraud}
TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE
? ASE (National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence) Certified in Auto: brakes, steering and suspension, engine repair, manual drive train and axles, air conditioning. Med/Heavy duty truck: gasoline engine repair, electrical/electronic components. Collision: elec.....
Question I have a 2004 F150 Lariet with a stealth. Recently I had to replace the battery in the transponder, which has worked for about 6 months. (last battery worked for almost 4 years). Now, my truck will only start by by passing the stealth with the 5 second/5time turn over method, which is very annoying. Ford tells me they cannot help, since the co. is out of business. How do I get rid of this frustrating "upgrade" and just start my truck on the first try
Answer Hello,
Not to sound unprofessional and it is no reflection on you or other consumers, but I feel that someone should get some greedy class action attorney(s) to represent the consumers that have been ripped off by the dealerships and manufacturers for installing this after market and factory anti-theft junk.
I must admit, I do on occasion get frustrated with all the crap out there that sounds like a good idea to the consumer that knows nothing about theft. The other problem is that the consumer does not look into the future.
I also have a 2004 F-150 with PATS. Another year and many components to the factory alarm and PATS will not be available any longer and what will happen when the system needs repair? In the case of the alarm, you cannot just bypass it because it is linked into many other circuits.
The factory plan I believe was to force the consumer into only being able to get the vehicle repaired at the dealer at their ridiculous prices.
More and more I am seeing older vehicles in great condition that are basically useless because of a defective alarm or transponder system.
It will get even worse now that GM and Chrysler are bankrupt. Parts will no longer be available, dealers to service these vehicles are getting harder to find.
The manufacturers must be stopped from putting anti-theft systems in these vehicles because not only do not stop theft, but if stolen the insurance companies will deny the claim and sometimes prosecute the innocent owner for insurance fraud. Happens every day across the country and Canada because many of the insurance investigators and experts are ignorant and believe vehicles so-equipped from the factory are "unstealable."
These so-called anti-theft systems are based on electronics and can fail. They can be bypassed.
An example would be the Ford Pats. If one can defeat the PATS on a f-150, the same process can be used on all Ford trucks and SUVs.
In fact, I defeated the Ford Securilock with one wire on video for a judge. Better yet, I supplied this process to other forensic firms and the consensus was the process was valid.
NEVER trust a car salesman on anti-theft devices. They have no clue as to how vehicles are stloen just like the engineers that design anti-theft systems.
In fact, some of these engineers attempt to prevent hotwiring and yet hotwiring was not a common method of theft since 1969!
Now, I have heard of the "stealth", but don't have much memory of it's functions.
I am sure I can walk you through disabling if you write me at robo14@aol.com.
You may want to attempt to google info about it.
We as consumers are victims. These systems are more trouble to the owners than they are a thief.
