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 My car was stolen on June 2nd 2009. My husband discover it was missing when leaving for work at 5am that morning. I reported it to the police and then the insurance company promptly. Today is the 16th of the month and I have not heard from anyone from Liberty Mutual until today. Today the investigator called me. He called on June 3rd to tell me who he was and say that he was sending me a letter. My car was recovered about a week later after being missing. I did not have keys to the car because the insurance company requested them and I sent then to them on the 4th of June. I requested the keys back from Liberty so I could get what was left out of the car. I received my keys back after three days of calling and nobody could tell me anything, speaking to supervisors on June 15th 2009. The investigator asked if I had ever had a car stolen I told him no. Then he asked if my husband that drove the 94 chevy silvarado that is insured with Bristol west had ever had anthing stolen. My response was no. I NEVER TOLD HIM MY HUSBANDS NAME O ANY OF THE OTHER INFORMATION THAT HE STATED.KREEPY! I told the insurance company that I wanted to be present when the appraisal was done. Since I now had the key I could let them in so they could see the gasoline cans in my car ant the stinch of smoke. My car window was not broken, nor the steering column. Only my husband and I have keys to it and I am the only driver unless me and hubby go on a date then he drives. the investigator wants a recorded statement and I want then to fix the bumper that was pulled off, check the cars fuel system (they apparently ran out of gas), replace the interior and change the locks and ignition and place a kill switch on the car because I don't feel comfortable parking the car in my driveway for it to possibly be stolen again. Do I need a lawyer for my meeting with him on Friday the 19th? Am I asking too much? I have to pay for this car and want to know that it is in good working condition. No fingerprints were taken when the car was recovered, should the company have demanded that from the police? Can I request that? To me their level of service as been horrible and after this I am switching my homeowners and my car insurance. To top things off they investigator took my care to a "more secure place" from the junkyard to their very own "craftmasters" . I clearly stated where I wanted my car to be repaired. The investigator said he only took it there to get a good professional estimate. Is that normal, i thought that the repair place I choose did that? so the repair facility is where he wants to meet me Friday to do the estimate of damages along with the person that originally did the "unfair" estimate without the key and for him to get a statement.
Answer Hello,
I am sorry to tell you this, but you and your husband are under investigation. Go to http://www.autotheftexpert.com for more details. You may want to call me after you review the site.
Once under investigation (They are not looking for the thief, they are trying to implicate you with the theft even if you are innocent).
You need to give them anything they ask for or they will deny your claim for non-cooperation. The insurance companies make money denying claims. This is what they do.
I serve as a consultant to insurance companies and deifferent than the other experts out there, I have represented the insured in many court cases with a tremendous success rate.
The worse news now is that this could take years to resolve. Yes it is a scam and yet the insured can't do a thing about it. You cannot even get a lawyer until your claim is denied.
You are not alone and we are averaging 5 contacts a day on the same issue across the US and Canada.
Some of our clients are police officers, bankers, firemen etc. The insurance companies do not care who they ruin or how they attack their insured.
There are a couple of honest companies out there or at least on an individual level. Most in my opinion are corrupt and are indoctrinated that everyone is committing fraud. Fraud is a problem, however a broad brush is used implicating everyone.
The companies you mentioned are not as bad in my opinion as State Farm, Allstate or Progressive in which I see many cases commonly relying on a hack expert stating the car was last operated by what is inferred as the insured's key.
Contact me after you review the site. My phone number is on the site.
