Expert Witness Blog
In The Current Problems and Solutions with Examinations on reported stolen Vehicles automobile expert witness Rob Painter writes that expert witnesses who do stolen vehicle examinations should have proper training, not only in locks, but burn debris analysis, security system analysis, steering column locking mechanism understanding, and in general how and why vehicles are stolen.
I recently received a phone call from a carrier in the Chicago area. He requested services of a locksmith to determine if reported stolen vehicles were stolen. This in itself raised concern for many reasons. The general locksmith without proper training should not be involved with these vehicles especially when recovered burned. I have been to seminars where locksmiths speak about theft. The problem is that they focus in on how they would make a key to take the vehicle. It has been my experience to hear such speakers never address how a thief would commonly defeat the column. The examiner needs to think like a thief and not a general locksmith.