The company is owned and operated by Larry Jenkinson, the founding member of Enigma Automotive Forensic Services and was registered in June 1997 and officially began operating full time in January 1998. In total Larry has more than thirty-five years of experience within the motor industry and has been involved in premature and other automotive related failures and component damage analysis for the past twenty-eight years and of this the last twenty one years has been as an independent investigator.

In this time, a specific need in the automotive market was identified for an independent and impartial agent to examine, analyze and identify the reasons for the numerous types of damage and failure conditions encountered by anyone who has a need for automotive energy. 

Larry is a qualified automotive engine reconditioner and assembler having served a recognized Olifantsfontein apprenticeship with a reputable, registered engine rebuilding enterprise. Later, Larry received further, more extensive training with the Chamber of Mines. Larry has worked with and for with various component manufacturers, receiving extensive training in the fields of metallurgy, component design and manufacturing processes associated with automotive component applications.

Larry has travelled to South America, the United Kingdom and Germany where he underwent training at the various training centers of leading brand component manufactures.

Larry’s qualifications include diesel and petrol engine repair, assembly, testing and maintenance as well as troubleshooting. He is fully conversant with automotive axles, differentials, final drives, gearboxes, torque converters, clutches, braking systems, steering and drive train assemblies. Hydraulics and pneumatics are also amongst his abilities to analyse.

During the past twenty-eight years and while practicing as a claims and failure analyst for component manufactures of which nine were in a senior management position, Larry was required to partake in the in-depth forensic analysis of failed and often catastrophically damaged automotive products. Investigations include metallurgy and chemistry (outsourced) and metrological (dimensional), as well as the construction of laboratory and technical reports for use in litigation should the need arise.

Larry has in the past conducted numerous training seminars and workshops often in association with other training authorities to improve upon the education and ability of both young artisans as well as the abundant D.I.Y. enthusiasts throughout the country. In recognizing the need, Larry underwent the requisite training to become a certified workplace assessor in the SAQA sector of MERSETA.

Having operated within this sphere, Larry is also conversant with the ISO 9001 quality standard as well as ISO14001 environmental standard program. Being involved in the analysis of numerous automotive related fires over many years and having undergone training with the Fire Protection Association of South Africa, Larry became a member of the South African Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators. Given Larry’s all-round automotive background and training he does however restrict his participation in fire investigations strictly to automotive applications.