What is Sunstate Detection?
Sunstate Detection, is an official spin off of International Detection Services (IDS), originally founded around 1980 and run by, internationally renowned investigator, Keith Schafferius (Wikipedia). Keith also acts as a Founder and Consultant to Sunstate Detection.
The organisation aims to continue providing the highest level of investigative services, with the aim of tackling the most difficult cases requiring expertise and tact in, age-old and contemporary, human and technological intelligence.
Over the years, and in the modern landscape, various technical tools and open source (online) expertise have been utilised in solving problems that require in-depth knowledge of the current working environment.
The more technical areas of cyber-security, computer forensics, mobile forensics and bug sweeping are also covered by our in-house endorsed experts.
From the beginning...
In the early days, beginning 1969, Keith Schafferius began his career in the private sector after working in military intelligence. He set up shop with an ex-police officer, opening a firm named Allied Investigation Services, in Brisbane.
During this period, the bulk of the work for private investigators involved finding 'fault' to begin a divorce proceeding. These, divorce raids, as they were called, involved obtaining conclusive photographic evidence of the cheating spouse, usually, in bed with someone else. Keith would pick the lock of the door quietly, and would pounce on in, to take a photograph. Within seconds he was gone and the evidence could be presented to the courts to file for divorce.
Allied Investigation Services callout for a missing person - Sunday Sun (newspaper), 2 November 1975 (click image to read)
International Detection Services (IDS) & Sunstate Detection
Keith, and thus IDS, became world known for their tackling of child recovery cases. Only three out of five cases were, generally, accepted. This involved careful assessment of the situation to determine whether it was in the child's best interest to return to the parent requesting recovery services. One of the original logos used by IDS is now the logo of Sunstate Detection, marking a continuous effort over decades to deliver some of the highest capabilities in investigative services. In 2004, Keith sold IDS to Nick Wright and his business partner, Peter Harkin (ex-police officer). Keith, then continued to operate under his own name as an investigator until the founding of Sunstate Detection in 2025. The Lead Investigator of Sunstate Detection has been fully trained to conduct sensitive investigations, of almost any sort, by Keith.
Highly sensitive and volatile operations, such as child recoveries, are still offered today by Sunstate Detection, in Australia. However, given the wider use of technology and facial recognition, international child recoveries in particular, have become increasingly dangerous, and thus, would require an extremely thorough assessment by us, before commencement.
Child retrieval by IDS - Womens Weekly (magazine), February 1993 (click image to read)
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