burglarly tools?

[RichardR]

I just discovered that someone broke into my truck last night, thankfully who ever it was wasn't aware that the center console opened up (that's where I keep my good flashlight, my good head lamp & my good multitool & about 20 bucks of just in case money), instead they went straight for the more obvious passenger side glove box, which was left open but is also always empty because it's hard to reach for me.

Anyway the only damage that I could find was my CB was slightly turned sideways, apparently they had tried to yank it from it's mount under the steering column, my truck's stereo & speakers are factory & apparently not worth stealing.

However they did leave a couple of items behind & I was wondering if they were part of the tools that they used to break into stuff with.

One is a donut sized O magnet, likely off of a heavy duty speaker or something, the other appears to be a weighted aluminum plumb-bob with a steel screw threaded into the back of it, the pointy nose of the plumb-bob also appears to have some "strike damage" on the end of it.

Here is a crappy cellphone picture of the two items they left behind.

 

[eldirector]

How did they break in?

A quick google:
DIY breaking & entering, or: Help! I locked my keys in my car! [Archive] - Straight Dope Message Board (search for Plumb Bob)

Don't know what the magnet is for

Edit: I wonder if the magnet is to help hold the plumb bob straight against your glass.

 

[RichardR]

I am not sure how they broke in, I went out and looked to see if there were any scratch marks on my truck's doors, from maybe the magnet being used to somehow disengage my electric locks but I couldn't really see anything overtly noticeable that would say conclusively, it's a 95 so it's 15 years old & I use my truck as a truck so it's got plenty of existing scratches on it anyway.

 

[gage]

I've heard of hacking carwash machines and blockbuster DVD covers with magnets.

I'm wondering if the magnet could have been for tricking door locks, or security alarms.

Curious find. Thanks for sharing.

 

[johncarbaugh]

If your truck is a Ford Ranger the 95 body style is easy to get into with just a straight piece of metal. Like the antenna. Rocker picks can unlock most older vehicles quick. I have no idea what the objects you found could be for. There are easer ways to get in.

 

[Tactical Dave]

For a good laugh there was a guy that had his car broken into (no damage) and the theif took a few worthless CD's that the owner did not care about but the theif also did not notice that his (theif's) Oakley sunglasses fell off into the car........ so in the end the theif lost in the deal and the car owner scored haha.

 

[j706]

I have never seen anything like those items and can't figure out how they would be used. We do tons of lockouts and like someone else said there are way easier ways. We use what is called a "Big Easy". It is a 3' long steel rod coated with rubber,a plastic wedge and a pump up rubber bladder type wedge. I can open up most vehicles in 30 seconds. But Ford Ranger without power locks? Forget it.

 

[jclark]

I'll bet the plumb bob has been used to break glass before.
Many car thieves use the broken insulator of a spark plug to break the glass, or use a screwdriver and pry between the window and frame.
I have no idea what the magnet is for.

 

[littletommy]

Maybe the burglar was just retarded, and liked the plumb bob because it's shiny, and the magnet because some stuff sticks to it. Was probably distracted from stealing from your truck by a passing ice cream truck.