The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-03-05
HOW YOUR BURGLAR WORKS.

HIS Tools AND Hrs OBsrAcLEs-How TO
GUARD AGAINST THEM.
/, Many people, when they lock their
doors at night, have habit of leaving
the key in the lock, under the i'm
precision that it viii prevent any person
using pick or skeleton key to open the
door, and SO it viii. But in this case
the thief uses neither of those instru-
ments.. He introduces into the key
hole a very strong, though light for
ceps, and, seizing the extremity of the
key, opens the door with a single turn
of his wrist. Then, if you leave a key
in the lock, let it be one that does not
open the door.
There is but little difference between
the tools of . frst-class burglar and
those Of an honest locksmith, for the
latter is often called upon to pick locks
and open safes when keys are lost and
time is pressing. There are some in
struments, of course, such as a dark
lantern and q revolver not required by
the honest tradesman in his business,
that are all important to the professional
burglar. a first class outfit comprises
a dark lantern, large pruning knife,
useful in cutting out door-pannels /; a
palette-knife, thin and plant, for open
ing windows by insertion between the
sashes so as to push back the spring
fastening a jimmy or small crowbar
about foot in length, and splayed or
crow-footed at one end skeleton keys
with wards at each end, called '' double
enders ;" wires to lift lock-tumblers,
and a center-pit. This is complete
set of ordinary tools, and may be car
ried with ease in small carpet-bag.
Hall door-locks are large, massive
and usually take very large and ap-
parently complex warded key but the,
burglar is well aware that many of
these wards are superduous. If he
wants to make key for such lock he
cuts out blank key in tin, one side of
which he covers with wax. Wards being
simply distractions fixed in the locks,
he has only carefully to insert the blank
and turn it gently to receive an i'm
preston of them on the wax. From
this impression key is easily forged
out of strong iron wire. OF course it
is much simpler than the original.
Sometimes doors are opened with the
pick-lock, which acts by working out
side the wards, reaching the bolt in
that way /; but it requires more dex-
terity than the other, and is successful
only in the hands of the practical thief.
The success of the burglar when
operating on war6ed locks, caused them
at length to be discarded from banks
and money-houses, in favor of the lever
or rtumbler-lock, and the thief's skeleton
keys found themselves bent to no effect
in endeavoring to open them. So the
locksmith had TO be circumvented by
fresh means, and the jack-in- the-box
was invented. Its object was to force
the lock off or to rend the case SO that
the bolts might be drawn back. This
was accomplished by inserting a T.
shaped bolt of iron In the lock, and
then, by means of the jack Gan adapta-
ton Of the principle of the lever and
screw, rending open the lock. This
plan was prevented by introducing very
small keys, and placing the tumb1ers,
etc, above the key-hole. Having been
defeated for long while at the safe
lock, they at length discovered new
plan, which was to attack the hinges,
pressing them off by means of power
full levers. In this manner the safe of
q large firm in London was opened,
and an immense quantity of valuables
stolen. The firm brought an action
against the safemakers who had sold
them the safe as thief-proof, to recover
damages, and for the defense, the bur-
glar who had been captured and SEN
tenced, was placed on the stand, and
deposed that there was no safe made
that would resist an attack properly
made on it's hinges. After this trial the
countersunk their hinges,
and at the present time we may safely
say that the thief has the worst of the
battle.
After the lock has been overcome the
burglar has often to remove door-bolts.
To do this it is sometimes necessary to
cut out one of the panels. This used to
be effected by means of afne saw. Now,
an instrument called the panel-cutter
is used. A strong stem with gimlet
point is thrust into the center of the
panel. Through this stem slides
cross-bar, carrying at one extremity
sharp-cutting tool, which can be ad-
iusted to move at any required radius.
At the head of the stem is double
armed lever, which works the whole
machine. This instrument win make a
hole in few minutes large enough to
admit the burglars arm or the body of
) small boy, and the door is quickly
The only safeguards are
% have the door lined with sheet-iron |
" studded with nails irregularly dis
posed.
Everybody knows that the thief sell |
iom if ever breaks into house on all I
he particulars concerning which he is |
lot well posted. He knows how many /