WHY THE BURGLAR LAUGHS AT LOCKSMITHS.

Northland Age, Volume 3, Issue 20, 18 December 1906, Page 8

WHY THE BURGLAR LAUGHS AT LOCKSMITHS.

FOR EVERY DEVICE SCIENCE INVENTS TO KEEP HIM OUT j HIS INGENUITY CREATES ! ONE TO UNDO IT. | — 4One of the most interesting exj hibits of the Police Department is its collection of burglar's tools. The I implements used by house-breakers and safe-crackers vary from the crudest of iron bars to the most delicately, fashioned tools known to steel workers. The ingenuity shown by some of the more expert regg:mn in fashioning tools to overcome the best of the locksmith's art is wonderful. I W A recent issue of the "Scientific American" contained pictures of maqy tools recently taken from burglars who have fallen into the hands of the police. The pictures show only a small percentage of the complete outfit of a modern burglar. They give a good idea, however, of the means he employs to open the, most delicate locks used in the construction of safes and vaults. Until the use of time-locks and j electrical safety appliances on safes, lit was comparatively easy for the | skilful safe-cracker to open any safe with the contrivance for cutting out the combination or with' the lever for tearing off locks and plates. The improvements to be found in all modern safes made the old-fashioned tools useless. The ingenuity of the yeggman,, however, was more than equal to that of the safe manufacturer. The invention of nitro glycerine "soap," which the burglar carries in a little phial in his vest pocket, has proved a capable substitute for his former cumbersome tools With finely tempered saws and files he makes a fine crevice in the safe in which he inserts the nitro-glycerine. A percussion cap fitted outside the crevice is attached to a little pocket battery, and the explosion that fol-

lows generally opens the strongest safe and reveals the contents to the eyes of the burglar. The safety appliances of the modern safe are such that without the use of explosives the burglar is practically helpless. Its use, however, has added v a new element of danger to his life. Carelessly fitted precussion caps, an overcharge of nitroglycerine or a failure to cover the safe properly with rugs or carpets to deaden the sound, have all been the undoing of the burglar. The explosion has either been so violent as to destroy the building or to injure the burglar. Burgalry is no longer crude robbing, but an art. The only men who are able sucessfully to overcome the obstacles of the safemakers and locksmiths, and at the same time avoid the police, are the ones who employ as much care and thought in their work as the successful business man. The man who once turned to burglary as a last resort, chose a dark night to force his way into a store and after hours of work with saws and files forced the door from the i safe, can no longer succeed. The j only men who succeed in their efforts ! to open safes now are the ones who ; often spend weeks studying condii tions and preparing their instru- ! ments. The resistance offered by the fine grades of steel used in safes i usually destroys the tools used to open the locks. The ingenuity of the safe-cracker is greater only, than that of the burgI lar and sneak thief who depends oil ! the use of skeleton keys and jemmies :to make his way past locks and | bolts. The skeleton key can only be j used in picking locks with tumblers. ! The most common styles of keys are made rather thin on the end, which is bent and has one or two prongs. The burglar’s jemmy is. often a plain iron bar, sharpened at one end which permits its insertion between or beneath a window or at the side of a door. Some of the professional burglars, however, carry sectional jemmies that for efficiency ! are greater than any other burglar ; tool manufactured.