A Brief History of Vehicle Entry Procedures

1. Not all cars even have locking doors. This is a vintage photo of the author standing next to his 1959 Austin Healey Sprite with Donald Healy, who designed the Sprite. The Sprite didn’t have...

1. Not all cars even have locking doors. This is a vintage photo of the author standing next to his 1959 Austin Healey Sprite with Donald Healy, who designed the Sprite. The Sprite didn’t have exterior door handles.

2. A typical Slim-Jim. These come in assorted sizes and shapes, usually made out of spring steel.

2. A typical Slim-Jim. These come in assorted sizes and shapes, usually made out of spring steel.

3. Some manufacturers added elaborate guards to protect linkage rods from attack. This plastic guard is on the rear door of a Honda Accord.

3. Some manufacturers added elaborate guards to protect linkage rods from attack. This plastic guard is on the rear door of a Honda Accord.

4. Bicycle-style cables can flex during a collision to help prevent the door from flying open, shown on 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse.

4. Bicycle-style cables can flex during a collision to help prevent the door from flying open, shown on 2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse.

5. Some manufacturers even put guards over the cables to prevent attacks. Our example is the 2002 Toyota Tundra.

5. Some manufacturers even put guards over the cables to prevent attacks. Our example is the 2002 Toyota Tundra.

6. Vent window tools like this TT-1006 provide a quick and easy way to unlock vehicles equipped with vent windows.

6. Vent window tools like this TT-1006 provide a quick and easy way to unlock vehicles equipped with vent windows.

7. TT-1038 under window tool, specifically designed for the Nissan Cube.

7. TT-1038 under window tool, specifically designed for the Nissan Cube.

8. When using an under window tool, you want to attack the manual lock control. Power lock controls on many modern vehicles are disabled when the car is locked.

8. When using an under window tool, you want to attack the manual lock control. Power lock controls on many modern vehicles are disabled when the car is locked.

9. Side-impact airbags are rarely built into the door. Usually they are mounted in the seat-back or the door pillars.

9. Side-impact airbags are rarely built into the door. Usually they are mounted in the seat-back or the door pillars.

10. Photo-10: The Jiffy-Jak system, introduced in 1999, is one of the most effective vehicle entry tools, but it was never intended to be used for everything.

10. Photo-10: The Jiffy-Jak system, introduced in 1999, is one of the most effective vehicle entry tools, but it was never intended to be used for everything.

11. Jiffy-Jak allows the user to operate lock controls mounted inside the vehicle.

11. Jiffy-Jak allows the user to operate lock controls mounted inside the vehicle.

12. All long-reach tools should be used with care. I found this damage on a Mitsubishi Galant, obviously caused by careless use of a long-reach tool.

12. All long-reach tools should be used with care. I found this damage on a Mitsubishi Galant, obviously caused by careless use of a long-reach tool.

13. Specialty picks like this Lishi 2-in1 pick provide another alternative to vehicle entry.

13. Specialty picks like this Lishi 2-in1 pick provide another alternative to vehicle entry.