It broke It broke That you have posted only 3 pictures. Seriously: it looks like rust has had its way with the door innards. Someone used a big, red, horseshoe magnet to try to unlock the door. Instead, they just pulled the lock out. They did not make it into the vehicle. my total ass-suction drew it out of its socket. Of course I try to hump EVERY Toyota Tercel with my arse... The TRD people mean business. The stickers are everywhere on their cars, even on the Toyota Highlander, Sequoia (which by the way has every vowel in its name) and Land Cruiser... The sticker is on the back window, the span of the windshield and/or the back seat window (HELLO!! Your 4-door, SUV, or grocery-getter is NOT a racecar). But since I am completely phased by the owner-entitlement which OBVIOUSLY equals machismo and ENGINE size, I can't resist arse-humping any Toyota in sight. I am the culprit. Please fuzz out my email and picture on the KCRA news tonight. I thank you. Well I can infer that picture four is missing. Our suspect, Rob Cockerham, enters the scene. He is pleased with the response to his latest series of webpages, but has sadly run out of images to paste. He sees a Toyota on the side of the road, and remembering the success he's had with cars in the past, searches for a way to make this one more interesting. Grabbing a coathanger from his coat (which was *really* starting to annoy him by digging into his back), he hooks the lock, and with an almighty wrench, yanks it halfway out of the car door. Then, using his ever present digital camera, he photographs the evidence for later use on his website. teenage carjacker. It's broke. The lock was "popped" as part of a break-in. Thieves will jam screwdrivers and such (including devices specifically made for the job) into the door lock or around the lock mechanism in an attempt to burglarize or steal a car. I'm guessing that there was a valuable (purse, iPod, aftermarket car stereo, etc.) in the car and visible through the window of the car, since Toyota Tercels themselves are not typically stolen. Perhaps you could have looked inside the car for evidence of a burglary (missing in-dash radio, open glovebox door, etc) or for evidence of an (unlikely) car theft (steering column cover broken off to allow hotwiring, car located in a public parking space for several days in a row, etc.). It looks like it was pulled out from just opening the door a bunch. There aren't any noticable marks from someone trying to break in or anything. The lock mechanism is broken and removed because the owner was locked out of his car and had to "break into" it. Since I don't see any real scratches from a screw driver or anyother tool marks, I am going to have to say someone got their key stuck and pulled on it to hard and brock the casing around the locking machanism. Given the make and condition of the car, I'm shying away from attempted theft. As the lock is on the passenger side (less frequently used) my theory is that the locking mechanism "froze up" and when a key entry was attempted, the cylinder spun and popped out. It appears that the cylinder is put in the door and rotated to lock it in place at the factory. I believe the opposite process has occurred here. Jeff in Louisville Someone tried to jack it. From Urban Dictionary: jack: To steal, or take from an unsuspecting person or store. As there are no obvious tool marks, I would say that its just part of being an old abused car and is falling apart. Someone tried to break into the locked car but couldn't complete the task. amateur locksmith changed the locks because of stolen keys - perhaps a DIY project Looks like someone tried to use a lock pulling device to break into the car and gain access to it's inside contents, or even to steal it. Someone obviously tried to break into the car. Gosh, this was the easiest one yet! Bees Someone may have tried to break in, either attempting to steal the car or just trying to get in after locking their keys inside. Or it may have been a botched attempt to change the locking mechanism for some reason that I can't think of. Ninjas. The locking mechanism felt helpless, trapped in a ten year relationship with an uncaring, unsatisfying key that saw her as nothing more than a hole. In a final desperate act, the locking mechanism severed herself from her body, leaving her tube-like remains for him to find lifeless and prostrate at the end of the day. someone left the key in the keyhole over night and the next morning when they tried to get it out it was frozen that or it was space men someone tried to steal the lock, and FAILED!!!!! A new prius parked next to it and it couldn't control its animal urges. (Ref: Compact Asian Cars and Their Loose Locks) This car has had a lock transplant, but is rejecting the new tissue. Perhaps they got locked out of their car, and the lock mechanism got broken while they were trying to get back in. Or, the car got old, the mechanism rusted, and it broke off and tried to fall out. :) Too much Levitra. The car was in a freezing rain, or somehow got icy, and the owner tried to unlock the car, but the lock was frozen over. The owner then chiped at the ice, perhaps a bit too hard, and dislodged the lock. Someone pulled to hard when the key was stuck in the lock... The lock jammed. To attempt to free the key from the lock, the keymaster gave it a good yank. Some swine pulled it out in an attempt to break the mechanism and make off the car. In response to your answer to Detective Challenge #4...I disagree with your analysis and will stand by MY assertation that the discarded booties are from furniture delivery guys... 1.) Notice the tread marks on the soles of the booties. These are clearly from a heavy duty shoe or workboot with a safety sole...generally much heavier footwear than a doctor would choose for comfort (albeit, the tread does indicate a non-slip application). Although I can see the confusion and the "over-analysis" with regard to the UC Davis Med Centre (yes...centre with an "re"...I'm Canadian), it is... 2.)..unlikely that a doctor could change from his/her scrubs and into street clothes without removing their shoes in the process. Studies have shown that it's nearly impossible to remove one's pants without first removing one's shoes. It's also unlikely that a doctor would or even could wear the same shoes for work as they would for leisure, unless of course, their idea of fashion involves white crepe-soled Wolverines. It would follow that the booties could not be overlooked during the change-over. 3.) These booties are a loose fit (designed to a one-size-fits-all standard) and would obviously become dislodged with a minimum of effort during the removal of one's pants. 4.) There are 2 distinct pairs of cast-offs. Doctors, unlike delivery men (who DO travel in twos) are seldom in such a hurry "as a pair" and are equally as unlikely to have BOTH forgotten to remove their booties upon their return to street clothes...unless it really IS like Grey's Anatomy and there REALLY IS great party at Meredith's. 5.) Your last comment about doctor's not littering is profound. What doctor would jeopardize the public health by discarding their soiled medical gear in the street? Certainly none that would admit to it in this day and age...even IF there was a REALLY GREAT party at Meredith's. In conclusion...this is obviously the work of two tired, underpaid, under-tipped furniture deliverymen, so elated to finally see an empty truck that they abandoned all etiquette, and simply abandoned their "dorky slippers" in the street in their rush to get to a great party at some doctor's house. Thank's Rob...LOVE your website, and no...I am not a furniture delivery person or an insider to this "crime"...nor am I a doctor or even a Grey's Anatomy fan...just a closet detective who won't rest until the truth is told! This is a general defect among older model newborn Toyota Tercels. Some are prepared with innies (normal locks), this is one of the rare outties. A complacent ball peen hammer weilding maniac used his ball peen hammer instead of his keys. Realizing his mistake, he took his rage out on the focus of the pictures in Detective Challenges #1-#4. Perhaps the car and lock are of two different blood types and the car rejected the lock? It's got to be that the key cylinder came loose and popped out when the person was removing their key. I don't think it has to do with someone trying to break in, because really, it's a Tercel. Looks Like somebody tried to break into it. I think I see a small dent towards the front of the car. Pop the mechanism off with a screwdriver and you can unlock it with your finger. Although why somebody would want an old dirty Tercel is beyond me. -olds383@comcast.net the lock made a break for it. Someone probably pried it off trying to break into the car. some dumbass left his keys in his car, decided to pop the lock with a screw driver. BTW there is an image missing This happened to me--someone pried out my lock at broke into my car at Sac State. All I had in there was my dirty laundry, so I hope they got a good whiff and ran away. From then on, my car was a Dukes of Hazzard car--you had to get in either by crawling over the driver's seat or cramming yourself through the window. --Laurel Groff, a.k.a. Target Meet-Up Coordinator :) the car is a fairly old model, and is dusty. the owner probably doesn't take very good care of it. there are no scratches on the mechanism face, nor around the door; only the adhesive appears broken. I suppose the mechanism worked free after having the door slammed/ general day-to-day use. one day, the owner attempted to open it with the key and discovered that it would not work, as it had broken free from its adhesive. so, he pulled it out, where it would no longer be an issue. The clip that holds it inside the door broke off - I've personally seen this when working at a service department, it can also happen the reverse way and the lock pops into the door, rather than out. Since it is unlikely that anyone would try to break into a Toyota Tercel of that age, (or of any age) and even if one was inclined to it would be much easier to use a hanger, my guess is that the lock was just old as hell, and pulled out when the owner tried to unlock the door with the key. Someone cooked the car to the correct temperature and the little indicator popped out. A boll weevil elected to nest there following a horrifying entrapment inside the car's door. He was attempting to escape out the car's closed window, when the occupant rolled it down. The downward force and stiff highway breeze gave our weevil friend no recourse but to stave off death and cling to the window...riding it to his inner-door-frame dungeon. This, however, he found to be quite nice, and in redecorating, he gently nudged the mechanism outward so as to construct a nest of a lost frito and assorted door-dust-bunnies. Well... the lock was half rusted or eroded out, and when the owner went to unlock the door with one hand, possibly holding groceries or something, broke the last of the metal or epoxy holding it in. No worries were brought up because it could just be pushed back in, but this particular day, the person in the passenger seat either was in a hurry and slamed the door or didn't know that there was a necessity for carefulness when closing the door. If it had been in a snowy location, this would have been easy, rust and freezing keys. but nevermind that last speculation. Someone tried to steal it by prying out the keyhole. Somebody got too ehtusiastic with the slim jim. SCREWDRIVER???? Someone tried to break in using a lock prying device, then realised he was attempting to steal a toyota, and turned himself in because of overwhelming shame from bad taste the sealant has become brittle over the years and finally completely deteriorated causing the lock to come out a giant magnet Poor build quality on Tercels from the Carter presidency? man. she got jacked :P It's old, and it's a Toyota - it's just falling apart! -or- I bet some poor slob finally got the girl of his dreams to go out with him. When he picked her up, he inadvertently closed the door on her foot. Later, at dinner, he spilled a drink on her. When they left the restaurant he tried to open the door for her but when he turned the key the cylinder broke free and she was forced to crawl across the front seat to get in. Needless to say, there was no second date. Yeah, I like the second one better. id say that there was either a really sad event of a theft on a shit car or a lock problem of some kind?! i dont know lmao poor car, it needs some V146R@!!! Someone popped the lock out with a screwdriver, probably to steal the stereo or to get in when the owner locked his keys inside. The door was repaired by an autobody shop that didn't proper ly reinstall the key lock. After some use, it came apart. Joe Either a failed thievery or the keys were left in and AA had to pull out the lock to break into the car. the dirty car had pushed it to the edge of sanity, but alas..no way to escape "Go, go, Gadget Locking Mechanism!" It's a new kind of lock that comes out to meet your key, but it just got lazy and didn't go back into it's home. The car was at one time stolen. It doesn't look like it was removed be force since there are no visible scratches. I would say it was removed for repair and never re-installed correctly. When this happened to my 1986 Jeep, it was simply a case of old car syndrome, where the most used parts just...well, wear out. Sometimes with mildly entertaining results, as seen here. From splatman: Dang crooks. Slime um! Slime um all! Dunk em in a great big tank of ground-up-rotten-veggie slime, head-first! Or 1 key turn too many and it gave way. Or someone got to close w/ a magnet that pulls all metals except those that contain iron. (the lock body aperars to be made of zinc, plated with funky greenish-yellow metal, or is that oxidation?) Or a buff cat grabbed it with his claws, trying to use it as a quick step. Cats are notorious for climbing all over cars. Or is this wut scratched up the fence? 11/30/06 23:26 This happened to my roommate in college. Car stereo thieves will sometimes pull or punch the locking mechanisms out of doors instead of breaking the window. This may be less attention-drawing, but is certainly more expensive to repair--especially if the they punch out a hole where it was. Someone used the fourth image to pry the lock out! attempted robbery It obviously exploded. Thief attempting to break into car instead broke the lock. Somone pulled the lock to get access to the car without using a key. The lock does not appear to have been pried out. There is no damage to the lock or surrounding area. The retaining clip broke and the lock slipped out. The car was robbed someone inside the car sneezed and blew the lock right outta the door! Actually that does look like a typical break in, I know as I've had it happen myself. They use a "punch" tool that would have left the marks at the 1 and 2 o'clock position. Bastards!! somebody tried to break into it erectile lock dysfunction door was hit by Levitra couch? Shirley told Phillip that she could suck a golf ball through a garden hose. Unfortunately there wasn't a garden hose handy to prove it, so she sucked the golf ball through their car's key hole. Her magnificent suction extracted the entire lock mechanism, unfortunately. tell me judging by the fact that the key slot is also turned ninety degrees off center, it looks like someone tried to unlock the door, which for whatever reason wasn't working. The key might have gotten stuck inside. They got frustrated, and yanked on the key, pulling the lock mechanism out of the car. Or maybe they just don't want that side lockable, so they "disengaged" the lock. Your car is old. The key got stuck and when its owner tried to pull it out, the lock came out with it. the retainer clip came off Some tried to break into the car. Apparently, they succeeded and stole a web-image as there appear to be but three images on this page. Toyota locks have a rather weak plastic sleeve holding them in place that can be defeated quickly with a screwdriver. Once the sleeve is destroyed, it doesn't take a key to open the door. You can just turn the entire cylinder. With no sleeve to hold it in, it is prone to dangle out of the door. Obviously someone failed to rip off a car because he'd lost his scratch awl. darn key got stuck, and when they tried to pull the key out, it took the lock with it...... Car wash damage. someone broke in. I'd be willing to bet that it's missing the radio too. someone attempted to pop it out to break in the miracle of birth Someone tried to break into the car, but didn't have to because the car was so crappy the lock just fell out. =( Well, considering that it is three images and not four, something happened to the fourth image. It looks like someone was trying to re-key the lock. Someone was able to chisel out lock mechanism and was trying to get to the inside stuff spontaneous lock ejection syndrome (SLES) someone had their keys stolen, and tried to replace the lock themselves instead of taking it to an auto shop. Someone tried to have sex with the hole where the lock is. some wacko used a chinese scratch awl to get it out, or someone bent it off with the key Some ass hat thougt that disabling the locking mechanism would allow them to open the door and break into the car. It most likely didn't work. Someone did that to my car last year. This looks like a cheap attempt to break into a car using a screwdriver. Someone tried to break into the car the clip fell off It fell out. Probably the only thing not under warranty so it's set to just pop out to keep the dealers busy. This car was broken into. See the scratches in the paint just to the left of the door handle, and the corresponding dent in the car a few inches back? Somebody pried the door open far enough to get a tool inside the door panel, and slide the cylinder clip off the lock. After that, you can generally pull the cylinder out and either rotate it or lift it to unlock the car (the linking rod that unlocks the door will still be attached to the lock cylinder, and once the cylinder is free from its housing in the door you can do anything you want to it). The car was probably stolen at one point, as a locksmith wouldn't open the car this way under any but the most unusual of circumstances (and even then would probably fix the lock afterward), and a regular joe who locks his keys in his car probably wouldn't know how to do this. - Cap'n Curry (capncurry@standupphilosopher.com) A bird did it. Too easy. Key got stuck in the lock, somebody pulled too hard, and the whole thing came out. That's annoying! Looking at the evidence, there appears to be no surface damage that would be visible if there was a tool used to pry it out. However, if the car was washed at least once a millenium, it would be easier to spot any tool damage. And the specific make of vehicle is not a prime target for car thieves, since it was listed as #278 on the stealable vehicle list, coming in just a step below a wheelbarrow. However, I surmise that Rob, with his Herculean strength (matched only by his Da Vincian intellect) used his door key to twist it right out of its cheap, tin retainer that was built by the lowest bidder and installed by an underpaid, unmotivated auto industry employee who feels left behind in his countries advancing economy when he, himself, is sinking further into debt and acting out against his coworkers who lable him as such a potential threat to their well being that Management is keeping a critical eye on him, thus exacerbating the whole situation. Open ~ shut case. Someone broke in Someone tried to use the wrong key to open the door. It happens to me all the time, having two very similar keys of the same car brand on one key ring. But this time, the key got stuck, and in trying to pull it out, brought the lock mechanism with it. This is the result of a blunt force possible an accident, similar results on my ford escort when a deer ran full force into the side of it. Magic! i think it just fell out, or was misinstalled (theres a clip holding it into the door. I say this because i dont see any signs of exterior entry, ie screwdriver marks, or dents or scratches. the owner mayhave lost the key and tried to get the number code from the tumbler. Which by the way is almost visible, i could take that code to a dealer and make the exact key to fit the car The dried glue residue and the fact that it lacks any pry marks or damage to the surrounding metal indicates that it was poorly installed or repaired and simply fell out. The spring steel clip that holds the lock in from the inside fell off. Pulled too hard when trying to open door lock. Extraterrestrials ill-practiced in cow mutillations accidentally tried to disembowel the car, sucking out the lock in the process, and carelessly left their dried, filmy saliva behind. Due to the heat in California and the age of the car it looks like the adhesive deteriated and the lock just fell out. If it was someone breaking in they would have had to remove the lock which supports a manufacturing deficiency in the lock. Since there is no apparent sign of tampering, I would say that the clip that holds the lock to the door has either broken or fallen off. judging by the dusty appearance of the car, i am going to assume that it was an attempt to unlock the car and move it, or something.... it exploded! Thief used a right-angle screwdriver, slap hammer or other device to break lock cylinder, then worked interior levers manually to unlock the door and steal the aftermarket stereo system that is worth more than this old Tercel. rub Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/html Subject: meters above sea level, with a bcc: chasatt@livingwellidc.com back rashers, and is part of a traditional rish breakfast. n recent years, in orth merica, pre cooked bacon, which can be heated in the microwave for a few seconds and then eaten, has become a popular alternative to traditional bacon. ontents hide 1 uring and smoking 2 uts of bacon o 1aedf33f04fb33cd1aed40b5dd9ddef9 . the9595@cockeyed.com Came out after normal use. A) someone tried to steal the car. B) Because the car is so dirty weather may have played a role. If the weather was snow or ice it is conceivable that the epoxy holding it place simply broke from expansion and contraction. Doubly so if the owner attempted to use hot or warm water to de-ice the lock to gain entry. Someone tried to force entry with an improper key, and upon trying to remove the key, pulled the lock mechanism out with it. B dogg I have to go with my usual guess, excessive speed. Or exwife with large screwdriver. Excessive speed and ex-wives are responsible for an incredible amount of auto damage. Its usually a safe bet its one or the other.