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From: inc@fluke.UUCP (Gary Benson)
Newsgroups: net.legal
Subject: Lock picks and like that.
Message-ID: <604@tpvax.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 10-May-85 13:33:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: tpvax.604
Posted: Fri May 10 13:33:47 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 14-May-85 07:13:09 EDT
References: <358@linus.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
Lines: 33


> ......
> why it is illegal to possess bicycle spokes filed down and bent 
> in certain configurations, coat hangers with same adjectives, and other 
> assorted items (better known as lockpicks)? 
> 
> Since when is the ability to do something the same as having done it?
>
>                                                        -the venn buddhist


Good question. It reminds me of the day several weeks ago when I was driving
along a boulevard and there was large crowd standing around this little head
shop as the police were inside confiscating the hell out of the place. The
newsfolks were there and everything. 

I've always wondered about the constitutionality of that sort of law. Why
can my freind the pipesmoker go into any drugstore and pick up a wooden
pipe, but I can't go into this shop and buy a smaller one? I'd be really
interested in hearing a good justification by someone familiar with
constitutional law about all this. I mean, the coat hanger is legal because
it was given to me by the drycleaner. The grinder I can purchase at Sears
for 40 bucks. Pliers from K-Mart. Now I put all these legal things together
and make myself a nice little legal icepick. Is it true that if I use this
device to open my own (legal) automobile I have committed a crime?

Or if I'm a pipe smoker who doesn't want a pipe with a large bowl, am I
committing a crime by entering a shop with the intent to buy a pipe with a
bowl smaller than some set volume? The whole thing seems ridiculous.

-- 
 Gary Benson  *  John Fluke Mfg. Co.  *  PO Box C9090  *  Everett WA  *  98206
   MS/232-E  = =   {allegra} {uw-beaver} !fluke!inc   = =   (206)356-5367
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