MythBusters Episode 54: "Crimes and Myth-Demeanors 1: Great Hollywood Heists"
Air Date: July 12, 2006
One can surreptitiously scale an air duct by using a system of magnets.
busted
Jamie’s magnets (ten 500-pound (225 kg) strength ones) could hold his weight and allowed him to make it to the top of the duct, but they caused far too much noise on the way up to allow for a stealthy entrance.
One can surreptitiously scale an air duct by using a system of suction cups.
busted
Adam’s suction cups were able to hold his weight as well and were much quieter than Jamie’s magnets. However, the mechanics Adam used to control the vacuums often failed, which caused him to slip and fall down the vent, blowing his cover. He did however make it to the top of the vent once he perfected the method of operating the device in sequence to his steps up the vent. However, breaking through the grate of the air duct was much too noisy, thus blowing his cover.
One can successfully dodge a system of laser beam detectors by blowing cosmetic powder across the beams to identify their position.
busted
While visible beams can be seen, they are only detectable when the powder is airborne, which is not very long. Also, blowing too much powder can cause enough of the beam to break and set off the alarm. Furthermore, most laser systems use invisible infrared laser trip beams.
One can successfully dodge a system of laser beam detectors by using night vision goggles.
busted
None of the beams are visible through the goggles, though a combination of the goggles and the powder was able to allow Tory a brief glimpse of the infrared beams, though not enough to make a difference. Also, wearing night vision goggles decreases the wearer’s field of view and may hinder one’s ability to move around the beams.
One can successfully dodge a system of laser beam detectors by pointing another laser at the photodetector.
busted
While the technique is workable enough with visible-beam systems, the fact that infrared beams cannot be readily detected or traced makes locating the relevant photocells too difficult in a real-world situation.
A glass door can be cut open silently by gently cutting the glass and removing it with a suction cup.
busted
The suction cup could not remove the glass.
A glass door can be cut open silently by drilling a hole.
plausible
The drilling caused some noise, but not enough to trip a sonic alarm. It did, however, cause the entire glass to break, but because it was tempered and laminated, the glass held together. The broken pieces were then pried out until an arm-sized hole could open up, allowing access to the doorknob on the other side.
One can successfully fool a pressure sensor under a glass case by squeezing in a knife between the glass and sensor and using a piece of gum to hold the sensor in its original position.
busted
The sensor is extremely sensitive. Even the slight lifting of the case needed to insert the knife can set it off, and it took three attempts just to get the knife in. And the gum is just too pliable when chewed to keep the sensor held down once the knife is removed.
One can successfully fool a pressure sensor under a glass case by squeezing in a knife between the glass and sensor and using tape to hold it in place.
plausible
If you can get the knife in without setting the sensor off, you can hold the knife in place with the tape to keep the sensor pressed.
A safe can be quickly cracked by using a stethoscope.
busted
Modern safes are designed with this old technique in mind, and the tumblers proved too quiet to be heard even with amplification.
A safe can be quickly cracked by drilling a hole and visually causing the tumblers to fall into place.
plausible
With help from a borescope and a length of piano wire, Adam managed to crack the safe, but it would take time that may not be available to a surreptitious safecracker, especially given the fact that the safe for the test was rated to be crackable by a professional safecracker in only 5 minutes.
A suction cup system can be used to scale a (23-story) skyscraper.
plausible
The concept worked but Adam did not have the stamina to scale the entire building. Making the climb would require significant physical training.
Newer: Episode 55: "Steam Cannon"
The infrared laser beams of an alarm can be seen by using any cheap web cam. Remove the IR filter lens (Slightly red sheet of glass) and replace with 2 layers of color film that’s been developed and looks nearly black. Your average universal remote control or maybe an open flame (lighter) would work as an IR source.
June 27, 2007 at 1:52 PMThis episode was really interesting because you’d think anything in Hollywood would be totally fake, but there were a few plausibles in this episode.
June 29, 2007 at 11:11 PMJames, it’s not the infrared detection that’s the problem, it’s the narrow-beam nature of laser. There is just too little coming from the beam to detect without interrupting it or, perhaps, chain smoking.
July 4, 2007 at 12:53 PMThey must have never cut glass by hand before, anyone who does it knows you would have to make the circle you cut in the glass bigger than the plunger, otherwise you could never get enough force to break the circle out of it. And you would probably have to push it through, not pull it towards you. (Such a large mistake for them…)
September 22, 2007 at 11:54 AMyou should retry the night vision goggles and infared beem myth. after 2+ years of working with them in the military, i can assure you that it is possible. i have done it. there is reserch on it. try using better NVG’s. maybe ones with an infa red option.
February 4, 2008 at 2:20 PMI believe that the suction cup climb should be revisited. it would be quite easy to attach a cylinder to each of the existing cups to allow downward force to be used to create suction although it would probably easier just to use a measuring tape or some other thing like that to hook a rope on the opening above climb then repeat.
October 9, 2008 at 7:20 PM