Mysterious entry into my truck, and truck moved without my permission.

I used to do truck repo years ago. Most trucks have a very simple lock set up, easily picked in seconds if you are remotely competent. I used to so it so fast most people thought I had the keys!

 

Construction equipment, forklifts etc do tend to use the same keys. This is because different people are in them each day. Newer skidsteers now have a code you have to punch in on a keypad to start it. On road trucks are going to have the same kind of keys as a car, although likely without a transponder. A typical automotive key has 8 - 10 cuts with 5 or more depths each. I don't know what the math is on that, but it is a whole lot of combinations. As far as HOW they moved the truck (and why they didn't simply impound it) I don't know.

 

You're assuming the truck manufacturers will use every possible combination. In practice they do not.

Historically, many fleets WANT every truck in their fleet to work with the same key pattern. The manufacturers have been more than happy to oblige. It makes their job easier as well.

 

Comment #10 on this thread has a video that shows it being done.

 

You would leave a couple of them not fully backed off so they will drag a little. If you're only going across a parking lot it won't be enough to heat them up to the point of damaging them. I used to drive heavy tow trucks, but sometimes it would be quicker to cage the brakes (with an air impact or 20V cordless impact) and winch something (particularly a tractor + trailer with each having only one axle with spring brakes) without fully hooking up if we didn't need to actually tow it somewhere else.