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RCW 9A.56.063

Making or possessing motor vehicle theft tools.

Known as the Washington Criminal Code

The act spans §§ 9A.04.010 to 9A.98.020 (401 sections).

Applied in 3 court decisions — leading case State v. Larson (2015)

Most recently applied in State of Washington v. Christopher Bacon (March 2021)

2007 c 199 s 18.

How often courts cite this section

20142020202110
citing decisions per year

Court decisions citing this, by year. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.

(1) Any person who makes or mends, or causes to be made or mended, uses, or has in his or her possession any motor vehicle theft tool, that is adapted, designed, or commonly used for the commission of motor vehicle related theft, under circumstances evincing an intent to use or employ, or allow the same to be used or employed, in the commission of motor vehicle theft, or knowing that the same is intended to be so used, is guilty of making or having motor vehicle theft tools.

(2) For the purpose of this section, motor vehicle theft tool includes, but is not limited to, the following: Slim jim, false master key, master purpose key, altered or shaved key, trial or jiggler key, slide hammer, lock puller, picklock, bit, nipper, any other implement shown by facts and circumstances that is intended to be used in the commission of a motor vehicle related theft, or knowing that the same is intended to be so used.

(3) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(a) "False master" or "master key" is any key or other device made or altered to fit locks or ignitions of multiple vehicles, or vehicles other than that for which the key was originally manufactured.

(b) "Altered or shaved key" is any key so altered, by cutting, filing, or other means, to fit multiple vehicles or vehicles other than the vehicles for which the key was originally manufactured.

(c) "Trial keys" or "jiggler keys" are keys or sets designed or altered to manipulate a vehicle locking mechanism other than the lock for which the key was originally manufactured.

(4) Making or having motor vehicle theft tools is a gross misdemeanor.

Official source: Washington State Legislature. Reproduced from public-domain Washington statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.