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Man used propylene torch in failed attempt to break into Brighton market, police say

Suspect with torch

Surveillance photos of suspect via BPD.

Boston Police report they are looking for a man they say failed to break into Quality Market, 140 N. Beacon St. in Brighton, despite bringing a portable propylene torch with which to try to melt the front-door lock.

The suspect was described as a light-skinned male with a moustache, thin build, 5'08"-5'10", about 200 lbs., wearing a black knit type hat, black scarf or face mask, mask, black hooded sweatshirt over a dark green undergarment, black pants, black sneakers with white on them, and black gloves.

If Torchy looks familiar, contact detectives at 617-343-4256 or the anonymous tip line by calling 800-494-TIPS or by texting TIP to CRIME (27463).

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Comments

Propane is the usual name for that gas. It doesn't produce enough heat to melt any of the metals used in door locks.

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Looks to be wearing some sort of safety gloves.

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Propylene is a major component of MAPP replacement gasses.

At 2900°C (5,000 degrees F) which is well over the melting point of copper, twice the melting point of steel, and five times the melting point of aluminum...it most certainly will melt a lock. My guess is that this sort of thing is fairly common, and thus BPD know what to call it.

In fact, here's The Lock Picking Lawyer doing just exactly that with a MAP-Pro torch. MAP-Pro is a mixture of Propylene and Propane; true MAPP gas is no longer manufactured.

https://youtu.be/TraNDih4iQ0?t=372

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Thanks to you and the others who've educated me about propylene.

But the LPL is not attacking a door lock; it's a padlock, with what looks like some kind of easily-melted pot-metal components. A door lock in a metal door would have a lot more heat-sinking and would not be hanging out in space like that padlock.

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The yellow tanks labeled "MAPP" are no longer true MAPP but a mixture of propylene, propane, and other things, and burn with a much higher flame temperature than propane.

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Someone's been watching too much Star Wars.

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or propene, is used as a substitute for propane when heating things.

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is the only thing he’s going to melt with propene. Do they make licks out of plastic now?

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Do they secure doors with licks now?

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Just look for the guy with 3rd degree burns on his hands from trying to pull the door open...

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5'-8"-5'-10", THIN BUILD, 200lbs! i'm 6', 165lbs! that's thin.

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I'd love to know what he intended to steal after all that work. A couple of Monster cans and some Cheetos?

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This feels like a lot more effort than most petty thieves are going to put in, so did he think he was going to find something special in there, or did he just happen to find a propylene torch somewhere nearby?

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Quality Market has quality locks!

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they will tow your car FAST there!!!!!!

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...and then he didn't have it on for the entire time that he was in the vicinity of the crime. It's good for everyone when criminals are undisciplined, but geez man, have a little pride in your work.

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