How to Break Out of Zip Tie Cuffs

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This article originally appeared in print under the headline "How to Break Out of Zip Tie Cuffs."
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This actually works.
I saw this years ago and my wife and I tried this to make sure it works.
The trick with heavy duty zipties that police use is to do it multiple times weakening the plastic.
Or, you can use your shoe laces to burn through the zip tie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yelyig-aQcU
See, this and the how to make your own gun video are the kinds of useful information that Reason should put out more.
I was thinking the same thing!
Most cops handcuff you from behind. There is a way out, but you need a tool to do it.
It would depend on your build and how flexible you are... But I slipped handcuffs from behind to the front when I got busted for underage drinking in high school! The cop was PISSED when he noticed... So he committed a mild act of police brutality on me, slamming me into the trunk of the car, yelling in my ear from half an inch away, and then tightening the cuffs until I had marks on my wrists for days... Cops are super tough with skinny 17 year old kids!
I'm quite sure I'm more than flexible enough to still do it, but some guys are really no flexible, and I imagine tubby folks might find it hard too.
Interesting to know you can break zip tie cuffs reasonably easy though. As mentioned above with the pro level cop ones multiple tries might get it done too. Hope to never need this info, but it's always nice to know odds and ends like this.
If this doesn't work on cop zip ties, why bother publishing it?
Maybe that escort that you hired zipped you and ran off with your wallet.
Well, it's good to know it doesn't work, I suppose.