Ninja rocks are broken shards of the porcelain insulators of spark plugs. Since they can quickly and almost silently fracture the glass windows on most cars, ninja rocks are increasingly the tool of choice in "smash-and-grab" auto burglaries. They have no traditional association with the ninja or ninjutsu.

Legal status

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In California as of 2003, ninja rocks are explicitly listed as burglary tools, and their possession with intent to burglarize is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in county jail and/or a fine of up to $1000. Legal records do not use the phrase "ninja rocks", preferring more precise phrases such as "ceramic or porcelain spark plug chips or pieces".

Until 2003, "burglary tools" in California did not include devices to break glass. In late 2001, two important convictions including possession of ninja rocks were appealed. In People v. Gordon (2001) 90 Cal.App.4th 1409 (Review denied), Division 1 (San Diego) of the Fourth District Court of Appeal found that possession of ninja rocks was not punishable under section 466 of the penal code. That court applied the ejusdem generis rule of construction, deciding that ninja rocks were not enough alike the then-listed burglary tools. On the other hand, in In re Robert B. (2001) 93 Cal.App.4th 963, Division 3 (Orange County) contradicted this interpretation of section 466 and upheld the conviction. On February 13, 2002, the latter case was granted review by the California Supreme Court.

Two days later, the state assembly rendered the grant of review moot by proposing in Assembly Bill 2015 to amend section 466 to include ninja rocks. The bill passed unanimously in both houses in August. Franks notes that AB 2015 was concurrent with a "legislative flurry after Sept. 11, 2001".

References

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News services

Legal

• • See also Assembly and Senate committee analyses of AB 2015, among other records.
• Amended version of section 466 on FindLaw
• San Diego Legal Updates: Burglary Tools

Car theft | Ceramic materials | California law