A security camera captured a masked intruder breaking into a safe at 2:00 AM. The safe door was ripped off its heavy hinges using an industrial hydraulic jack. Yet, the owner of the safe, a weak elderly woman who could barely lift a gallon of milk, had an airtight alibi miles away. Detective Sterling realized the woman was the mastermind. How did she pull off the physical feat without being there?
She hired professionals or used an automated timed system, but wait—she didn't need to be strong because machines do the lifting.
Physical weakness does not prevent someone from planning a crime or operating heavy machinery if they hire accomplices or use automated remote-controlled hydraulic tools. The riddle highlights a false dichotomy between her physical frailty and her capacity to commission the break-in.
About this riddle
Detective riddles are tiny mysteries. Look for the detail in the story that does not fit; it is usually the clue that solves the case.
Difficulty: Easy. More like this: Detective riddles with answers or try Truth & Lie Island for a different kind of puzzle.
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