Can someone identify these rather dodgy-looking tools

bottom one is a locking wheel nut from a car and it looks like a device that could be hammered over said nut to undo it without having the right shaped key?

Bing bong…

Nah, the bottom one is a set of tweezers.

bottom one is a locking wheel nut from a car and it looks like a device that could be hammered over said nut to undo it without having the right shaped key?

I would say the same - and pliers are to get the plastic covers off?

bottom photo!

on reflection the "key" is too small for my suggestion

Locking wheel nut, a pair of tweezers that could work for removing ticks...the t-piece could be for opening up gas meter cabinets - or for bleeding a radiator - does the radiator work ok in that room?

Unsure if you are thinking this is all drug-related, but in my naivety, I'm not sure the locking wheel nut could help with anything, the tweezers might be of some use and the t-piece looks like it has too many gaps to be used for smoking anything - but then I've no experience of this so could be completely wrong.

The T shaped one could be a key for opening up lamposts and such like

So what would use would all these have for a 12 year old child (who I assume is up to no good).

The tweezers look like some I've got for holding down microchips, etc whilst soldering them. What they are being used for in this instance, no idea!!! (could be used as a roach holder, for smoking joints, I guess?)

on reflection the “key” is too small for my suggestion

Yeah, I doubt that would provide anywhere near enough leverage to remove a wheel nut.

Looks to me like the sort of cheap box spanner supplied with motorcycles.

So ... Box spanner that's been mangled, locking wheel nut, tweezers.

The child has a new-found interest in cars so I am suspicious that it is part of some theft kit but it is certainly dodgy and he's certainly not trying to switch the radiator on in his room.

What are your suspicions?

What are your suspicions?

Definitely a locking wheel nut but the key looks too small to be anything connected to wheels.

T bar thing looks like a box spanner that has been abused either by trying to fit into the locking nut or something else.

If it's your 12 year old and you're wondering why they have them, I wouldn't worry in the least. My eldest and her friend are always finding random objects, usually metallic, in various spots outside and bringing them home cos they are 'interesting'. What did they say when you asked them? Why would you assume a child is up to no good? You sound like a really chilled parent.

Is he just collecting things that fascinate him? Found under a hedge?

So what would use would all these have for a 12 year old child (who I assume is up to no good).

If your child is anything like I was as a child, it could just be cool looking "treasure" they've found whilst out playing. I can't imagine your 12yr old has been out nicking and flogging car alloy wheels in the playground.

@molgrips - context.

So what would use would all these have for a 12 year old child (who I assume is up to no good).

...perhaps he's dreaming of owning his own shed some day and he's starting young - this is the sort of tat he'd need to accumulate to achieve peak-shed by the time he's 30!

Seriously...
• Locking wheel nut key is pretty useless unless you know the exact car it fits. Not even sure it is one as it has no collar to extend over the nut.
• The T-Bar - no way you'd get enough leverage on that to remove a wheel-nut.
• Tweezers - no idea!

We have also just found a tin of spray paint and an empty tin of Carling.

Why would you assume a child is up to no good? You sound like a really chilled parent.

He is a Looked After Child (sorry, I thought this was pretty common-knowledge here now as it has come up a few times over the last year).

Tweezers - for removing the plastic caps that are on the wheel nuts of many cars, to allow access for a socket

empty tin of Carling

Now is the time for intervention.

The t handle looks like a key for some sort of lock, eg a train door (though I think they're male not female), lamp post, gas cupboard etc.

Locking wheel nut not a clue what you'd use that for but that being said I don't know how they lock... Could the tweezers be being used to perhaps pick that?

On reflection that is just a locking wheel nut - not the key...

https://www.mrtyre.com/help-and-advice/locking-wheel-nuts-explained/

T bar would open the electrical cabinets here on site by the looks of it

Does the thread and ramped/cone not suggest that it is in fact an anti tamper bolt or locking wheel nut? Not something for removing them.  No marking on the side or face suggesting it has been beaten over something else.

The mangled box spanner looks like it has been made triangular inside so maybe for getting into gas meter boxes, lampposts, etc.

Can't think of any use for the wheelnut other than a) as a wheelnut, or b) for going to a car place and saying "I've lost the key to my locking wheel nuts, it's this pattern, can you get me a new one?"

Curious as to why it looks covered in soot until you get 1/2 way down the threads...

Tweezers? Could maybe used as part of a lock-picking kit?

Top one does look rather like it's been smacked into a shape to try and remove the wheel nut. (Imagine it's just trying to engage 3 of the points) the rubbing of the covering suggests it's been used a bit.

It's perfectly possible that it's just three random objects found while walking along a pavement. Depending on the child, perhaps it's just a collecting thing. A psychologist might have an insight into their desire to have some possessions, even a need to have secret possessions.

My brother once brought home bits of mortar shells. I don't think he was contemplating a career with Wagner.

Is he just collecting things that fascinate him? Found under a hedge?

There is a possibility of that (he does have a bit of a hoarding tendency, collecting stuff whenever we go out as a family). He has started hanging around near some garages/retail/industrial park so there is a possibility he's picked stuff up there, but I thought it all kinda looked like a set (obviously I could be way off the mark, hence me asking on here).

Were they hidden in his room or left out ?
If hidden, put them back , then play the long game and go a bit Columbo to see if he takes them out again with him.
If they are just innocent treasure, then chances are he won't have any use for them.
If he takes them with him, then escalate to next level.

Were they hidden in his room or left out ?
If hidden, put them back , then play the long game and go a bit Columbo to see if he takes them out again with him.
If they are just innocent treasure, then chances are he won’t have any use for them.
If he takes them with him, then escalate to next level.

They were in a drawer, hidden below other stuff. I tend to agree though - playing the long game is possibly the correct approach especially if they aren't clearly some very dodgy things that he could get into trouble with (ie, an obvious car theft kit that could get him into trouble even if he's just found with it on his person by the police).

Used to collect random stuff like that when we were kids...

Going by the last pic, none of them are nail clippers

Going by the last pic, none of them are nail clippers

That is my wife's hand

He is a Looked After Child (sorry, I thought this was pretty common-knowledge here now as it has come up a few times over the last year).

Ah right. I didn't know, sorry.

It could be that someone else used them to nick wheels and tossed them aside to be found by your kid. Does the turny thing fit into the locking wheel nut? That said, I'd be amazed if you could get enough torque through to actually undo a wheelnut like that.

scotroutes

Exactly what immediately came to mind

100% the T bar is a street light key, use them most days.

Ah right. I didn’t know, sorry.

Not a problem - I just didn't say as I didn't really think it had a bearing on the question. By the sounds of the responses, it does seem they may well be innocuous, but the spray paint and empty beer tin, not so much. Kids (your own or otherwise) ehh!

Having had a looked after child in the family, I would say exactly what @scotroutes has said. He had a fascination with keys, any keys and now aged 23 still has.
If I was to guess, I’d say he’s just found them while out and about and having no idea what they are, just seen as treasure.

The "T" bar looks like a very worn Euro lift emergency landing door "triangle" release key.

an empty tin of Carling.

The youth of today, <sighs> what happened to plastics bottles of 20/20

The youth of today, <sighs> what happened to plastics bottles of 20/20

'Cos I didn't have any in the garage where I assume he stole it from. (I know, guilty as charged - I bought Carling once). Thankfully he didn't find the Leffe

You bought Carling once.... You know statements like that are likely to lead to the ban hammer coming down

Magnet fishing finds?

All the people suggesting the tshaped tool is a locknut key need to go outside and tighten their wheel nuts beyond finger tight.

My guesses - I doubt they fit a 12 yr old, mind.  Does he have older friends ?

spanner - key to wherever the real stuff is hidden (meter box, lamppost, phone cabinet ...) ?  (or has it been heated at one end ?)

tweezers - for a roach ?

Wheel nut - not even a guess.  Oooh, might it weigh exactly "something" (can't be an ounce, surely)

Best summarised by; whut?

They're not tools, that's rubbish. Unless the tweezers smell like an old hippy they don't mean anything either.

Similarly folk partaking in illicit beer and spray painting tend not to bring the empties home.

11mm sockets, short lengths of hose and some drainpipe, that's something worth asking about.

Squirrelking - he’s a 12 yr old foster kid, not a 16 yr old offspring pissing around. I’m just trying to get my head around what he may be doing. And stealing/drinking my beer isn’t a good look for him, even if it was just Carling.

squirrelking

11mm sockets, short lengths of hose and some drainpipe, that’s something worth asking about.

Ok, I'll ask then?

Is it possible he was given the items to hide as a test?

Massive respect for what you're doing BTW.

They were in a drawer, hidden below other stuff. I tend to agree though – playing the long game is possibly the correct approach

I hope you took a photo. If I were 12 and had hidden something odd, I'd know 100% if someone had moved them. I'd probably have placed them very specifically.

The wheel nut is a wheel nut, as others have said. I cannot think how that's nefarious, I'd be more concerned if there were four of them.

The triangle drive crops up in a lot of places, I'd have gone with 'gas cupboard' but a previous poster seems certain it's for street lamps. It probably fits both. I'm liking Scardypants' "hiding place" idea but good luck finding that unless he's daft enough to stash stuff in the nearest place to home. It's had a bloody hard life in any case, it looks like it's been hammered into something it doesn't quite fit.

My first thought for the tweezers was a torque bar for picking double-sided wafer locks, but one would rather expect to find a pick or two also...