"Impossible," she cried, and sprang from the bed before Dimsdale could react, ripping loose tubes and wires.

Klaang stood to his full height and ripped the tubes and wires from his limbs.

"Too many of them," Skouratis yelled, ripping wires from a cluster of dynamite sticks.

"What we have been through is by their hands, because of the bad security situation," he said, guarding his overturned Kia pickup from the young scavengers who ripped wires, gears and other parts out of the Chevrolet for resale.

"I imagine myself ripping wires out of walls, axing the screen and splintering, shattering glass."

He darted behind the wall, began ripping wires from a series of lower connections.

Killeen smashed a panel of controls, denting the side and ripping wires.

He immediately went about his business, ripping wires and smashing dials.

Too tired to think straight, he did not even consider trying to disable it, perhaps by slashing the tires or ripping wires or pipes from the engine.

For at least a decade, addicts who cash in scrap metal to pay for their next fix have been ripping metal pipes, radiators and wires out of vacant houses, and prying cast-iron security grates and downspouts from buildings.