I guess knowing how to break into a car can come in handy.

On Thursday, authorities in Florida responded to a call about a child locked in a car. The parents couldn't afford a locksmith and the father was about to resort to smashing through the window to save his child.

Lucky for the family a group of convicts was nearby. (Bet you haven't heard that before.)

An inmate officer and five low-risk offenders were repairing a parking lot median nearby. Some of the men, er, familiar, with getting into locked vehicles offered their assistance.

The inmates pried the door open a small amount, enough to get a coat hanger through to push the electronic lock button. The group managed to get the child out without injury.

Police say there wasn't an immediate danger as the temperature was only 55°F.

"Our trustees are people who have made mistakes," said Pasco Country Sheriff Chris Nocco. "We're trying to rehabilitate them to get them back into society."

He says the inmates "skill set" was vital in getting the child out of the car.

"A lot of them, like these individuals, they know they made bad mistakes, bad choices, but they want to do the right thing in life."

He mentions that breaking into a car is only okay "when a deputy is around and we give permission."

You can watch the video here.

I don't know what these men did, but it looks like they're coming a long way in paying their debt to society.