ignition switch key issue

[j2k4]

My wife put the key in her stealth's ignition switch and it felt kind of weird.
She pulled it back out and it was covered with a black sticky substance that looked tar.
Any ideas on this? Anyone else ever have this happen to them? I'm still at work and won't be able to see this stuff until this evening.

I think you'd better hang on until you get home, John.

I'm gonna guess she/you may have been victimized by a prankster...

[JohnnyTurbo]

I think you'd better hang on until you get home, John.

I'm gonna guess she/you may have been victimized by a prankster...

That was one of my thoughts, but she locks the car every time she gets out of it, so I can't imagine how someone could have put something into the lock cylinder. Question, can our cars be opened with a slim jim? There are no marks on the doors that I can see.
Last Saturday night someone did throw a McDonalds Coke at the car and the whole pass. side was splattered with sticky brown coke residue, but It washed off easily with carwash soap & sponge.