Look Out for Lock Bumpers

Nov 1, 2006 12:00 PM

Did you know that for $17.99 you could become an expert locksmith? More like an expert lock-picker.

At one Web site, that $17.99 can buy you a set of six bump keys made from solid brass. They are for the five most commonly used keys in the United States: Kwikset, Schlage, Yale, Dexter, Weiser, and Master Lock. And with a little training, those bump keys can help a thief break into most conventional door locks.

“Lock bumping,” as the process is dubbed, is familiar to many security technicians. Locksmiths have been using the technique for years to help homeowners, but the International Association of Investigative Locksmiths (IAIL) has expressed worry because the specially-cut keys are being sold online with instructions on how to bump.

Using the technique, criminals can pop open thousands of ordinary pin tumbler locks by using a specially-cut key which is inserted and knocked on, causing all the pin tumblers in the lock to split and the lock opens.

And if a lack of training is the thief's problem, he can merely check out another Web site, offering a lock bumping tutorial as part of a 15.99 lock picking guide. “Learn how to pick the unpickable. No lock is so secure anymore. Learn the tricks of getting past the infamous Israeli Mul-T-Lock system. It's called Bumping and it will blow you away,” the site claims.

To protect themselves, consumers and businesses should look for a high-security lock, the IAIL says. High security locks add extra locking features within the cylinder that make bumping more difficult.

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