| In The News |
This is text from a news broadcast on WSAV TV, channel 3, in Savannah, Georgia,
featuring Bruce Rahn, CRL CIL, of Sandfly Locksmith, Inc.
Bump Keys: No Longer a Locksmith Secret
Tuesday, Feb 27, 2007 - 04:28 PM
(video of hitting)
"There! I just bumped it."
It looks like a magic trick.
But Bruce Rahn is no Houdini.
Just a locksmith using a tool of the trade.
It's called a bump key.
It's cut in a special way.
All the grooves dip low -- to trick the pins inside the lock to line up. When the key is tapped, the
tumblers move, the key turns.
Locksmiths have used them for years:
"That's our job, to defeat the lock, without destroying the lock. And this was a method of
defeating the lock without destroying it,
and it was more or less inside the locksmith community," explains Rahn.
He doesn't feel right about showing us the key he's cut on camera.
Kaitlyn: "It's important to you to keep that private?"
Bruce: "Yes, yes, and it should have been!"
But a how-to guide on making bump keys, and using them -- is now just a click away on the
computer! So easy apparently a child can do it.
Child demonstrating: "Alright, This is my bump key. You take it and put it in the lock."
Kaitlyn: "What is your concern about this becoming so mainstream?
Bruce: "Well, everyone is vulnerable to it -- businesses and residences. The keys are
available. Not the actual cut key itself, but
the key blank is available at all the stores."
We asked Bruce to bump his way into a co-worker's home. It has standard locks.
(video bump)
"It just bumped. It took two, two whacks, yea. It was my touch."
I tried it -- and don't have that touch.
Kaitlyn: "It really isn't as easy as it looks, which I guess is good news."
But Bruce says someone skilled at the technique -- would have no problem breaching this lock.
(video door opening)
Bruce: "Probably 99-percent of residential and business locks are vulnerable to this. "
Kaitlyn: "Why is that?"
Bruce: "It's just the way they're made. "
It's not clear whether bumping has been used for break-ins in the Savannah-Chatham area.
Officers don't know -- since the technique
leaves no signs of tampering. They're just learning about it -- and think homeowners should
too. "It's a good idea to let people know they should upgrade the locks at their homes, and
change your pattern just slightly to make it harder
for people to figure out if your home is a good target to break in to," says Crime Prevention
officer Corporal John Simmons.
While we don't want to teach would-be crooks how to use them, we believe it's important that
you're aware a lock doesn't guarantee security.
Bruce agrees. "I hope some of the customers realize that their houses can be broken into
without leaving much, much proof that it was done."
A "key" point: Not all locks can be tricked.
Bruce suggests getting a lock that uses restricted keys or has double-locking mechanisms.
But the extra protection will cost you. A high security lock runs about 150 -dollars.
But you can keep the same door knob and dead bolt assembly you already have, while
replacing the cylinder -- the part the key goes in -- for less money.
Besides high-security locks, there are other ways to layer security at your home.
Savannah-Chatham Metro Police offer a free home or business security inspection.
For who to contact in your precinct, click this link:
featuring Bruce Rahn, CRL CIL, of Sandfly Locksmith, Inc.
Bump Keys: No Longer a Locksmith Secret
Tuesday, Feb 27, 2007 - 04:28 PM
(video of hitting)
"There! I just bumped it."
It looks like a magic trick.
But Bruce Rahn is no Houdini.
Just a locksmith using a tool of the trade.
It's called a bump key.
It's cut in a special way.
All the grooves dip low -- to trick the pins inside the lock to line up. When the key is tapped, the
tumblers move, the key turns.
Locksmiths have used them for years:
"That's our job, to defeat the lock, without destroying the lock. And this was a method of
defeating the lock without destroying it,
and it was more or less inside the locksmith community," explains Rahn.
He doesn't feel right about showing us the key he's cut on camera.
Kaitlyn: "It's important to you to keep that private?"
Bruce: "Yes, yes, and it should have been!"
But a how-to guide on making bump keys, and using them -- is now just a click away on the
computer! So easy apparently a child can do it.
Child demonstrating: "Alright, This is my bump key. You take it and put it in the lock."
Kaitlyn: "What is your concern about this becoming so mainstream?
Bruce: "Well, everyone is vulnerable to it -- businesses and residences. The keys are
available. Not the actual cut key itself, but
the key blank is available at all the stores."
We asked Bruce to bump his way into a co-worker's home. It has standard locks.
(video bump)
"It just bumped. It took two, two whacks, yea. It was my touch."
I tried it -- and don't have that touch.
Kaitlyn: "It really isn't as easy as it looks, which I guess is good news."
But Bruce says someone skilled at the technique -- would have no problem breaching this lock.
(video door opening)
Bruce: "Probably 99-percent of residential and business locks are vulnerable to this. "
Kaitlyn: "Why is that?"
Bruce: "It's just the way they're made. "
It's not clear whether bumping has been used for break-ins in the Savannah-Chatham area.
Officers don't know -- since the technique
leaves no signs of tampering. They're just learning about it -- and think homeowners should
too. "It's a good idea to let people know they should upgrade the locks at their homes, and
change your pattern just slightly to make it harder
for people to figure out if your home is a good target to break in to," says Crime Prevention
officer Corporal John Simmons.
While we don't want to teach would-be crooks how to use them, we believe it's important that
you're aware a lock doesn't guarantee security.
Bruce agrees. "I hope some of the customers realize that their houses can be broken into
without leaving much, much proof that it was done."
A "key" point: Not all locks can be tricked.
Bruce suggests getting a lock that uses restricted keys or has double-locking mechanisms.
But the extra protection will cost you. A high security lock runs about 150 -dollars.
But you can keep the same door knob and dead bolt assembly you already have, while
replacing the cylinder -- the part the key goes in -- for less money.
Besides high-security locks, there are other ways to layer security at your home.
Savannah-Chatham Metro Police offer a free home or business security inspection.
For who to contact in your precinct, click this link:
Here is more information on Lock Bumping.