The Wimbledon Locksmith 26/03/09

Not a question most people ask themselves on a daily basis, but a question that is more important to most people than they realize. The tools in question are those which would allow a person to gain entry to a property be it their own or that of someone else, be it legally or illegally. The Internet has undeniably changed all of our lives, information on almost any subject you desire is available if you look hard enough, and with many subjects (including this one) it is very much a double edged sword.

In recent years there has been a proliferation of websites and forums promoting and discussing the art of lock picking and bypassing. There are also many websites that will sell tools and equipment that would allow anyone with a little practise and know-how to open a wide variety of locks. Everyone relies on there locks on to protect there privacy, property and belongings, but very few actually know how there locks work, what sort of security level they provide and how easily they can be opened without a key.

As a locksmiths company operating across London, Kingston and Surrey we are more and more frequently being consulted by the police on entry methods. This normally occurs when a burglary or break-in has taken place but no evidence can be found as to how entry was gained. Have the locks been picked? Was the door simply left unlocked and someone walked in, how would we get in? These are the questions that are normally asked.

When an entry of this type has taken place the most common method used is a 'bumpkey'. What is a 'bumpkey' you may ask? A 'bumpkey' is a specially cut key that when struck with a small hammer (or other similar object) will cause the pins in the lock cylinder to separate and allow the lock to open. The exact physics of how this occurs is still a matter of some debate and will know be discussed in a later article. As you can see from the description it requires very little skill or training to use one of these keys. But if a perpetrator has the correct key for say your standard Yale lock he would have a good chance of opening about 50% of the front doors in London. A scary statistic. Bump keys are very easy to obtain, many websites exist some in the UK and many more across the world where these keys can be ordered by anyone, they are cheap and easy to post and worst of all easy to copy by anyone who has a key cutting machine.

As you can see this is not a good state of affairs. 'bumpkey's' have actually been in existence for many years and in the UK were formally known as 'rap keys' because you would rap them with a hammer. Sadly that have become the most proliferated of all the trade secrets of the locksmith. We are hearing of an ever growing number of burglaries in the London, Kingston and Surrey areas where 'bumpkey's' are the suspected form of attack. At the present time the UK government is doing nothing to stop the proliferation of 'bumpkey's' in the UK. Take an interest in the locks on your doors, find out how good they are and what true level of security they provide. A 'bumpkey' epidemic is coming to the UK but you can do something about it before it happens to you.

Stephen C Weston. Director Keyworks Locksmiths Ltd.