Don't bother locking your doors

drnickriviera

Platinum Member
Jan 30, 2001
2,419
206
116
http://www.wimp.com/lockhairpins/
I thought it was going to be harder since you can see the pins in the video. Nope. It really is as easy as in the movies. I have schlage locks. First one took about a minute and a half, second less than 1 min. With a bit of practice, I don't think it would be a problem to pick a lock in 10-20 seconds.
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
http://www.wimp.com/lockhairpins/
I thought it was going to be harder since you can see the pins in the video. Nope. It really is as easy as in the movies. I have schlage locks. First one took about a minute and a half, second less than 1 min. With a bit of practice, I don't think it would be a problem to pick a lock in 10-20 seconds.

If someone wants inside your house they are going to get in. i don't care what lock you have on the door.

BUT why make it easy?
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
64,206
12,521
136
Locks only keep out the honest people. If the crooks really want in...they're going to get in.
 

BlitzPuppet

Platinum Member
Feb 4, 2012
2,460
7
81
If someone wants inside your house they are going to get in. i don't care what lock you have on the door.

BUT why make it easy?

^^^

People have used the idiotic argument "we don't have any crime, so I don't lock my door" or "if they want it bad enough they'll get it." or "I'd rather not have broken glass in my car so I don't lock the doors"

Locked doors will deter the casual thief. If they want it, they'll get it. The number 1 rule in front of anything though is: Lock your doors and hide your valuables. Don't keep anything in plain sight.
 

spacejamz

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
10,868
1,516
126
Don't most break-ins involve the thief just kicking in the front door with a few swift kicks?
 

Fritzo

Lifer
Jan 3, 2001
41,910
2,141
126
That's assuming the lock has no resistance in it. My deadbolt pretty damn tight---even with the key you have to use quite a bit of force to open it. No way a hairpin would turn it.
 

CZroe

Lifer
Jun 24, 2001
24,195
857
126
That's assuming the lock has no resistance in it. My deadbolt pretty damn tight---even with the key you have to use quite a bit of force to open it. No way a hairpin would turn it.

A thief would have a screwdriver. A hairpin is for the McGuyvers in movies who have nothing else.
 

feralkid

Lifer
Jan 28, 2002
16,616
4,705
136
Locks only keep out the honest people. If the crooks really want in...they're going to get in.



Absolutely, that's why I was so relieved after an attempted break in last Fall. They totally horked the door jamb and destroyed the key-way, but never managed to get in. On the Police Report it was attributed to the burglar being "honest".
 

Thump553

Lifer
Jun 2, 2000
12,757
2,533
126
Well, crap. My desk drawer is now locked.

That may not be a good idea. Many people get into the habit of locking drawers just because the lock is there, even though they usually leave the key in plain sight in another drawer. Once my office suite got broken into and every desk drawer that was locked was jimmied open, causing a lot of damage. Ironically there was nothing of extrinsic value in any of the locked drawers.

OTOH, always lock your doors no matter how crappy the lock is. Without evidence of forced entry odds are any homeowners or renters insurance claim is going to be rejected.
 

highland145

Lifer
Oct 12, 2009
43,934
6,309
136
That may not be a good idea. Many people get into the habit of locking drawers just because the lock is there, even though they usually leave the key in plain sight in another drawer. Once my office suite got broken into and every desk drawer that was locked was jimmied open, causing a lot of damage. Ironically there was nothing of extrinsic value in any of the locked drawers.

OTOH, always lock your doors no matter how crappy the lock is. Without evidence of forced entry odds are any homeowners or renters insurance claim is going to be rejected.
I don'y have a key for my desk drawer.

I started leaving my old Prelude unlocked. They bent the window frame the last time to take....nothing.


Guy I know had a pistol and some jewelry stolen. May have been a month later that he realized it. The crook pried the trim on the door jam, jimmied the latch and put the trim back. Unnoticeable unless you were looking for it.
 

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
24,442
6
81
A thief would have a torsion wrench. A hairpin is for the McGuyvers in movies who have nothing else.
FTFY.

But as mentioned above, most thieves just kick in the door. That's how my house got broken into. Your average residential-grade door jamb is one step above tissue paper. On the new door, I reinforced the jamb with metal, through-bolted to the hinges on the door itself, which was also metal.
 

Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
21,995
854
126
Hell, ive picked locks with the pocket clip from a uni-ball pen. Locks are easy.
 
Nov 7, 2000
16,403
3
81
this is why i added a single sided deadbolt. totally agree if someone wants to get in they will, but i won't enable any crimes of opportunity
 

dabuddha

Lifer
Apr 10, 2000
19,579
17
81
I have no future career as a burglar :/ Spent 10 minutes trying to open the lock on my desk drawer and failed miserably
 

Pardus

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2000
8,197
21
81
That's why you need an alarm system in addition to locks. Alarm decals on windows, lawns do wonders.