How I Rob Banks

Chapter 54How to Pick Locks

Picking locks is nothing like you see in the movies. It's hilarious to watch movies and TV shows attempt their versions of picking a lock. Very few people seem to know how it works, yet it is incredibly easy to do and a fun pastime.

Picking locks is much like golf; it's easy to understand the principles and even relatively simple to start once you have the right equipment. You will then spend the rest of your life trying to get better at it. Unlike golf, though, it can be practiced all year; you can do it anywhere—a train, a plane, a bus ride, in the park, in bed, or even on the toilet. All you need are some lock picks and something to pick!

First let's look at the tools, and then we'll get into how to use them.

You will need, obviously, something to pick. I suggest a cheap padlock to get started.

Then you need a lock-picking kit. When I began doing this as a kid, I made my own from old street sweeper blades I found on the streets in London. I made them for others, too. But let's be honest: we have moved on, and lock-pick kits are now dirt cheap and available almost everywhere (including Amazon).

Before you buy a kit, though, take a quick look at your local laws. In some places, owning, carrying, or even selling lock picks can be illegal. In other places, you may only have them if they're required for your work. Please be careful before buying or making lock picks.

There are many types of lock picks, but I'm not going into each type here. There are ...