How a Burglar Can Pick Your Lock

Simply having a lock on your door is not enough to prevent determined criminals from gaining access to your home. A skilled burglar does not need to break any windows or force any doors in order to get inside your house—he can do so simply by picking the lock. While lock picks are illegal to possess unless you are a licensed locksmith , many burglars have contraband sets that they use to commit crimes and steal valuable items. Read on to learn how burglars pick basic locks.

Basic Cylinder Locks
Most standard locks on home doors are cylinder locks. The only difference between a deadbolt and a standard cylinder lock is one small spring. Deadbolts use a solid piece of metal to secure the door, while standard cylinder locks use a spring to help make it easier to lock the door. Unfortunately, the spring does not provide much security and it can easily be forced. Deadbolts, however, are still vulnerable to lock picking.

Pin and Tumbler Design
Pin and tumbler locks are the most common designs in use today. These locks use a series of small, spring-loaded pins to keep the cylinder from turning. When there is no key in the lock, the position of the pins blocks the motion of the cylinder. When the correct key is inserted, all of the pins are aligned in such a way that the cylinder is free to rotate, which allows the lock to be opened.

Picking a Lock
In order to pick a pin and tumbler lock, all a burglar must do is use special tools to align the pins until the lock can be turned and the door can be opened. The pick, which is a long, thin piece of metal, is used in conjunction with a tension wrench to align all the pins.

If you would like to improve security in your Orlando home and control access by installing more secure locks such as keyless entry pads, call Armstrong Lock & Security Products today at (321) 800-4982 to learn more about our security solutions.