How I Learned to Pick Locks
Some people think I learned to pick locks because of my magic training. I did inherit some old locks and handcuffs from my great-grandfather, but there were no instructions with that stuff, I had to figure it all out on my own.
I actually learned to pick locks from a guy I arrested for breaking into a house.
Being totally honest here, very few burglars are caught in the act by the police. They are usually long gone by the time we get there. They know how long it takes for us to drive there and they count on that. At least the professionals do. So it was a surprise to both parties involved in this story when we got the call and we were literally two blocks away from a burglary in progress. We pulled up just as the burglar was walking out the front door. The look his face was priceless. He just sat down laughing on the front steps and told us to take our time, he wasn’t going to run or anything.
I later learned that this fellow was a professional. He was hired by rich people to come and steal something specific. Something they had insured to the max and didn’t want anymore. He would break in, grab the item and leave. They would file a report and claim the insurance. He got the money for the crime, and the money from selling the item. In his mind it was a win-win. Of course the law doesn’t see it that way.
He explained to us in the car that when he got his phone call, he would be out on bail fast. He wasn’t kidding, not very long after his phone call a very nicely dressed lawyer showed up and bailed him out. And we never saw him again. He never showed up for court.
While we were waiting for his lawyer I was tasked with keeping an eye on him while we processed him. He and I started talking and I asked him questions about his job. He explained that he knew all about alarms and security systems, how to open safes and how to pick locks. I confessed that I wished I could learn some of those tricks, since I was a magician after all. He kind of smiled and said that if I promised not to press more charges for doing so, he would show me how to pick locks in 5 minutes flat.
After thinking on it for a few minutes I agreed and sat down across from him. He asked for a paper clip, which I nervously gave to him and he proceeded to explain in great detail how handcuffs worked. And then he took his off using the paper clip, then handed me my cuffs and the paper clip with a big smile.
He then drew out how most locks work on a few pages in my notebook, and the fastest ways to pick or bypass those locks. I was fascinated. Time flew and his lawyer showed up. After he was released he said that he wished me well and that was it. We found out later that the name and ID he had given us were both totally fake and his prints never came back matching anyone in the system.
I have been playing with and practicing with locks ever since.