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A picture of a key can be used to make a copy of that key


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2021 Mar 4, 6:52pm   205 views  10 comments

by Patrick   ➕follow (55)   💰tip   ignore  

https://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-08/app-tells-locksmiths-how-make-keys-photos/

You hear myths of old-school locksmiths who are so in tune with their trade, they're able to copy a key just from looking at a photo of it. The old-school-looking guys I talked with at one local shop said they couldn't do that, but now there's an app that can. KeyMe, the company that brought robot locksmiths to New York, has launched an iPhone app that is able to generate coded instructions that any locksmith can read, and make a copy of your key anywhere in the world.

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1   Misc   2021 Mar 4, 10:26pm  

Lemme guess...the next step is just a photo of the lock itself and a key can be made. Also, it's not just for locksmiths anymore.
2   Blue   2021 Mar 5, 2:04am  

Patrick says
generate coded instructions that any locksmith can read,

A kiosk can be made to show picture to get a copy. Now everyone has to hide their keys all the time in public.
3   HeadSet   2021 Mar 5, 6:07am  

A picture of a key can be used to make a copy of that key

That may work on low security door residential door locks, but will not work on modern cars that have an electronic rolling code built into the key itself. Especially will not work on "push to start" vehicles.

Anyway, older vehicles with single sided keys are easy to pick anyway. I was able to "bump" the door locks of 2 Ford pickups that co-workers had locked the keys inside. Only took about a minute each time.
4   zzyzzx   2021 Mar 5, 6:19am  

I bet it works on the 5 pin Kwickset KW1 (or was it KW2, I forget) style locks.
5   WookieMan   2021 Mar 5, 7:27am  

I had to break into foreclosed properties during the housing bust, many. 90% of the time I was able get into a home no problem in minutes. Maybe is was easier because it was foreclosed and the owner didn't care about the place. Most the time the doors were just unlocked or there was ground floor windows unlocked I could access.

I'd be slower now because it's been a while, but a good quality cordless drill and bit will get you in there quick too. Locks are getting changed anyway so just blow it out. In all my endeavors doing this, the cops were never called on me. This was in a city environment where there were plenty of eyes potentially on me doing my thing. I was kind of amazed how much neighbors in a city setting give zero fucks about their neighbors. Kind of sad.

The beauty of this is we'd still put in for locksmith reimbursement from the bank... sshhhhhhh don't tell anyone. This is why banks don't want to foreclose anymore. They're awful a property management and they use Realtors to do this. Realtors know dick about property management or at least 95% of them.

One deal the bank pissed away $60k on the sale price from a contract we had from a financed buyer that had a delay in hitting a financing contingency. House goes back on the market and has a pipe freeze that destroys the garage and a room above. $20k because they have the do mold remediation no matter what per bank policy (Boa I think).

They'd have been better off offering forbearance for 2-3 years to the owners until they could get back on their feet. I think that's what we'll see from Covid. I don't know the banking rules on reporting, but I feel like there's a shadow foreclosure or non-payment situation right now. I don't have evidence, but the math doesn't add up with the job losses and the "stimulus" is dick from what I know most people are paying for their homes. Loans are also much, much, much better than from that time, so I don't see a crash.

TL:DR - Key don't matter for homes, so wouldn't worry about someone copying one. Banks are idiots with managing property and shareholders should be pissed.
6   Shaman   2021 Mar 5, 7:35am  

A decent lockpicking tool is $20. That plus skill will get you in most places. I’ve picked interlocks where we lost the key and had no way to shut off power without them. And truck door locks. And padlocks. And door locks. It’s kind of empowering to know you can go past a lock that easily.
7   WookieMan   2021 Mar 5, 8:18am  

Shaman says
It’s kind of empowering to know you can go past a lock that easily.

That and the fact that no one cares seemingly. I was doing this in broad daylight. Sure I was wearing work clothes, but it's scary if that's all it take. Khakis and a nice polo. lol. I'd literally crawl through windows.

I guess having the approval and paperwork to do it made me feel like it was no big deal. But you never know which cop is bad or having a bad day and might come at you guns out. I'm shocked to this day they never got called. Talking maybe 80-100 homes, with only 1-2 being in a rural location. I guess that's why there are criminals, it's not that hard to be good at it.
8   RWSGFY   2021 Mar 5, 9:08am  

BFD: if somebody enters when I'm not home the doggo will make sure their hospital bill is not trivial. If they enter when I'm home the bill will be much more substantial and it might be a bill from a mortuary, instead of hospital.
9   Karloff   2021 Mar 5, 9:41am  

Misc says
the next step is just a photo of the lock itself and a key can be made
This actually exists. It's a tiny camera on a small key-like piece of metal that inserts into the locks and records the lock internals. A key can then be made to match.
10   WookieMan   2021 Mar 5, 9:59am  

FuckCCP89 says
BFD: if somebody enters when I'm not home the doggo will make sure their hospital bill is not trivial. If they enter when I'm home the bill will be much more substantial and it might be a bill from a mortuary, instead of hospital.

It was mainly vacant properties, but dogs are good for what you say. Still amazing though that neighbors never called the cops.

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