Carrying picks in the UK

by **Magic** » 4 Jul 2006 15:47

I simply don't understand thee issue here.
Why would anyone be carrying picks if they were not going to a specific job? Do people carry picks just in case they bump into some total stranger in the street wailing because they've locked themselves out?
Perhaps some locksmiths travel to jobs on public transport?

I would have thought that a locksmith going about his business could make his life a lot easier by wearing a 'hi-vis' jacket so that there was no possible suspicion of covert action?

Regards,
Vince.

by **Shrub** » 4 Jul 2006 15:51

Im not sure where over here by the key board is but the issue is this is not a locksmith site so the discussion is regarding hobby picking, hobby picking is better in a group of like minded people and as such you can go to meetings and have to carry them with you then,

There is also the practise side of things, you may want to take a lock and set of picks to school or the youth club or park etc,

I think a good question would be does your school ban lockpicks?

by **SEVEN** » 6 Jul 2006 18:29

The question was asked about the U.K law regarding carrying lockpick's not about locksmith's going about there ligit buisness.It's not a crime if there is no illegal intent.Carrying lockpick's is not illegal.

by **Shrub** » 6 Jul 2006 19:10

By the way yes i do carry an invoice and set of picks in my pocket with me where ever i go incase i come across someone locked out and not sure of my number, done a few jobs whilst sat in the pub actually,

by **David Swearingen** » 14 Jul 2006 19:14

Here in the US, it's the same as in the UK - the laws are so numerous, so contradictory, and so ambiguous that eveything hinges on the individual copper. If he's a jerk, if he got up on the wrong side of the bed, or if he has a good reason to be suspicious of you, then you could be in trouble. But I carry my picks with me all the time (I have an HPC wallet that is specifically made to carry a set of picks made just to fit neatly in that wallet, so they are actually a part of it). But I keep a low profile and don't call attention to myself; the only time it has been an issue has been whenever I've gone through the metal detector going into the courthouse, and then the guards just tell me I have to leave the picks with them until I come out. They don't even ask why I have them. Nowadays, I just hand my wallet to them instead of walking through the metal detector, and they hand it back to me on the other side without even looking in it.

by **PCthug** » 16 Aug 2006 5:20

Here is a copy of a reply i have just put onto another post.....

I`m a cop (for 14 years) in the northeast of England, and thought i would give my view.

Carrying lock picks is not illegal, its the intentions of the user that could be and/or the location they are stopped.

If i was to stop you in the high street on a busy day with lock picks, and you informed me it was your hobby, and you were off to buy a lock from a hardware store, then i would let you go, (after doing checks to see if you were known to the law or not).

If i stopped you in a car park, near motorbikes then i may take a different view on it. Or if it was the dead of night, i may take a different view of it.

If you were stood looking at the bikes, then i could arrest for going equiped (A person has on him when not at his place of abode any items that can be used for any burglary, theft or cheat)

If i stopped you kneeling down at the bikes with picks in your hand, then i could arrest for attempt theft of motorvehicle.

The only way i could know their `intent` is to interview. Interviews can only be done at a police station and on tape, and if i believe an offence has taken place, they will need arresting and cautioning prior to this to bring them in.

Its all down to the officer, their knowledge, and what they want to do (some are lazy, and wouldnt want the trouble).

About a year a go i arrested a lad for going equiped, and he got 6 months in prison. What did he have on him? it was a mobile phone.
He was a known criminal (known for breaking into cars and stealing things), in a hot spot high crime area, and fit a description given by a witness of a male seen to be shining a light into cars during the dead of night. He used the light on his mobile to see what was in the cars, so he knew if he would break in or not.

I`m wanting to learn lockpicking to assist in my job. I get called to houses by concerned family members who havent seen/heard from relatives for a while, and need to gain entry to houses for wellfare checks. I normally force entry to their houses, damaging doors/locks and frames. If i could only pick it, then it would eleviate a lot of expense and trouble.

MATT

by **CaptB** » 5 Sep 2006 3:09

My neighbour got caught under similar circumstances (not long after I managed to get him evicted while in jail).
My landlord had a basement flat which he went to social services with (god knows why). But requested that it only be given to someone who needed a fresh start, no criminals and no drug users. I ended up with a compulsive burglar with a heroin addiction living under my house for a year

Getting back to the fact of the story, he was caught at the back of someones house with a hammer, due to the crime not yet taking place. He was arrested
for going equipped for a burglary (because he had a hammer).

by **Shrub** » 5 Sep 2006 9:01

He obviously had previous though as he went to jail, if the intent is obviously there yyou will get done,

by **CaptB** » 5 Sep 2006 9:27

82 convictions before I was lucky enough to have him as my neighbour.
I also lost Â£1600.00 worth of tools stolen from my vehicle by this sad excuse for a human being. Stopped me working for 4 months.

by **Shrub** » 5 Sep 2006 9:30

Let me guess, 3 months inside at our expense :roll:

by **parapilot** » 5 Sep 2006 10:20

CaptB wrote:82 convictions before I was lucky enough to have him as my neighbour.
I also lost Â£1600.00 worth of tools stolen from my vehicle by this sad excuse for a human being. Stopped me working for 4 months.

humm... he would have been going to another publicly funded building if i knew it was him that stole my tools.

by **cbuk2k** » 5 Sep 2006 13:40

I think the police in the UK are too busy catching motorists doing 32 in a 30 zone to waste time on searching people for lock picks. Sorry rant over, its not the guys on the streets fault its those muppets in the house of commons.

by **illusion** » 5 Sep 2006 14:02

cbuk2k wrote:I think the police in the UK are too busy catching motorists doing 32 in a 30 zone to waste time on searching people for lock picks. Sorry rant over, its not the guys on the streets fault its those muppets in the house of commons.

Hit someone at 30mph and there's an 80% chance they'll live, hit them at 40mph and there's an 80% chance they'll die. 10mph makes the difference greatly between killing someone, and considering they are often used in areas where there are loads of people, is it that stupid? If you hit a kid at 40, how will you feel, knowing that the chance of that kid surviving was quatered because you went as little as 10 mph over the speed limit?

Meh... Check the unelected muppets in the House of Lords, at least we elect the descision-making muppets in the House of Commons!

by **cbuk2k** » 5 Sep 2006 14:24

Never believe statistics you can make data say anything you want it to. I’m not talking outside a school here, I was stopped a few weeks ago for it in an industrial estate. I think it should be 20mph outside a school at start/lunch/end.

I’d rather step out in front of someone doing 40 and paying attention to the road than someone doing 30 sending a text/doing make up etc.

by **cbuk2k** » 5 Sep 2006 14:25

Most of those in the House of Lords were formerly barristers or well educated, to be an MP you need no formal education hence the BNP. The house of lords has blocked many daft laws of late.

Carrying picks in the UK

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