An ANSWER re importing for Australian hobbyists

[disko]

Gday all, I joined last year and got caught up with uni and a new job and other stuff, but now find myself back and lo and behold, my account still works!

Anyway, a lot of questions seem to be asked by Aussies regarding the legality of importing picks and associated tools.

I will not go into the long, long hours of research or discussions I've had with lawyers etc, but here is the deal.

Buying your picks from overseas and having them imported IS NOT A PROBLEM. There is NO regulation on lock picking tools, or tools in general.

Reading material is the issue. Unless you buy from somewhere that customs doesn't have a big flag over in terms of their reading material , it will be seized. Your arguments that you are a hobby locksmith, but really, do you want to fight it all the way to Court?

Some people now doubt will on principle, however if all you care about is learning to pick and not playing semantics with Australian Customs, then learn online or be resourceful (*Cough* Amazon *Cough* I can tell you, ordering a book from Paladin Press or Loompanics when it still operated was a good way to get your order opened and inspected with a fine tooth comb.)

Anyway, great to be back. I'm having great fun with my small South Ord kit, finally picked a Master Combo that I tried to shim last year via the master key, and I'm looking forward to learning a whole lot more!

[hurri]

Buying your picks from overseas and having them imported IS NOT A PROBLEM. There is NO regulation on lock picking tools, or tools in general.

Do you mean I can order picks to Romania with no problem????

[disko]

Let me make it clearer. This is with regard to those importing lockpicking tools to Australia.

[hurri]

understood...

[Krypos]

romania huh? thats cool. im not familiar with where that is, but thats still cool.

[hurri]

[Shrub]

Disko, buying them in may be ok but walking round with them isnt,

Take a look at This thread,

I didnt look through enough of that thread to see Romainia there so maybe hurri can be the one to research it properly

[greyman]

I'd tend to agree with what was said at the top of the thread. It's not illegal to buy or possess lockpicks if you are not a locksmith or security professional. It most probably is illegal to walk around with them unless you have a good reason (maybe going to a lockpicking meeting might be a good reason). On the other hand, I have known car service guys (NRMA) to have lockpicks in their kit, and they drive around and open people's cars. I think it would really depend on who's asking and how you reply, but if it's late at night, you're a goner.