Leagility Issues with Lock Picks

[J.Bargs]

I have reacently heard something from a relative of mine (My Uncle is a sheriff of LA County in judicial protection) saying that you need a special license to have a lock pick set on your person or even have one at all. If you are caught with one, the law says it's a felony. I am in the U.S. in California and I am very concerned that I may not be able to have my lock picks, but I am far more concerned with getting a felony on my record. If any locksmiths can answer my question that would be great.

[SFGOON]

Cops aren't lawyers, but sometimes they think they are. The fact of the matter is that the police have to have probable cause to believe that you intend to use those tools to commit a crime, and that is why you posess them. In no way is it illegal to own lockpicks.

[keysman]

Unless the law has changed,.... in California it is only a felony to possess picks when connected to a related crime like burgurly or perhaps trespassing.
Merely having them in your possession may raise some questions as to your intent, and may get them confiscated , but you are unlikely to be charged .
Of course you may want to write a letter to your local D.A. office asking for clarification and any changes to the law .

[SFGOON]

I don't see why they would get confiscated without PC. That would be a direct violation of the bill of rights. A real can of worms could be opened over something like that.

[LockNewbie21]

Plain and simple the only state wheres it completely illegal to have lock picks anywhere home or outside, is DC thats it eveeryone else there is a proboble cause, the only way i would differ is that someone like a cop or someone like a locksmith is trying to scare you... trust me every locksmith i went to said its a felony with anywhere from 1 to 5 years in jail just for having them, they use this to scare and to prevent competion on there part(locksmtihs), but some are nice and will talk and even share some secrets. But most only want to make money so they will say anyhting to make oyu want to throw them away. REMEBER!!! DC is the only place int he united states where mere possesion is a felony, anywhere else is proboble cause.. and if something happens get a good lawyer, they'll find a technicality somewhere and you will win it happens all the time with every circumstance imaginable... like ummm OJ!!


Andy

[rakemaster]

you know, I'm not even sure about DC. No one seems to have ever actually cited this supposed law that makes possession without intent a felony in DC.

[J.Bargs]

Ok, thanks for the good information and I think it was just a scare tactic... Never trust your relatives, seriously. So can I guess that if you were to be pulled over for speeding and a cop were to search your car and find a set of picks, they couldn't do squat about it without probable cause?

[illusion]

Picks would be unrelated to speeding surely... unless you are speeding whilst carrying stolen goods, commonly know as a get-away. I guess it falls into burglary at this point.

[CVScam]

Whenever I meet a new locksmith I try to work that question in. Almost every locksmith I ever talked to said it was a felony to have lock picks. I have worked at 3 different car dealerships and I have seen the good, bad, and ugly of locksmiths. I know its mostly car locks that I dealt with them but only seen 2 locksmiths use lock picks while working on cars. One of them used a tool to remove a broken key and the other one put a feeler in to make sure none of the pins had dropped I think he said.
One guy just handed me like 5 rings of keys and said to keep tring keys till I found one that worked. Then he made a copy of that key and charged the dealership about 90 dollars I think.

[Mutzy]

I had to submit a request for police check for work (apprentice locksmith) cause i'm now being sent to people's houses to do jobs. Anyway, I asked the cop who served me what the law was regarding picksets. He said as long as you can show evidence that you need them and that you have them in your car / on your person for work-related reasons, you'll be fine. I wondered about hobby lock pickers, but didn't ask him.

Funny thing is, my pickset goes with me regardless of where I go.

By the way, I live in Australia, and i have no doubts that the details would've been diferent if i had asked another cop there...

[LockNewbie21]

Well the best i can say is just carry practice locks with you, and nothin unessneary like i never take my auto jigglers out of my house ever unless i practice on my car<-- not a good i dea but i am gentle, but whenever i take my girlfriend tanning i bring my picks and i just sit in my car with my picks and about 3 practice locks and i always have locks with me as long as i have picks. I mean when i do carry picks without locks i carry the essentials meaning a rake a hook and a tension wrench maybe two tension wrenches two diffrent sizes. Besically what i would need incase of emergency meaning if i locked myself out the house after my parents went to bed, and as for my car, well i have a bent to hell antenna and its look like crap but it gets me in when i or my g/f ocassionally lock the keys in the car, oh and i helped my buddy who did the same once. So really there should be no reason for anyone to even know you have them.. not to be secretive like a criminal just for personal back up and reassuence. And if a cop attempts to press a stupid charge always plea innocent and get a good lawyer, becuase once you convicted with somthing related to lock picks anything i mean any crimein the area pertaining to breaking in your the first ont here investigation list. so just keep um for oyuself and your good.


Andy

[Mr. Lock Pick]

im sure they are legal to have, but just illegal to use them for illegal things.