Minnesota laws?

[tmaxx258]

What is the law on carrying lockpicks around minnesota?

[Trip Doctor]

Ey, another MNer, welcome . I think it's the usual 'intent' thing. If you are carrying with 'intent to burglarize' (this would be decided by the cop, time, area, and situation) or something like that, you might be in trouble. I think there's a stickied thread devoted to laws here. We got a few members from MN here so they'll probably be able to give you more info on this (although I'd imagine it'd be the same thing said for most other states in almost all other threads like this, lol).

[raimundo]

theres the law and then theres what ever the situation and personalities want to make of it. An awful lot of people and likely authorites as well, believe that because they think lockpicks should be contraband, that they therefore are. Or there are people who think they can enforce what they think the law is.
in a different vein, I saw the funniest two dogs tied up outside a coffee shop the other day, and I took a single photo when a guy came out and started demanding that I delete the photo. He believed, apparantly that he could control what I photograph in public. No photographer will ever accept that, its some of the free space that is still left to us. There were ways he could have gotten me to delete it, one would be the friendly approach, followed by the offer of some baksheesh. Another would be a coherent explaination of why this is so important. he had a story but it was not coherent, I think it may have been the first time he had played this power and control game. In any case, I was not going to be making money on the photo, it wasnt very important, just that I saw these two clown dogs, (mexican hairless or some varient with long hairs on the head.) But legalistic pressure in a demand for immediate action from someone with really little standing to demand. Well never give in to the other guys interpretation of the law, tell them to let the lawyers talk about it in front of the judge. then there will be an outcome, When someone tries to run over me with pressure, they are only going to get resistance, and that is what happened,
But you will all have your own experiences of people trying to apply the law they think exists on someone without any standing to apply the law, these people are about immediate results, not law at all, its just a form of illegitimate pressure that should be automatically resisted, and by resisted, I do not mean argue the fine points, I mean just say no.

[Eyes_Only]

Here ya go, http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/ ... num=609.59 .

Basically if you don't allow yourself to be placed in a situation where you can be accused of having intent on committing a crime and you leave your picking activities at home and at organized locksport meets you'll be ok.

Sometimes friends and family may ask you to help them out when they are locked out of their home which would give you a legitimate reason to go pick their locks because now you have been given permission by the owner of the lock/property but be very very careful with these kind of requests anyways. Make sure you have the owner there with you when you are picking their lock(s). I think Digital Blue posted a similar experience involving a family member a year or so ago.

Don't advertise yourself to everyone you know that you can do free lockout for for them. This is stealing away work from legitimate professionals and will attract unsavory people towards you in the long run.

[Trip Doctor]

Hey Rai.. I say you post this picture .

[unjust]

i've spoken to folk i know who are lawyers and on the MPD and in Sherrifs depts, and their take on the MN statute is this:

if you're caught being michiveous (graffiti, out past curfew for underage, trespassing) and have picks on you, you'll get burglary added.

if you carry them labeled as such(or at least not disguised as something else, like stashed in a marker) and are getting a speeding ticket, or the like, it's no more a problem than carrying a crow bar in your trunk.

[raimundo]

Of course Unjust carries his disguised as a cigar It is my thought that if you put the picks in a container for some other thing, like a mints box or whatever, this is legal and cannot be construed as illigitimate.
You need a case and found something that works, end of story.

Also, there are other ways to see it, a concealment may be protection from sneak thieves, who would certainly take lockpicks, but may not bother to rob someone of mints.

The concept that you need to legitimacize the box you use is legal bushit.

You have a fourth amendment right to not be searched without cause.

What would bush do? He would just ignore the law, like his mom and dad trained him to.

[raimundo]

Always resist the arguements of meddlers, they think that their misconceptions are superior to your rights. If you are legitimate, not a thief, do not submit to this kind of bullying. Do not even argue the point, just tell em to shut it up, because they have no say in what you do.
tell em to buzz off

[tmaxx258]

Thanks for your help guys!