I'm being stalked . . . please help find a pick proof lock!

[stalked]

Please forgive me if this topic has been asked before, but this is my first time at this site. I am here because I have been relentlessly stalked in several residences I have lived in over the years. Someone has managed to enter and steal personal items of mine that would seem not to carry a high monetary value but mean a lot to me. I have a few questions surrounding this. 1) How is this person defeating deadbolt locks and RELOCKING these deadbolts without a key? Is it possible to lock a deadbolt with a pick once it has been picked? Is it difficult? Approximately how many years of practice would it take to cultivate this skill? How much time at the door to enter and relock the lock do you estimate it is taking this person to get in and then lock the door back up if it is indeed possible? I have reason to believe this individual has defeated a Masterlock on a moving truck while I was in the process of moving out of state as well. How much skill does that require?

I am considering installing Medeco locks, but I fear this person is an expert and may be able to pick even those. Medeco assures me that they are "virtually pick-proof." What do you think? Is there a lock out there that this jerk won't be able to defeat? If so, what is it and where can I buy one? Please help . . . this person has hacked into my computer, stolen my stuff, and I have no idea who is doing it. I don't know if he can be caught, but keeping him out would be enough for me. Answers to any of these questions would be appreciated. Thank you.

[TOWCH]

Deadbolts provide no more pick resistance than any other style of lock. They are as easy to pick close as they are to pick open. Master locks are extremely easy to pick. It is highly unlikely that the person who is doing this can pick medecos. What brand of deadbolts has this person picked? If the answer is Schlage, Kwikset, Titan, Bird, Weiser, Yale, or Russwin, I have been picking for less than a year and none of those would give me any trouble.

[zeke79]

There are alot of good brands out there to choose from. Medeco is probably the most difficult lock to pick or bypass in use in the US. It offers excellent key control and excellent picking and bypass resistance. There are alot of other outstanding alternatives out there. I personally use schlage primus on my home and it has performed great with no malfunctions to date. Just be sure to choose something with a restricted blank/keyway and do not hide keys outside etc. Have a reputable locksmith assess your home to find any security problems and go from there. He or she will be able to give you some peace of mind.

[zeke79]

Deadbolts provide no more pick resistance than any other style of lock. They are as easy to pick close as they are to pick open. Master locks are extremely easy to pick. It is highly unlikely that the person who is doing this can pick medecos. What brand of deadbolts has this person picked? If the answer is Schlage, Kwikset, Titan, Bird, Weiser, Yale, or Russwin, I have been picking for less than a year and none of those would give me any trouble.

You are kind of generic in your description of easy to pick locks. I too can pick a schlage 5 or 6 pin cylinder and a schlage standard everest. I cannot however consistantly pick a schlage primus. I have done it a handfull of times but in no way is it repeatable for me. Same with yale locks. The low end stuff is a breeze while some of their higher end stuff is hard to even insert a pick into.

[TOWCH]

When you mentioned Schlage Primus I realized I was over generalizing a bit. I wasn't aware that any of the other brands I listed offered any high security locks though.

[zeke79]

Here ya go

[silent]

Do you make sure you turn the knob so the deadbolt goes all the way in?
Do you have doors without deadbolts, with no weather stripping on them?
Do you leave any windows open?
Do you leave a spare key outside?

[Mr Ules]

I understand your situation, I've been stalked before aswell. In this case you don't simply want to prevent the individual from entering your home. You want to catch him altogether. I would suggest a security alarm, and hidden cameras around the residence. Aswell, any windows which may be easily opened. Install locks and local alarm systems. They will ring and this will either inform you when in the home of scare him off some other time.

[hzatorsk]

...but I fear this person is an expert and may be able to pick even those....... Please help . . . this person has hacked into my computer, stolen my stuff, and I have no idea who is doing it. I don't know if he can be caught, but keeping him out would be enough for me. Answers to any of these questions would be appreciated. Thank you.

You are describing criminal activity and implying that your personal safety is at risk (are you really being stalked... or just victimized). You have no idea who it is... yet... have what appears to be first hand experience with "this person" by referring to them frequently in the context of familarity.

While better locks help... they are not your 'cure-all'. Are you really going to lock yourself behind your doors forever? Not go to the store? Not go to work?

What you really need is professional legal help. Yes... we know it can be difficult to get the legal system to help you in matters like this and we also know that cops always show up after a crime... but seldom before!

Consider seeking the advice of legal and personal protection experts and perhaps less of the locksmithing experts.

[SFGOON]

I'm gonna go ahead and agree with my contemporary here. If this guy is as good as you say, switching locks won't do a whole lot. IF you need a good firm to help you with your woes, www.gavindebecker.com is an excellent starting point. MR. DeBecker has authored several excellent books on dealing with stalkers, The Gift of Fear comes highly reccomended. One last thing - stalkers don't generally behave as you describe, they provoke in an attempt to get you to contact them. You have described what sounds like a discrete, well planned information gathering campaign. Are you under some sort of investigation? I'm fairly suspicious, your story doesn't quite fit with my past experiences....

[ruski]

you sound like a burglar

[SFGOON]

Who? Me?

[ruski]

no stalked does

[SFGOON]

Naw, he wants an unpickable lock. A burgler wouldn't ask about that. I think this guy's being investigated by the federales and wants a way to keep them out of his cookie jar (j/k) It's a weird story, it doesn't fit typical criminal patterns and I just don't buy it...

[stalked]

Hi,
Thanks for all the responses. First of all, I am NOT a burglar, although I am sort of amused at the suggestion. I am hopelessly low tech - I can barely pick my own nose, let alone a lock. My first instinct in all of this was exactly what some of you have posted: This is NOT normal stalking behavior. Stalkers do generally want contact and their victims are made aware of who they are and their attempts for increased contact. This individual seems to just want to get under my skin by stealing things that would only appear important to me. I can't tell you how many times money and other valuables have been bypassed in favor of things like my confirmation Bible, my journal which only included quotes that I jotted down and not actual events, and a computer disc containing an unfinished screenplay. Other things have disappeared as well that would not fall under the heading of information gathering like music I listen to. It's just weird. Nothing in my life would indicate that the feds or any other governmental agency would be interested in investigating me. Nobody has threatened me. I have put a motion detector alarm in my apartment that went beserk on so many random occasions when no one was found in the place that my lease was not renewed and I had to move because the neighbors complained. The latest is an infrared beam sensor alarm that nobody has reported has been triggered while I am out. That does not mean it hasn't been activated. Maybe the latest neighbors just don't tell me. I don't leave keys outside the door and I always lock it completely. I live on the third floor. I did leave the motion sensor alarm on in this apartment once when I went away over Thanksgiving. The new neighbors reported again that it just kept going off at random with no reports of anybody coming or going. I purchased it at Radio Shack and wasn't aware that it was so sensitive - there wasn't a draft in the apt. and the temperature was consistent. I am considering installing cameras, but I would like to get a good hidden camera and it's tricky because my emails used to sometimes get mysteriously deleted on every account I switched to so I think if the cameras are connected to the computer they are vulnerable. I can't afford surveillance on my salary. My car was stolen a few years back parked across the street from my apt. and the police were worthless in that situation. I.D. was even found in the car and they returned it with the I.D. (not mine) inside the recovered vehicle. Then when I tried to turn it in they did nothing. They never caught the perp and have never helped me. I doubt the I.D. even belonged to the perp. The person belonging to the I.D. was probably being set up. It was photocopied I.D. of a woman. I don't feel whoever is doing this is a threat to me physically because if he is, I would have already been attacked or killed. He has had plenty of opportunities to lash out at me with violence. Can anybody figure out what he wants or why he is doing this? I have an uncle who is retired from the military and is as close to the top as a person can attain in the Army, but he seems happy and doesn't appear to be harassed in any way. I don't think my political inclinations make a difference because I have zero influence in Washington and would not be perceived as a threat. I will take the advice about the website and read the book. I also will try to purchase a camera and a secure lock system. I may have to save up for some kind of surveillance even though I can't afford it right now because you have made some good points about being locked away for life. Any other suggestions or insights you could offer are welcome. Also, I have reviewed my computer for spyware and it consistently tells me it does not contain any. However, does anyone know of a way to find out if there is a keystroke logger installed somewhere on my computer that I wouldn't be aware of without it turning against me? At one point I was going to download a program that would record any activity that took place on my computer. Then I realized that this could easily be reviewed by the enemy - not something I wanted to make available. Any ideas? This person somehow changed my password on Verizon and installed call forwarding (to an 800 Call Wave #) to my phone without my permission, so I know they have hacking knowledge. I know it's very strange, but I didn't invite it in. Thanks for hearing me out.