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    Tips For Forensic Locksmith

    Uploaded by

    jimdigriz
    This document discusses tips for forensic locksmiths when called to service jobs related to burglaries or other crimes. It advises locksmiths to take detailed notes of their findings at crime scenes in case they are later called to testify in court. The document describes a scenario where a locksmith is called to repair a safe after a burglary, but did not take any notes, and is later questioned by detectives about the job. It warns locksmiths that simple note-taking, even if time-consuming, could protect them legally. The document also discusses disturbing trends found through microscopic lock examination, like pins loaded incorrectly in ways that compromise security.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Tips For Forensic Locksmith

    Uploaded by

    jimdigriz
    141 views1 page
    This document discusses tips for forensic locksmiths when called to service jobs related to burglaries or other crimes. It advises locksmiths to take detailed notes of their findings at crime scenes in case they are later called to testify in court. The document describes a scenario where a locksmith is called to repair a safe after a burglary, but did not take any notes, and is later questioned by detectives about the job. It warns locksmiths that simple note-taking, even if time-consuming, could protect them legally. The document also discusses disturbing trends found through microscopic lock examination, like pins loaded incorrectly in ways that compromise security.

    Original Description:

    Will Sherlock's excellent article on forensic locksmithing and lock examination.

    Original Title

    Tips for Forensic Locksmith

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    © Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)

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    This document discusses tips for forensic locksmiths when called to service jobs related to burglaries or other crimes. It advises locksmiths to take detailed notes of their findings at crime scenes in case they are later called to testify in court. The document describes a scenario where a locksmith is called to repair a safe after a burglary, but did not take any notes, and is later questioned by detectives about the job. It warns locksmiths that simple note-taking, even if time-consuming, could protect them legally. The document also discusses disturbing trends found through microscopic lock examination, like pins loaded incorrectly in ways that compromise security.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    141 views1 page

    Tips For Forensic Locksmith

    Uploaded by

    jimdigriz
    This document discusses tips for forensic locksmiths when called to service jobs related to burglaries or other crimes. It advises locksmiths to take detailed notes of their findings at crime scenes in case they are later called to testify in court. The document describes a scenario where a locksmith is called to repair a safe after a burglary, but did not take any notes, and is later questioned by detectives about the job. It warns locksmiths that simple note-taking, even if time-consuming, could protect them legally. The document also discusses disturbing trends found through microscopic lock examination, like pins loaded incorrectly in ways that compromise security.

    Copyright:

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    Tips

    A,"o
    year,eteran olttre
    o-

    For The Forensic Locksmith


    by Williom E. Sherlock
    The dial and dial ring have been knocked off an{ a couple of holes have been drilled in the door. You make the repairs and go about your business hoping to have made a new customer. About a week later, a couple of detectives show up at your shop. They would like copes of the notes you made on your service call to the video shop

    It's probably a good guess the culprit is not a locksmith but rather a janitor or maintenance man, who is
    armed

    -lucasglglic .D-sparlncnIs@e Ia ratory Division, I've iust about seen it all.


    Or should I say I've just about seen enough.

    with alttleknowledge of all the trades needed to maintain


    this type of building.

    Unfortunately,
    over the years we have received cylinders for ex-

    Whenever I have the opportunity, I like to speak with community and business groups about the security in their

    buildings. Based on what I've seen over the years, I can only recommend that
    these groups always have their security set

    aml of un-

    nation with all kinds


    usual arrangements.

    The
    about some

    shocking thing
    ofthese arrange-

    burglary. They would also like to know why you repaired the safe before they got to look at it. Your response is that you didn't take notes on that job or any other job for that matter. Their next statement floors
    you:

    up by a locksmith. I was conducting a microscopic examination of the combination pins and plug of a mortise cylinder submitted from a burglary scene. There were no signs of a forced entry at the scene of the crime. Our

    ments is that
    mise the security

    they comproof the cylin-

    "Notes would have helped you


    when you are called to testify next month. We caught the guys a couple of nights ago and they said they tried to open the safe,

    der.

    The residents of the apartment building feel that their


    families are secure when, in fact, they are vulnerable. Businessmen feel their offices are secure when they ae away, but they, too, are susceptible. Combination pins loaded upsidedown and used for drivers, only a couple chambers loaded and plugs filed so flat almost any key will open the cylinder are just some of the arrangements that breech
    security in such a waY.

    Evidence Technicians are instructed to submit the cylinder(s) to the Laboratory for examination when this occurs.

    but couldn't get in. "You did say


    you got there?"

    it

    was open when

    The witness stand can be a very

    Only five of the six chambers


    were pinned. The combination pins from chambers one and two showed no signs that an instrument other than a key was used. The combination pins from chambers three, four and five, and the plug were different stories.

    intimidating place to be if you have all yotu stufftogether. Being assigned to various units within the Chicago Police Department Crime Laboratory for over 20
    years, I've been called on to testify in court

    well over 100 times.


    Much of the time mytestimonyis very short. This usually happens when the defense attorney chooses not to conduct a
    cross examination. At other times,

    They were grossly marked and it -o. was obvious these marks were'caused by .L\ \, picklng, but not as an element of this ,nS j' * particular crime. The marks showed signs J \', ^
    L--+ -of

    Another disturbing trend highlighted by my line of work is what a safe technician needs to know to protect himself. A few simple things can be done to insure yourself in the long run.
    Let's say you are called bY the manager of a video store not far from your shop. He tells you the store was burglarized over the weekend and the safe was damaged during the break-in. He would Iike the safe door repaired as soon as possible. When you arrive, you find a small

    it

    can

    oxidation and some of the marks farthest from the path of the key were im:

    can be very grueling with cross and recross examination. The longest I have been on the
    witness stand was five-and-one-half hours. That was for a homicide case when I was assigned to the Mobile Crime Laboratory. My partner and I processed the crime scene for physical evidence. I realize that taking notes, measurements and sketches on service calls would be very time consuming and not a profit maker, but on certain types of calls, doing these simple things may be worth

    pacted with lint, dust and grease, The plug was filed blatantlY flat. This did not really affect the forensic ex-

    | I I I | I
    I

    amination, but it was very disturbing to -" as a locksmith that this type of work
    was being done.

    over the years, information

    suP-

    "brand name" money

    safe

    with the door

    plied by the Evidence Technician Reports ,o us that they cylinders are from older multi-family dwellings and office buildrngs.

    wide open in the office. It/s obvious to you that the police have been there because of the fingerprint powder residue on several

    items in the office area.

    your while.
    J:une

    lo
    L

    7e92

    lGvgle!

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