,SICS
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- THE NEWEST FIELD IN
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a ffiirrs device. Ìhqse tools#e notr1 -ï-tishly working key and the defendant was nn expffive or .eéggqrity the only person with a key. Just as technii!ál.,but they' j|þlì¡".my oplmon, important is the advice and essentid;ì:;þspec essential,'êppecially tho.se maikãd '' professional opinions a forensic with an #iig,ffi 'È)' ,,. . ìw,, asteri$k. .. *r,, locksmith could offer to investisal.ors ""ii*" TOOL KIT to help determine whether ,
J
ocksmithing as we know it, has I-r been evolving for thousands of years. It has progressed from the village blacksmith to the highly
doorway, the lock was opened with
qualified and technical individual who
çan service mechanical, electrical, electro-mechanical, computer operated, and all of the other types of locks and deyices wnicn are on the market. For those persons with a special interest or background, there is a new/old field which needs your
was committed by an amateur, a professional; an employee or an outsider. ,
skills.
locksmith and how? There are several skills, talents, or experiences required to be a successful forensic locksmith. You must, first and foremost, be a knowledgeable locksmith, who has
FOFEA'S'C LOCKSMITHING IMhat is Forensic Locksmithing?
tS IT FOR ME? lVho can become a forensic
If
the ability to inspect/examine all types of locks and devices, who understands how they work and their
weaknesses, and can identify , - {1þn91mal or unusual marks on the
gffi#ne to mean, something that can be 'l' scientifically verifìed and*', the results -;¿niwòrking parts' The second necessary is you must have an analytical of which, will stand as evidence ¡n ¿ '$.ìSki11 '$ffi\kill 1'mind, L^ . ''' ..,'' minr] end investigative inr¡pcfioeíi¡¡a avna.io-^o and ^^experience ^^^ ---L:^L court of law, or evidence which can be used by an investigator to assist iiljfil:: and/or training is extremely helpful.
crime. How does this is
solving a
.,.,',ì¡..;'i{
These are the technical skills
required, the other characteristics that appb¡ìs¡,,',io app,!y1¡: 1o
trômenaOus are beneficial are ithi¡]s? Jhere is a tremehdoirs accepting tb'effiffi'ft
bv"the
most,
for
itwitnesses
osecutor,
.ev
that a lock
and
t
Ëe$ffiffiá openedwiih opened with
overcoming
challenges/enigmas/pttzzles andthe
ability to communicate clearly in sPeaking and writing'
company, vv4rlJqrrJ
lhe interest in
What..
do I. look for
*1. Pens, penc
irf".r""ti*äräï.
*2. Felt tip mar
evidence.
*3. Sketch pad and/ for making sketches or scene. (graph paper woilir
floorr
ga,etc.)
pencils are
drawiìi etihes to differences ¡etwèìfi|'nát made items, to indicate the where items of evidence weie etc.
*5. Camera and lenses, a good 35mm SLR with a Macro lens is essential, other lenses, filters, etc. are nice to have if you know how to use them. If not, I suggest you leave the photography to a professional.
*6. Pocket ruler in inches and
metric for fine measurements and for placing in photographs to depict the scale of an item being photographed.
*7. A 50/100' tape measure is
handy.
*8. A quality magnifying glass
.when
investigating a crime scene or piece of
(Sherlock Holmes used one.)
something othe*ffiffiþ. working key. examplqffiAþ what it would mean to atr.jmffi&ë¡company if they
For
provi
could r'iire or automobile had been o¡_ffieä:;i# ttrat the car had nly an authorized
ent claims for etc., could be in court. è' attorney, who could prove in a criminal case that an
attempt had been made to pick open a lock, could thereby instill a reasonable doubt that his/her client who had the only working key must not have been the culprit. Or consider a prosecutor who could prove that a room had not
been entered except through the
lOB . The National l¡cksmith
examine the evidence for similar markings.
I
can not teach you to be a forensic locksmith in this article, but I will give you some ideas as to how to go about learning more about it. læt me give you a proposed sample list of the type of tools/equipment you will need to have available to conduct a forensic examination of a lock or Obviously,
microscope
with
photographic
capabilities is invaluable in your lab,
although for your tool kit you only hand-held microscope. This does a terrific job in examining lock pins and other small
need a 30 power,
parts for marks and costs under $20.00. There is also a 100 power
handheld microscope for under $20.00
which works extremely well in differentiating between individual
&
There's only 1 Number to dial for Sargent & Greenleaf
marks. You can often tell which mark was made last; i.e., a key mark or Pick
mark. However, this microscoPe is much more difficult to use.
*11. A basic locksmith's tool kit with the necessary tools to remove, disassemble and examine various locks, etc.
*t2. Plastic
baggies,
Paper
envelopes, and masking tape - used to
preserve, protect, and seParate evidentiary items. The tape can be used to seal the bags and You can write on the tape. 13. Disposable rubber gloves. *
14. Various flashlights/specialty
lights. 15. A tape recorder, you can use it to record your thoughts, findings and opinions as you work on the scene. I
prefer a voice activated micro-cassette recorder because of its convenience, but any type will work. Remember to carqr extra batteries and do not come to depend totally on this machine,
they fail at the most inoPPortune
For an S&G catalog' You can
ù/
îtï¡ I
us at:
ffiGF
times. 16. A mirror on a telescoPing arm to look for marks on the bottom sides of door, etc. 17. A compass to assist in locating north to orient your sketches and drawings of the scene.
Circle 226 on RaPid RePIY
WHAT TO LOOK FOR Beyond the obvious things, such as
tool or jimmy marks, which anY self-
respecting police officer or investigator will discover, there are some not so obvious things onlY You,
as a locksmith, would find and
recognize. A short list of some of these are: 1. Wrench marks around the face
of a rim cylinder lock showing that
it
has been removed. 2. Scratch marks on the face of the
lock, at the base of the
keYwaY,
showing where the turning wrench slipped during a picking attzck.
3. Scratches around the uPPer portion of the keyway showing where
the rake or pick slipped out of the lock. 4. The heavy indentation at the toP of the keyway showing that someone
has impressioned or attemPted to impression a working key. 5. The marks that ONLY You, or
someone like you, could find, the
marks on the face of the Pins, wafers,
or levers showing that the lock has
been penetrated by something other than àworking keY. On a Pin tumbler
Circle 232 on RaPid,RéÞtY
[email protected]
opened with a key.
Now reload the lock with new pins and pick it open once or twice and examine those pins (Photograþh 3).
1. Brand new Kwikset pin from pin kit.
lock, these marks are relatively easy to read and decipher. You can learn for yourself what théy look like if you do as I did. Take a cylinder lock and load it with new pins, First examine the new pins (using a microscope) to see what they look like freshfrom the pinning l
lock loaded with new pins several times with a working key, remove the pins and examine them (Photograþh 2). Compare the difference between
the new and picked pins. You will notice faint scratch marks on the bottom of the pins that had been
You will notice an assortment of scratch marks on the bottom of the pins that had been picked. Reload a lock with new pins and rake it open with picks. Defined scratch marks are much more pronounced (Photograþh 4). Nso notice the difference between the marks on the pin in the first chamber as opposed to the marks on the pin in the last chamber (Photograþh 5).
Now reload a lock with new pins
and open
it with a pick gun. A
spattering array of scratch marks can be seen (Photograþh 6). Reload the
lock with new pins once again and open with an electric pick gun. Because of the rapid intensity of the electric pick gun, a mushrooming effect can be seen on the bottom of the pins (Photograþh 7). Do this using every technique you know and every tool you have, always starting with a new set of pins and
examining them immediately after opening. You will see definite differences in the marks being made. You should also look for marks on the shoulders or sides of the pins which could not be made by a working key. In some cases, you may have to cut the cylinder in half and look for pick
5. Back Kwikset pin after being raked open twice, open. However, you can testify that it was not, or you can testify that a certain type of tool was inserted into the lock in an apparent attempt to open it.
Remember, there are two types of evidence which can be used in a court
of law and which assists an or ascertaining what probably
investigator in identifying the culprit
happened in order to conduct a better investigation. Since the word forensics
means suitable for argumentation,
formal
I guess that is why
everyone wants
to argue about
Forensic l,ocksmithing.
m
marks on the edges of the pin chambers.
With this type of experience, training, and practical application, you could stand up in court and, as an expert witness, give your opinion as to
what was done to the lock.
Remember, preservation of evidence, and the proper use of chain of custody
is extremely important. Let me tell 2, Kwikset pin alter being opened twice with a key.
3. Kwikset pin after being picked opened twice.
11O
o
The National l¡cksmith
you that I know of no way that anyone can testify that a lock was picked
4, Front Kwikset pin after being raked open ttuice.
6. Kwikset pin after being opened with a pick gun,
7, Kwikset pin after being opened with an electric pick gun.
