Congratulations! & Consternation?“Dan, [I] ran into a SmartKey door knob yesterday. Luckily for me, it was unlocked and I just had to pick a normal deadbolt. The call was [in reference to] an old lady who had fallen and broken her hip. She spent two days sprawled out on the kitchen floor. The whole condo complex watched me pick the deadbolt in about 30 seconds. Half the spectators congratulated me while the other half asked me if they should buy better locks.”
Another SmartKey Lock Licked“I’ve had that KTT-4 tool since 8 May 2012, but last night was the first time I’ve used it at work. We had some Southwest Gas guys in an alley and they see a guy pulling his girlfriend off the roof. She lands on her head and he drags her into the house. We surround the house, but the guy won’t open the door.
I pick two warded locks to allow access to the back yard through gates from the front yard and the alley. The front door has a metal security door. I pick the Schlage deadbolt in about 20 seconds. The other lock is a SmartKey lever handle, which I forced open using the KTT-4 tool in about 30 seconds. The wooden front door has two locks, but only the Kwikset deadbolt is locked. I pick that in about a minute and we are in. We find them both hiding in the house. We arrest the boyfriend. The girlfriend is injured, but refuses medical attention.
Interesting thing about the Kwikset SmartKey lever lock was it still worked. You could lock it from the inside using the thumb turn and from the outside using the key. I had seen all of that before on YouTube, but it was cool doing it in person. Thanks!”
Lockpicking Victory!!!!!!!“[I] wanted you to know I caught an armed robber last week. [We] did 4 search warrants ending at an apartment which had a fireproof lockbox….locked of course. [The under cover] Sgt. went to get break-in tools when I said I would try to pick it. Since it was my case he didn’t have a choice. Everybody there was blowing me crap about how I would never do it. Took 3 seconds!
Got an ounce of meth, 45 grams of weed, and a stolen check. [The] guy is a ROP’er. [I] talked to County Attorney yesterday who is charging Meth for Sale based on what I found. Your class gave me the charges!!!!!!!!!!!! ”
First In-Field Pick!“I just want to shoot you an email and tell you thank you for the awesome class at Caldwell PD, ID, earlier this summer. I finally got my first successful in-field pick tonight on a deadbolt. The circumstances of the call involved shots fired and a possible suicide inside the apartment. I was able to pick the front deadbolt in under a minute with the small rake. The results of the call were anti-climactic, but we were able to rule the apartment out.
Thanks again!”
Picking Into the Chief’s House“This evening I was called by my Patrol Captain and City Administrator to unlock my Chief’s door (House door). The Chief is on Vacation and he’s got a teenager house sitting & dog watching. The teen went out to the backyard and locked himself out. I responded and checked the locks on the door. The front door was a Schlage deadbolt which I knew was not going to be a easy, so I continued checking the locks around the house and found a [Kwikset] door leading to a Mud Room. I was able to get the door open in minutes and everyone was happy. Oh by the way did I mention the teenagers father is a City Council Member who was very Impressed, Not to mention I earned a few bonus point with the City Manager, My Captain, and the Chief. LOL ( I know I took the easy way out with the [Kwikset] but It made me look like I was a pro.)
Thanks for the class.”
Panicked Parent Problem “Picked” Perfectly!“I had to write about my success today! I started my [Sergeant in Training] today – Day 1. I mentioned to the squad that I was able to pick locks and help in that area and was dismissed in general as no one in my agency uses this skill set. An officer called to get permission to break a window into her home – where her 10 mos and 2 yr old were locked inside (another story). I told him to wait as I was on the way. I arrived, evaluated the Weiser deadbolt on the garage access, and promptly defeated it through picking in under three seconds!!! The immediate silence as I opened her door was deafening. The training sergeant noted that for my book, and asked if he could buy a Deluxe set like I had. He also was so impressed after I spoke about Jericho that he w ants to try and get to teach for our Agency soon! Saving Lives through Surprise!!!! Thanks for the training! PS…..EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO THE ADVANCED SCHOOL – FANTASTIC TRAINING!!”
Aggravated Assault Arrest“Just wanted to drop you a line. We went to an apartment early this morning to get a guy on an Aggravated Assault warrant. The address was sooo Third Party. We were pretty sure the guy was in there, but the case agent was squirrelly about forcing entry due to it being Third Party. After a neighbor confirmed to me that the guy is usually in there, I picked the deadbolt in less than twenty seconds and we were in. The perp was arrested hiding in a back bedroom. After other Task Force members witnessed this feat by the problem child of ya’lls class, they all want to take it. So you may be getting some inquiries from this office. Just thought you’d like to know. Thanks.”
It’s a Stinker. . . Or NOT“I took your basic lock picking class in Greeley, CO earlier this year. Wanted to tell you about a field use from this week. We had a welfare check at a trailer. We believed the resident was dead and rotting inside. Trailer door had an “E-Z-Set” deadbolt securing the door. I was able to rake the lock open and gain entry. Turned out there was no one inside: the smell was from trash and rotting food. I was then able to pick the lock the other way and re-lock the door, no damage done. Resident was later found to be ok. Not sure how long it took to pick the lock. Probably between 5-10 minutes. . .
It was interesting how little the other officers on scene knew about lock picking. One officer asked if I was filing the lock down. Another officer asked if I was making a key. It might as well have been a magic trick. I do some mysterious motions and presto the lock is open!
Thank you for the great training!”
Military Success in Afghanistan“New website looks good. I’ll be back down in AZ in 2012 for some sustainment training. Turns out that covert entry skills were the primary method of entry and we only had to go up the continuum for a select few cases thus far. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to train with you guys, it has definitely aided in accomplishing missions over here in Afghanistan.”
Prisoners “Freed”“I got to use [the jiggle keys] a couple of weeks ago on an inmate transport bus. The driver called us as back up because he locked his keys in the bus with inmates inside. He wanted us there [in case] the inmates did something. They had no spare keys and the locksmith was an hour away. I had the driver door open in about 30 seconds using the jiggle keys. Everyone was very happy.”
Domestic Violence“Hey, I thought I would let you know what happened the other night. A neighbor in an apartment complex called in to report a physical domestic between a male and a female in the apartment above the caller. The caller also said the couple sounded like they were under the influence of something. Before we arrived the caller told Dispatch this was a continual problem with the couple and they believed the male was a “tweeker.”
When we arrived I went to the back of the apartment to watch the second storey balcony. I could see lights on inside along with a few open windows. The Deputies who went to the front door could hear the couple moving around inside, but they refused to open the door. They wouldn’t answer their phone when we called in either.
Other neighbors confirmed they heard allot of fighting coming from the apartment. When Deputies talked to the caller, they said they heard the couple walk into their bedroom after the caller heard us knocking and announcing ourselves at the door. The caller had not heard anyone walk out of the bedroom after hearing them walk into it.
The Sergeant had Dispatch try to locate a manager with a key so we could enter to check the welfare of the couple without forcing the door open. I told the Sergeant I could “try” to get the deadbolt unlocked. I got the OK and got my kit out of my patrol car.
I tried several times with the picks I got from the Deluxe kit. After multiple tries I used some WD40 on the lock. I was getting some of the pins, but I could not get all of them so I switched to the pocket pick set I won in the class. I tried for awhile, going in both directions, without being able to get all of the pins at one time.
I moved onto the bump keys I purchased. After a couple of tries I was able to get the lock spun open in the opposite direction. I used the lock spinner from the Deluxe kit to successfully unlock the apartment’s deadbolt lock. We were able to gain entry into the apartment without any damage. After interviewing the couple we could not prove any domestic violence crimes had occurred.
In the past we may have just walked away so we did not cause property damage for an incident that might not be criminal. We might have forced the door open and then determine no crimes had occurred, which could have “opened” us up to a civil damage suit. I wanted to thank you for the skills you taught us during the class.
Thank you.”
Police Vs. Fire. . . Kind ofHow’s it going? Today there was a call were a baby was locked in the car in the 43 area. Luckily, the air was still on. Fire got there before me, but they were having a hard time getting into the car with their equipment and the mother looked worried. I got into the car with the Big Easy in about 30 seconds.
The fire guys were really impressed. I told them about your class and gave them your email address. I told them how easy it is to use and they saw it first hand. One of them was talking about discussing this with someone high up so they could all get it.
Lock Picking Makes Bad Guy Cry!Used my comb pick again today. To make a long story short, I arrested a guy and I was going to impound his mini motorcycle. He laughed at me and said it was locked up. He had threaded a large chain through the bike and then locked it up with a Master 140. I looked at the lock and told him I had a key in the car. I came back with the four tooth comb pick and opened the lock as though I had a key. He actually started crying and wanted to know how I had a key to his lock.
Career Enhancement“I had the pleasure of taking a covert entry class from [Jericho] a few years ago and it was outstanding. Dan is a great instructor who truly cares about the success of his students and is obviously passionate about what he teaches. The skills I learned in his class were put to use dozens of times throughout my law enforcement career. From cover entry during search warrants to getting into homes and vehicles to rescu[ing] people suffering from medical conditions, the skills I learned were invaluable.
[Jericho’s] support doesn’t just end after the course is over either. Several times I had questions come up over the years and found [them]to be incredibl[y] responsive to my emails. I enjoyed Dan’s course so much and thought it was so valuable, I asked him to present to my entire team of detectives.”
Parking Lot Rescue“Hey Dan. . . I recently took the advanced covert entry training class back in March. Just wanted to let you know that the other day I was able to get a scared mother and daughter out of a church parking lot they got locked inside of at 19th ave and van buren st (long story how they got locked in there). I was able to use the lock combs provided from the advanced class to open the lock on the gate, which I believe the lock was yellow in color and had the letters “WA” or “WP” etched on the front for the brand of lock. I know you guys like hearing stories of the training being put in use and I thought it was pretty cool that I got to use the lock combs, they worked great. Thanks again.”
Locksmith Delayed, Eviction Performed“I attended your class last week in St. louis and have already used my new skills. While performing an eviction of a pharaceutical building, the plaintiff’s locksmith was delayed by several hours. I would have had to cancel the eviction causing the plaintiff to pay an additional $125 and delaying the eviction for a week. I was able to pick the lock in about 30 seconds and save the day.
Great class. I really learned a lot and continue to practice on my own time.”
Picked Cabinet, Paranoid Observer“So I had to access a locked cabinet and thanks to your training the guy watching me is now afraid of how secure he is at home. Lock was open so fast I didn’t even realize I had it open!
Thanks again!”
Safe Search“FYI I picked a 10″X12″ personal Honeywell safe this morning during a search. [It took me] 3-4 minutes with my key chain pick set.”
Elderly Lady Locked Out“I again want to thank you for the excellent training. I have actually picked my first real world lock. The local PD had an elderly lady locked out of her home. I lubricated the lock and picked it in less than a minute..Of course the lock went the wrong way and I had to spin it..I’m glad I got the deluxe set. Any way thanks.”
Check Welfare“. . .I had my first lock pick request a few days ago during a welfare check. The subject had a prior history of suicide attempts and was currently trying to get off meth. His family had not talked to him in weeks and my boss offered my services to the officers attempting to make contact with him . . . When I arrived I couldn’t identify what brand lock was installed on the door, the lock core was installed upside down, and the security door interfered with my positioning so I had to pick the lock with my left hand. I thought to my self, well this sucks.
Anyways I gave it my best shot and to my surprise I picked the lock with in about 30-40 seconds. Upon entering the subject had barricaded the door with a chair and the chair fell over before we realized what was going on. The sound of the chair falling alerted the subject to our presence. We entered quickly securing him without incident. His response was great. “How did you guys get the door unlocked?” My boss spoke up; we have an officer with specialized training that quickly picked the lock for us.” Even the subject seemed impressed.”
Obtaining Vital Information“Three fellow officers and I responded to a series of burglaries in a shopping center. We were able to find where the suspects had pried open a window and crawled in. We wanted to call in our lab technicians to try to lift footprints, but we needed to get into the restaurant to find the contact information for the business owner so we could find out what all was missing. We contacted the security company, looked through our records and even hit the phone book and could not find a responsible to open the business for us. I decided to try to pick the lock with my Sgt’s blessing. After one failed attempt I backed out and tried another pick. I started talking to my Sgt and stopped concentrating on the pick and I suddenly felt the lock turn. I was shocked beyond belief! My first thought was that there was no way. Sure enough I kept turning and unlocked the door. Once we got the front door open we were able to go in and get the contact information that we needed. . . Thank you for the great class you put on. . .”
Padlock Picked- Firearms Found“I had a successful entry yesterday during a search warrant execution for firearms. I came across a closet that was locked with a hasp and padlock. The padlock was a Lynx Padlock marked with “45 mm”. Lock was “upside down” which made it a bit awkward to get the right feel at first, but 32 seconds later it was open and several unlawful firearms were found.”
Two Year Old Girl Locked In Vehicle- Briefly“I recently attended the Emergency Vehicle Entry Training. Dan Elting and his instructors were very knowledgeable and taught us effective and time-efficient methods of entering vehicles without causing damage. Just two weeks after attending the Emergency Vehicle Entry class, we received a call to help a mother who locked her keys and her two year old daughter in her truck. The temperature was not too hot, so we had some time before we resorted to breaking a window. Another officer arrived first and had been trying to use a wire hanger to unlock the door. I was able to unlock the door with The Big Easy in less than three minutes from the time I pulled onto the street. The class was very useful and I would highly recommend it to any officer.”
Search Warrant Success“I just wanted to let you know that I had an opportunity to use my new lock picking skills yesterday during a search warrant. I have been practicing at least once per week since the class and it paid off! I opened up a residential door in 5 seconds and we were in, it was great.”
Graduates of Lock Pick School Breach Home“Last night [another] Officer and I both graduates of your class responded to a check welfare of an elderly male who had not been seen for 5 to 6 days, had been ill, you know the oh lord its a [dead body] for sure. We arrive on scene mail over flowing, newspapers piled, house is dark…pick the lock on the front security screen, Kwikset knob and deadbolt access front door no lock just a handle with a tab type lever above it locked from the inside, the clue someone is inside.
Decide to try back door, had to pick padlock to get thru gate to backyard, back door has Kwikset deadbolt and separate knob, deadbolt picked, knob will not cooperate. we can see the latch between door and frame try several methods to slip it no luck. [My partner] notices the hinges are on the outside of the door (smart man) screwdriver and hammer take the door off the hinges! Made entry into the house…
AND…after all that no one was inside elderly male was in the hospital
Great outcome and we had fun “breaching” the house, thank you for the skills!!”
Instructor Assistance“Exactly 12 months ago, I attended your lock pick class and have never had the need to use my lock pick set until today. I was attending a class and arrived about 15 minutes early. I noticed the instructor was in a little bit of a panic because the cabinet which contained the needed DVD player for the class was locked inside of it. The instructor had made arrangements to have this cabinet unlocked, but for whatever reason, no one showed up to unlock it. The instructor tried to contact someone to unlock it without success. I told the instructor I had my lock pick set in the car and I would try to unlock it for her. In less than a minute, I had successfully picked the Masterlock and opened the cabinet. Needless to say, the instructor was very happy.
Thanks again for the great class.”
Water, Water Everywhere“[Officers] responded on a check welfare called in by a neighbor of an apartment complex where they saw a large amount of water coming over a second story balcony, with no response at the resident’s door. [One of the officers] called me for permission to pick the lock. [The other officer] picked 3 locks to gain entry after getting no response at the door and found the resident was inside but had fallen asleep leaving water running. Whoops! Lot of explaining to do with the landlord. Great work getting inside by [the officers].”
The Locks & Door are Okay. . . The Resident. . . Not so Much“Death Investigation/Homicide, 9-8-13 at 1330 hours: Officers responded to an anonymous call of a check welfare, reporting a strong odor coming from the residence and also reporting a fight was heard at the residence two days prior. Officers were able to open the front door by lock picking, and immediately located the victim, possibly a Hispanic male in the front room, bound and decomposing. No other victims located. Night Detectives/ Homicide responded for disposition.”
Nice job done by the officers to gain entry while minimizing potential damage and even potential injury to them selves and helping to preserve the scene!
Toolbox and Locker. . . Unlocked“[I] finally got to use pick set on duty; it was just a tool box and locker that they didn’t have a key for. Luckily I was able to get into both!”
Welfare Check“. . . the skills you taught were used the first night on the job after your class. Per a request from a squad mate, I successfully picked the front door and bedroom door locks at an apartment, reference a check welfare call. Thanks.”
Successful Bump“Hey Dan good day to you. I wanted to let you know I had a successful entry in the field today! We did a search warrant today and found an electrical cord that ran to a vacant apartment. We decided to conduct an entry but had no key. It was a Kwikset lock (photo attached). I tried to pick for a few minutes and then decided to try and bump it. I selected the silver key and noticed it just “felt right” in the lock. I bumped the lock open on my first attempt! Haha it felt great. [I] lust wanted to share with you thanks for the great training.”
Another SmartKey Lock Licked“I’ve had that KTT-4 tool since 8 May 2012, but last night was the first time I’ve used it at work. We had some Southwest Gas guys in an alley and they see a guy pulling his girlfriend off the roof. She lands on her head and he drags her into the house. We surround the house, but the guy won’t open the door.
I pick two warded locks to allow access to the back yard through gates from the front yard and the alley. The front door has a metal security door. I pick the Schlage deadbolt in about 20 seconds. The other lock is a SmartKey lever handle, which I forced open using the KTT-4 tool in about 30 seconds. The wooden front door has two locks, but only the Kwikset deadbolt is locked. I pick that in about a minute and we are in. We find them both hiding in the house. We arrest the boyfriend. The girlfriend is injured, but refuses medical attention.
Interesting thing about the Kwikset SmartKey lever lock was it still worked. You could lock it from the inside using the thumb turn and from the outside using the key. I had seen all of that before on YouTube, but it was cool doing it in person. Thanks!”
Lockpicking Victory!!!!!!!“[I] wanted you to know I caught an armed robber last week. [We] did 4 search warrants ending at an apartment which had a fireproof lockbox….locked of course. [The under cover] Sgt. went to get break-in tools when I said I would try to pick it. Since it was my case he didn’t have a choice. Everybody there was blowing me crap about how I would never do it. Took 3 seconds!
Got an ounce of meth, 45 grams of weed, and a stolen check. [The] guy is a ROP’er. [I] talked to County Attorney yesterday who is charging Meth for Sale based on what I found. Your class gave me the charges!!!!!!!!!!!! ”
First In-Field Pick!“I just want to shoot you an email and tell you thank you for the awesome class at Caldwell PD, ID, earlier this summer. I finally got my first successful in-field pick tonight on a deadbolt. The circumstances of the call involved shots fired and a possible suicide inside the apartment. I was able to pick the front deadbolt in under a minute with the small rake. The results of the call were anti-climactic, but we were able to rule the apartment out.
Thanks again!”
Picking Into the Chief’s House“This evening I was called by my Patrol Captain and City Administrator to unlock my Chief’s door (House door). The Chief is on Vacation and he’s got a teenager house sitting & dog watching. The teen went out to the backyard and locked himself out. I responded and checked the locks on the door. The front door was a Schlage deadbolt which I knew was not going to be a easy, so I continued checking the locks around the house and found a [Kwikset] door leading to a Mud Room. I was able to get the door open in minutes and everyone was happy. Oh by the way did I mention the teenagers father is a City Council Member who was very Impressed, Not to mention I earned a few bonus point with the City Manager, My Captain, and the Chief. LOL ( I know I took the easy way out with the [Kwikset] but It made me look like I was a pro.)
Thanks for the class.”
Panicked Parent Problem “Picked” Perfectly!“I had to write about my success today! I started my [Sergeant in Training] today – Day 1. I mentioned to the squad that I was able to pick locks and help in that area and was dismissed in general as no one in my agency uses this skill set. An officer called to get permission to break a window into her home – where her 10 mos and 2 yr old were locked inside (another story). I told him to wait as I was on the way. I arrived, evaluated the Weiser deadbolt on the garage access, and promptly defeated it through picking in under three seconds!!! The immediate silence as I opened her door was deafening. The training sergeant noted that for my book, and asked if he could buy a Deluxe set like I had. He also was so impressed after I spoke about Jericho that he w ants to try and get to teach for our Agency soon! Saving Lives through Surprise!!!! Thanks for the training! PS…..EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO THE ADVANCED SCHOOL – FANTASTIC TRAINING!!”
Aggravated Assault Arrest“Just wanted to drop you a line. We went to an apartment early this morning to get a guy on an Aggravated Assault warrant. The address was sooo Third Party. We were pretty sure the guy was in there, but the case agent was squirrelly about forcing entry due to it being Third Party. After a neighbor confirmed to me that the guy is usually in there, I picked the deadbolt in less than twenty seconds and we were in. The perp was arrested hiding in a back bedroom. After other Task Force members witnessed this feat by the problem child of ya’lls class, they all want to take it. So you may be getting some inquiries from this office. Just thought you’d like to know. Thanks.”
It’s a Stinker. . . Or NOT“I took your basic lock picking class in Greeley, CO earlier this year. Wanted to tell you about a field use from this week. We had a welfare check at a trailer. We believed the resident was dead and rotting inside. Trailer door had an “E-Z-Set” deadbolt securing the door. I was able to rake the lock open and gain entry. Turned out there was no one inside: the smell was from trash and rotting food. I was then able to pick the lock the other way and re-lock the door, no damage done. Resident was later found to be ok. Not sure how long it took to pick the lock. Probably between 5-10 minutes. . .
It was interesting how little the other officers on scene knew about lock picking. One officer asked if I was filing the lock down. Another officer asked if I was making a key. It might as well have been a magic trick. I do some mysterious motions and presto the lock is open!
Thank you for the great training!”
Military Success in Afghanistan“New website looks good. I’ll be back down in AZ in 2012 for some sustainment training. Turns out that covert entry skills were the primary method of entry and we only had to go up the continuum for a select few cases thus far. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to train with you guys, it has definitely aided in accomplishing missions over here in Afghanistan.”
Prisoners “Freed”“I got to use [the jiggle keys] a couple of weeks ago on an inmate transport bus. The driver called us as back up because he locked his keys in the bus with inmates inside. He wanted us there [in case] the inmates did something. They had no spare keys and the locksmith was an hour away. I had the driver door open in about 30 seconds using the jiggle keys. Everyone was very happy.”
Domestic Violence“Hey, I thought I would let you know what happened the other night. A neighbor in an apartment complex called in to report a physical domestic between a male and a female in the apartment above the caller. The caller also said the couple sounded like they were under the influence of something. Before we arrived the caller told Dispatch this was a continual problem with the couple and they believed the male was a “tweeker.”
When we arrived I went to the back of the apartment to watch the second storey balcony. I could see lights on inside along with a few open windows. The Deputies who went to the front door could hear the couple moving around inside, but they refused to open the door. They wouldn’t answer their phone when we called in either.
Other neighbors confirmed they heard allot of fighting coming from the apartment. When Deputies talked to the caller, they said they heard the couple walk into their bedroom after the caller heard us knocking and announcing ourselves at the door. The caller had not heard anyone walk out of the bedroom after hearing them walk into it.
The Sergeant had Dispatch try to locate a manager with a key so we could enter to check the welfare of the couple without forcing the door open. I told the Sergeant I could “try” to get the deadbolt unlocked. I got the OK and got my kit out of my patrol car.
I tried several times with the picks I got from the Deluxe kit. After multiple tries I used some WD40 on the lock. I was getting some of the pins, but I could not get all of them so I switched to the pocket pick set I won in the class. I tried for awhile, going in both directions, without being able to get all of the pins at one time.
I moved onto the bump keys I purchased. After a couple of tries I was able to get the lock spun open in the opposite direction. I used the lock spinner from the Deluxe kit to successfully unlock the apartment’s deadbolt lock. We were able to gain entry into the apartment without any damage. After interviewing the couple we could not prove any domestic violence crimes had occurred.
In the past we may have just walked away so we did not cause property damage for an incident that might not be criminal. We might have forced the door open and then determine no crimes had occurred, which could have “opened” us up to a civil damage suit. I wanted to thank you for the skills you taught us during the class.
Thank you.”
Police Vs. Fire. . . Kind ofHow’s it going? Today there was a call were a baby was locked in the car in the 43 area. Luckily, the air was still on. Fire got there before me, but they were having a hard time getting into the car with their equipment and the mother looked worried. I got into the car with the Big Easy in about 30 seconds.
The fire guys were really impressed. I told them about your class and gave them your email address. I told them how easy it is to use and they saw it first hand. One of them was talking about discussing this with someone high up so they could all get it.
Lock Picking Makes Bad Guy Cry!Used my comb pick again today. To make a long story short, I arrested a guy and I was going to impound his mini motorcycle. He laughed at me and said it was locked up. He had threaded a large chain through the bike and then locked it up with a Master 140. I looked at the lock and told him I had a key in the car. I came back with the four tooth comb pick and opened the lock as though I had a key. He actually started crying and wanted to know how I had a key to his lock.
Career Enhancement“I had the pleasure of taking a covert entry class from [Jericho] a few years ago and it was outstanding. Dan is a great instructor who truly cares about the success of his students and is obviously passionate about what he teaches. The skills I learned in his class were put to use dozens of times throughout my law enforcement career. From cover entry during search warrants to getting into homes and vehicles to rescu[ing] people suffering from medical conditions, the skills I learned were invaluable.
[Jericho’s] support doesn’t just end after the course is over either. Several times I had questions come up over the years and found [them]to be incredibl[y] responsive to my emails. I enjoyed Dan’s course so much and thought it was so valuable, I asked him to present to my entire team of detectives.”
Parking Lot Rescue“Hey Dan. . . I recently took the advanced covert entry training class back in March. Just wanted to let you know that the other day I was able to get a scared mother and daughter out of a church parking lot they got locked inside of at 19th ave and van buren st (long story how they got locked in there). I was able to use the lock combs provided from the advanced class to open the lock on the gate, which I believe the lock was yellow in color and had the letters “WA” or “WP” etched on the front for the brand of lock. I know you guys like hearing stories of the training being put in use and I thought it was pretty cool that I got to use the lock combs, they worked great. Thanks again.”
Locksmith Delayed, Eviction Performed“I attended your class last week in St. louis and have already used my new skills. While performing an eviction of a pharaceutical building, the plaintiff’s locksmith was delayed by several hours. I would have had to cancel the eviction causing the plaintiff to pay an additional $125 and delaying the eviction for a week. I was able to pick the lock in about 30 seconds and save the day.
Great class. I really learned a lot and continue to practice on my own time.”
Picked Cabinet, Paranoid Observer“So I had to access a locked cabinet and thanks to your training the guy watching me is now afraid of how secure he is at home. Lock was open so fast I didn’t even realize I had it open!
Thanks again!”
Safe Search“FYI I picked a 10″X12″ personal Honeywell safe this morning during a search. [It took me] 3-4 minutes with my key chain pick set.”
Elderly Lady Locked Out“I again want to thank you for the excellent training. I have actually picked my first real world lock. The local PD had an elderly lady locked out of her home. I lubricated the lock and picked it in less than a minute..Of course the lock went the wrong way and I had to spin it..I’m glad I got the deluxe set. Any way thanks.”
Check Welfare“. . .I had my first lock pick request a few days ago during a welfare check. The subject had a prior history of suicide attempts and was currently trying to get off meth. His family had not talked to him in weeks and my boss offered my services to the officers attempting to make contact with him . . . When I arrived I couldn’t identify what brand lock was installed on the door, the lock core was installed upside down, and the security door interfered with my positioning so I had to pick the lock with my left hand. I thought to my self, well this sucks.
Anyways I gave it my best shot and to my surprise I picked the lock with in about 30-40 seconds. Upon entering the subject had barricaded the door with a chair and the chair fell over before we realized what was going on. The sound of the chair falling alerted the subject to our presence. We entered quickly securing him without incident. His response was great. “How did you guys get the door unlocked?” My boss spoke up; we have an officer with specialized training that quickly picked the lock for us.” Even the subject seemed impressed.”
Obtaining Vital Information“Three fellow officers and I responded to a series of burglaries in a shopping center. We were able to find where the suspects had pried open a window and crawled in. We wanted to call in our lab technicians to try to lift footprints, but we needed to get into the restaurant to find the contact information for the business owner so we could find out what all was missing. We contacted the security company, looked through our records and even hit the phone book and could not find a responsible to open the business for us. I decided to try to pick the lock with my Sgt’s blessing. After one failed attempt I backed out and tried another pick. I started talking to my Sgt and stopped concentrating on the pick and I suddenly felt the lock turn. I was shocked beyond belief! My first thought was that there was no way. Sure enough I kept turning and unlocked the door. Once we got the front door open we were able to go in and get the contact information that we needed. . . Thank you for the great class you put on. . .”
Padlock Picked- Firearms Found“I had a successful entry yesterday during a search warrant execution for firearms. I came across a closet that was locked with a hasp and padlock. The padlock was a Lynx Padlock marked with “45 mm”. Lock was “upside down” which made it a bit awkward to get the right feel at first, but 32 seconds later it was open and several unlawful firearms were found.”
Two Year Old Girl Locked In Vehicle- Briefly“I recently attended the Emergency Vehicle Entry Training. Dan Elting and his instructors were very knowledgeable and taught us effective and time-efficient methods of entering vehicles without causing damage. Just two weeks after attending the Emergency Vehicle Entry class, we received a call to help a mother who locked her keys and her two year old daughter in her truck. The temperature was not too hot, so we had some time before we resorted to breaking a window. Another officer arrived first and had been trying to use a wire hanger to unlock the door. I was able to unlock the door with The Big Easy in less than three minutes from the time I pulled onto the street. The class was very useful and I would highly recommend it to any officer.”
Search Warrant Success“I just wanted to let you know that I had an opportunity to use my new lock picking skills yesterday during a search warrant. I have been practicing at least once per week since the class and it paid off! I opened up a residential door in 5 seconds and we were in, it was great.”
Graduates of Lock Pick School Breach Home“Last night [another] Officer and I both graduates of your class responded to a check welfare of an elderly male who had not been seen for 5 to 6 days, had been ill, you know the oh lord its a [dead body] for sure. We arrive on scene mail over flowing, newspapers piled, house is dark…pick the lock on the front security screen, Kwikset knob and deadbolt access front door no lock just a handle with a tab type lever above it locked from the inside, the clue someone is inside.
Decide to try back door, had to pick padlock to get thru gate to backyard, back door has Kwikset deadbolt and separate knob, deadbolt picked, knob will not cooperate. we can see the latch between door and frame try several methods to slip it no luck. [My partner] notices the hinges are on the outside of the door (smart man) screwdriver and hammer take the door off the hinges! Made entry into the house…
AND…after all that no one was inside elderly male was in the hospital
Great outcome and we had fun “breaching” the house, thank you for the skills!!”
Instructor Assistance“Exactly 12 months ago, I attended your lock pick class and have never had the need to use my lock pick set until today. I was attending a class and arrived about 15 minutes early. I noticed the instructor was in a little bit of a panic because the cabinet which contained the needed DVD player for the class was locked inside of it. The instructor had made arrangements to have this cabinet unlocked, but for whatever reason, no one showed up to unlock it. The instructor tried to contact someone to unlock it without success. I told the instructor I had my lock pick set in the car and I would try to unlock it for her. In less than a minute, I had successfully picked the Masterlock and opened the cabinet. Needless to say, the instructor was very happy.
Thanks again for the great class.”
Water, Water Everywhere“[Officers] responded on a check welfare called in by a neighbor of an apartment complex where they saw a large amount of water coming over a second story balcony, with no response at the resident’s door. [One of the officers] called me for permission to pick the lock. [The other officer] picked 3 locks to gain entry after getting no response at the door and found the resident was inside but had fallen asleep leaving water running. Whoops! Lot of explaining to do with the landlord. Great work getting inside by [the officers].”
The Locks & Door are Okay. . . The Resident. . . Not so Much“Death Investigation/Homicide, 9-8-13 at 1330 hours: Officers responded to an anonymous call of a check welfare, reporting a strong odor coming from the residence and also reporting a fight was heard at the residence two days prior. Officers were able to open the front door by lock picking, and immediately located the victim, possibly a Hispanic male in the front room, bound and decomposing. No other victims located. Night Detectives/ Homicide responded for disposition.”
Nice job done by the officers to gain entry while minimizing potential damage and even potential injury to them selves and helping to preserve the scene!
Toolbox and Locker. . . Unlocked“[I] finally got to use pick set on duty; it was just a tool box and locker that they didn’t have a key for. Luckily I was able to get into both!”
Welfare Check“. . . the skills you taught were used the first night on the job after your class. Per a request from a squad mate, I successfully picked the front door and bedroom door locks at an apartment, reference a check welfare call. Thanks.”
Successful Bump“Hey Dan good day to you. I wanted to let you know I had a successful entry in the field today! We did a search warrant today and found an electrical cord that ran to a vacant apartment. We decided to conduct an entry but had no key. It was a Kwikset lock (photo attached). I tried to pick for a few minutes and then decided to try and bump it. I selected the silver key and noticed it just “felt right” in the lock. I bumped the lock open on my first attempt! Haha it felt great. [I] lust wanted to share with you thanks for the great training.”