Lock Bumping

Pertains to:

Home
Business
Storage facilities

Lock bumping is a silent, undetectable method of home, business or storage facility invasion. The perpetrator can walk in though your front LOCKED door quite easily and quickly! Because this method of invasion leaves no evidence, insurance claims might be denied. This method of crime is currently being taught on web sites to anyone who looks for this information. The tools used to perpetrate this crime are readily available for purchase from Internet sales and are cheap to buy.

Search words to use when conducting Internet research on this subject:

Lock bumping
Key bumping

The following web sites offer you an education on this type of home invasion.

http://www.lockbumping.org/ This web site is devoted to this subject and has nice graphics to show you how this break in can take place. There is a lot of good information provided at this web site. Beware that this web site has a number of paid advertisements.
http://www.medeco.com/about/keybumping/keybumpvideo.html This web page offers a nice video for you to watch. This web page even offers you the opportunity to download the movie to your computer.
http://www.medeco.com/about/whats_new/pdfs/BumpingFAQ.pdf Here is a document from Medeco about this subject.

There are three types of locks available today, electronic, mechanical and a combination of both electronic and mechanical. In reality, electronic locks have a mechanical component, a latch, pin or bolt that moves in or out of place to allow a door to swing open.

Typically, quality locks are purchased from good locksmith establishments. Many of the locks listed below are not sold at Home Depot or Lowe's.

Look for a lock that meet the Underwriters Laboratories UL437 standard.

"For those of you that are not familiar with UL437, this is the “higher security” standard for cylinders that are employed in government, business and by some consumers. These cylinders are by definition supposed to be resistant to covert and forced methods of entry for specified minimum times. UL437 is touted by high security lock manufacturers as one of the primary criteria to assure certain minimum levels of physical security in their rated cylinders." (http://www.thesidebar.org/insecurity/?paged=2).

Following is a list of lock sets offered by manufacturers that claim they are bump proof:

Videx Cyberlock This system is electronic, sophisticated, and expensive (about $200 to $300 for each lock and keys can cost $100 each). This is a high end product with capabilities most home owners will not need. Their low end product should be considered for the home owner looking for top end solution.
This is a lock system intended for businesses. The key holds the power source for this lock system. The key holds a battery that needs to be replaced once a year. The key is more bulky than the typical house key. This system is pick and bump proof due to its inherent design. The system can offer the following options (at higher cost):
- Scheduled open and close times.
- Lost key deny access.
- Delayed access.
- Multiple key required to access.
- Audit trail
Evva MCS Web site for this company: http://www.evva.eu/at/home/en/. Web site for this lock: http://www.evva.com/at/products/mechanical-locking-systems/mcs/en/ This is a Australian company. The system is mechanical. At this web site the technology is explained: http://www.evva.com/at/technology/mcs/en/ We have yet to find a U.S. distributor for this product.
Abloy Protec A very complicated mechanical key and lock system. Web site location: http://www.abloy.ca. To view a highly technical article on this type of lock, go to this web site for a document download: http://www.toool.nl/abloypart3.pdf.
- A statement from one of their sales persons:
  
  Abloy lock works on a rotating disc principle similar to a bank vault tumbler, when you insert a key it has no effect on the lock it's the 90 degree turn of the key that unscrambles the discs, if the combination is wrong it will not turn any further then 90 degrees. Pin tumbler locks when your key is inserted the combination is either correct or incorrect, the pins are always ready to be bumped up to align them, Abloy Protec locks are also Pick-Proof and we are the only lock manufacturer to make completely hardened steel locks with drill protection as opposed to brass with drill protection like our competitors.
Mul-T-Lock The web site for this manufacturer is located here: http://www.mul-t-lockusa.com/ Cost for the lock is around $100 and a key might cost close to $20. This lock is mechanical. Quite close to being comparable to Medeco. Key bumping video can be found here: http://www.mul-t-lockusa.com/movies.asp
Farpro CX-5 (Scorpion)The web site for this manufacturer: http://www.farprosecuritysolutions.com/ This lock is mechanical and is thought to be comparable to Medico but much less expensive for lock and key.
Medeco These locks are expensive but have a very good reputation. There are two sets of pins, each set offset from the other to foil the bumping process. They are drill resistant.
- Medeco M3 might be compromised: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2sPwP76SZk&NR=1 and (http://www.thesidebar.org/insecurity/?paged=2)
- "the vulnerability may extend to certain Biaxial® models also". (http://www.thesidebar.org/insecurity/?paged=2)
Slage Primus claim to be bump proof but are not fool proof. “…if the bad guy can get a Primus-type key blank from the same region or dealer as your locks, the side-cuts are effectively neutralized” http://www.lockergnome.com/techronin/2007/04/17/lock-bumping/
Quickset Smart Keys (we have yet to confirm their method for preventing lock bumping). Not a fully UL437 rated lock.

One question to ask when comparing locks to buy is the cost to buy a new key. One local locksmith claims that Farpro Scorpion keys only cost about $6 to make while a Medico key might cost close to $15.

Another factor to beware of is the warrantee period of the lock. Some locks come with only a few year period while other locks extend the warrantee well beyond. Know what exactly the warrantee covers and get it in writing.

One option for you to consider is having special bump resistant pins installed into your existing locks. If you take the cylinder into a lock shop the cost will typically be less than $20 for each cylinder. Call the locksmith first to see if they offer this service. For a locksmith to drive to your home or business and change out the pins will typically cost around $110 or more.

We recommend that you consult with a local reputable locksmith for advice to protect your home and business.

After you buy a lock, keep all documentation, warrantee and receipts together in a folder for future reference.

Disclaimer: Placentia Neighborhood Watch, in no way, endorse any lock manufacturers or model locks listed above. We do not make any guarantees that locks we have listed are actually bump proof. That is up to you to determine. We do recommend that you contact a good locksmith for advice. We do not guarantee the information written above is accurate. We have tried to present the information on this page only as a step to help you to find the best product for your needs.