Fri Apr 26, 2013 9:28 pm by Altashot
As a professional locksmith, I have been accused of cutting myself a key to enter the premises and rob them later when they were not home. Of course, these people are normally the paranoid nut case types. Nothing ever happened out of it. I guess they take their pills and feel better the next day. I even had customers call me the next day to apologize for their "episode" and request yet another re-key. Talk to any locksmiths, we all have a few of those nut cases...
I agree that you have to be careful who you tell. I'll share a story that happen to me. It's a bit long...
Early in my career, I was a young locksmith then, 19 or 20 years old. I met up with some friends after work at a local tavern for a few brews. I was still wearing my uniform and it clearly displayed where I worked. A guy at the next table noticed and started a conversation with me. Of course it was the usual questions: "You're a locksmith?...COOL!...Can you open a car?...A house?...A safe?..." I was like: "yeah, sure! No problem, I can open anything." I was cocky, I had all this new knowledge and skills and I was boasting as if I was THE King of locksmiths... After a few beers, I went to the washrooms and as I zipped up, two guys spun me around and pushed me onto the urinals. One of them said: "So...you're a locksmith?...You can open houses?...You crack locks and safes?..." The other guy then said: "You're coming with us tonight boy...If you make a fuss leaving this place, we'll f*ch you up real bad." I almost s*it my pants. I my mind I thought I was going to get kidnapped, be forced to open a safe, then get ditch with the safe...Dead and no loot. I refused to comply and they started to to get violent. They weren't joking. I never thought my boasting was going to get me in trouble, I was not a crook and did all this legally. They had been listening in on my conversation with a stranger earlier...Luckily my friend walk in and disrupted the fight. The two guys left at once, the washrooms and the bar.
I have been in a few other scary situations since too.
I now have a clip-on ID that can easily and quickly be removed. The problem is that I NEED to be public, This is my living and people must know about it.
I'm older now and also smarter but I never forget that as my name, company, reputation and public esteem increase, so does the threat. It comes with the territory, just because of the nature of what I do. My van is also a big target. This is one part of the job that I did not foresee nor chose. I wouldn't change a thing though, I love what I do.
Maybe a word of caution, maybe to raise awareness, or only another aspect of lock picking not often considered; You possess a very fascinating and interesting talent. It can be used for good or bad, and it CAN get you in trouble.
M.