“All Locks Can Be Opened,” Say Lockpickers in Rozstřel

Nikol Ivanovová, the chairwoman of the Association of Czech Lockpickers, sees lockpicking as a competitive sport. She was joined in Monday’s Rozstřel interview by Karel Burian, the second vice-champion of the Czech Republic in lockpicking. Lockpicking is the art of opening a lock without damage and without using a key. “I come from a family of locksmiths, so my father taught me the basics, and it felt natural to me,” Ivanovová explained. Together with Burian, she discussed who is legally authorized to open a home lock. The answer? Either a firefighter or a certified locksmith with the appropriate business license (concession). “This sport arrived in the Czech Republic about ten years ago. It’s both a sport and a hobby, where people challenge themselves to improve. Of course, we can recognize the type of lock we’re dealing with and choose the right tools accordingly,” she said.

Czech Lockpickers Lag Behind Foreign Competitors

According to the interviewees, Czech lockpickers are not yet as skilled as their international counterparts. “They train a lot on high-quality locks, which many of our competitors don’t have access to,” says Ivanovová. The biggest challenge for a lockpicker comes when a manufacturer introduces a new lock cylinder. Lockpickers worldwide then compete to see who can successfully open it first. However, many Czechs lack awareness of the importance of buying a high-quality lock cylinder. “People buy expensive new doors with a lock included. But in many cases, it’s just a cheap basic construction-grade lock. Czechs tend to be frugal, but a lock like that can be picked by a thief in just ten seconds. Meanwhile, a third- or fourth-class security lock cylinder can be purchased for as little as 1,000 CZK (approx. $40),” Burian explained.

Not Everyone Can Become a Lockpicker

Not just anyone can join the Association of Czech Lockpickers. To become a member, a person must:

• Have a clean criminal record
• Actively participate in association activities so that existing members can evaluate their character and skills

Burian also demonstrated, using visuals, how a cylinder lock actually works in practice. He pointed out the stark contrast between how lockpicking is portrayed in movies versus how it works in real life. “There’s also a difference between lock systems in the Czech Republic and, for example, in the United States. Here, we use doors with a rebated edge (falced doors), so opening a locked door with a credit card is much harder. In the U.S., they use non-rebated doors, which is why you often see that technique in crime shows,” Burian explained.

Most Burglaries Involve Brute Force – Not Lockpicking

In reality, most burglaries occur through brute force methods rather than sophisticated lockpicking. Standard locks can often be quickly opened using:

• A drill
• Lock snapping
• Forcibly pulling out the lock cylinder

However, lockpickers do not take this approach. “We love precision work without using force. Competitive lockpicking is all about skill, patience, and understanding the mechanics of different lock cylinders,” the lockpickers explained.

Manufacturers See Lockpickers as Partners, Not Criminals

Interestingly, lock manufacturers do not condemn lockpickers. Instead, they work with them. For example, the marketing department of Assa Abloy, a major lock manufacturer, once stated: “They are definitely not criminals. We collaborate with the Association of Czech Lockpickers because their members provide valuable insights that help us improve lock security.”