Locks, Safes, and Security: An International Police Reference, Second Edition

• NCJ Number: 187339
• Author(s): Marc Weber Tobias J.D.
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 1438 pages
• Sale Source: Charles C. Thomas
• Publication Format: Book (Hardbound)
• Publication Type: Best Practice/State-of-the-Art Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This volume aims to provide a comprehensive international reference; the text presents and illustrates theoretical and practical information to enable law enforcement and intelligence personnel to understand how all the primary locking systems operate, how they can be compromised, and how to determine if they have been bypassed.

Abstract

The text is intended for use by criminal investigators, forensic examiners, insurance agents, security personnel, locksmiths, architects, and attorneys. The book begins with a discussion of waivers, conditions, and disclaimers and emphasizes that the misuse of the information in the book may be a crime in certain jurisdictions. The book offers a detailed theoretical overview of locks, how and why they work, and what makes them secure. Individual sections explain the origins and development of locks over the past 4,000 years; definitions of terms related to locking systems; the development and methods of producing keys; and basic lock configurations and mechanisms, including the warded lock, lever tumbler locks, wafer locks, and pin tumbler locks. Additional sections explain specialized locking systems, including traditional mechanical locking systems, electromechanical locks, magnetic locks, the wireless exchange of coded information, intelligent keys and locks, programmable locks and keys, and specialized industry applications. Further sections focus on methods of entry and detail forensic examinations: specifications, operations, tool marks, trace evidence, keys; nondestructive silent bypass of locks through lock picking, impressioning, and decoding; and tools and techniques for destructive entry. Additional sections detail the origins, development, and design of safes, vaults, and strong rooms; combination locks, and tools and techniques for destructive and nondestructive methods of entry. The final section focuses on security and includes chapters on security standards and testing, security analysis and risk reduction, physical and protective approaches, and alarm systems. Photographs, figures, checklists, subject index, master patent index, list of professional organizations, list of 8 publications related to locks and security, and 89 references