[Rigt-Lobe]

In light of this "new" bumping craze, I'm looking at every lock I see as a potential threat to my/our general security.
I wasn't born yesterday, and I'm far from new to lock picking/opening techniques btw.
(Believe me, I still realise a forgotten unlocked window is far more dangerous then being bumped, lol.)
But as I picked up my mail from my PO box today, I realised that there is a potential nightmare waiting there.
Does anyone have any info on PO box locks, and if they have been bump tested, etc.?

R-L:brickwall:

[Customer Support]

Sure, bumping a P.O Box shouldn't be any problem... except that all boxes are owned by the US Govt. I wouldn't suggest trying to bump a PO Box.

[theopratr]

There are a wide variety of locks used, and some of them are bumpable. National brand keys (NA12, NA14) are popular on mailboxes. The Yale Y11 also shows up sometimes. However, many other non-federal boxes use wafer locks, which can not be bumped.

And as Slick mentions... bumping federal property is a terrible idea.

[Rigt-Lobe]

Thanks for the replies, no intention of bumping them...federal time is alot nicer then state, but neither sounds good, lol.

[Customer Support]

I didn't think you were going to bump them... you gave no indication at all. I just wanted to be sure to note it would be against the law to bump 'em (and there for not advisable).

It's a little sad how easily they could be bumped, really. :frown:

[theopratr]

Using the official ease of bumping rating scale, the technical term for these locks is "stupid easy."

Given the provisions in the Patriot Act for federal agents to monitor mail passed through the USPS, perhaps there have been some government purchases of the NA12/14 bump keys in the past. ;)

And the non-federal rip-off mailboxes for the most part use wafer locks, which, though not prone to bumping, are among the most easily picked/jiggled locks around. Brilliant.

Perhaps that Medeco cylinder I bought has finally found a decent application...

[PhreeX]

Not sure about this, it was something I heard ....

Apparently there is a push to outlaw bump keys and the sole reason is, yes, the threat to Government Owned Mailboxes (P.O. Boxes, Apartment Complex boxes, etc...)

It is seen as a huge thread when it comes to identity theft as a mail0theiftwould no longer have to drive around for hours hitting mail boxes with the flags up at 3am, rather they could just hit am Apartment Complex (or a post office with 24-hour access to the P.O Boxes) and in no time they could get what would take week to do "mail box hopping" ...
I don't know what truth there is to this, but it sounds legit (It is illegal to send filed bump keys via the US mail so there may be some real truth to this...

At a locksmith shop I hang out at (they give me things like deadbolt locks and the like they removed from residences when they resident upgrades - I mount these in a 2"x4" on a stand and use these for practice ... from what I heard it could, in the near future, be a crime to sell or possess a key - even un-filled! Now I am not sure I believe that as an un-filed (as in shoulders and tip) is a legitimate key, and if you were to have a lock that happened to have the pins set so the key would open the lock regularly, well, then that is just your key ...

I searched and couldn't find anything online ...

I am only glad I ordered all my keys now and have also mastere the art of making my own ...

//p

[Rigt-Lobe]

Wow!
Didn't expect that much feed back.
Thanks for all the interesting info!

...and I'm sure some moronic law will be passed soon at this rate...

[MrLocks]

This is really new topic for me to trying or thinking about PO BOX bumping. I know that its against law and cant be tried but good information here.