BY LANCE C. PEEPLES
As the criminal element in our society becomes more mobile, law-abiding citizens in suburban and even rural areas are finding it necessary to use increasingly sophisticated methods of protection for their property. Jurisdictions in which forcible entry once consisted of kicking in a flimsy front door now find buildings secured with a myriad of locking devices ranging from drop-in bars to slide bolts to the ubiquitous padlock. Firefighters responding to buildings secured by padlocks must be familiar with the techniques used to defeat these difficult security devices if they are to accomplish their mission of protecting life and property.
The first problem facing the forcible entry team members is determining whether they are dealing with a standard or a high-security padlock. Standard padlocks have a bow or shackle less than 1/4 inch in diameter that is not constructed of case-hardened steel. The keyway is not guarded, and you can easily pull it with a dent puller. These locks can be defeated with almost any standard forcible entry tool.
High-security padlocks, on the other hand, have case-hardened shackles greater than 1/4 inch in diameter. The shackle is often recessed into the lock’s body, and a steel plate that prevents pulling the cylinder protects the keyway. Often, the entire lock assembly is protected by a heavy steel guard that prevents access to any part of the lock except the keyway. These locks present difficult challenges to the forcible entry team, and special tools and tactics must be used if quick entry is to be made.
Following are some pointers for efficiently forcing some types of locks commonly used today.
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(1) Top row: high-security padlocks with hardened shackles, often protected within the body of the lock; bottom row: standard padlocks that can be easily defeated with a pair of bolt cutters or a halligan tool. (Photos by author.) (2) The American series 2000 (also known as the “hockey puck lock”) has its shackle protected within the body of the lock. (3) The American series 2000 may appear to be a formidable enemy, but a 36-inch pipe wrench with a cheater bar will usually make short work of it. (4) Bolt cutters will not work on high-security padlocks. These locks have “heel and toe” locking-that is, both sides are locked and must be cut for the lock to open. If you’re a real tough firefighter, you may be able to cut through one side, but the cutter will be damaged and you won’t be able to get through the other side. (5) Standard padlocks can often be forced simply by striking them with the irons. Place the fork of the halligan over the lock to increase the striking area. (6) Often, it is much easier to chisel off the hasp than to attack a tough lock. Some authors suggest twisting the lock off the hasp. This works only if the hasp is stronger than the lock. If the hasp is cheap, the staple will merely twist around, forming a tab that will not fit through the opening in the hasp.
(7) It is often possible to cut through a nonhardened chain, circumventing the lock altogether. This allows the property owner to secure his property after the emergency is over. (8) You can use a dent puller (slide hammer, bam-bam tool) to pull the cylinder in standard padlocks. A screwdriver can then be used to open the lock. Some padlocks that appear to be high security (so-called “Chinese padlocks” manufactured by Lion, Camel, or Guard) have a cylinder guard that can be easily pried out with a screwdriver. The cylinder will then simply fall out, and you can use the screwdriver to operate the lock mechanism.
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(9) A duckbill lockbreaker and a 10-pound sledgehammer can be used to separate the shackle from the body of a high-security padlock. (A miner’s pick with one side sawed off will also work.) (10) You can use a halligan tool to pull the lock away from the door.
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(11, 12) The fork of a halligan or a 36-inch pipe wrench can sometimes be used to “snap” the shackle of a case-hardened lock. This technique will work only when the hasp is welded heavy-gauge steel. Tighten the lock firmly against the hasp and then apply your body weight in a quick “snapping” motion. Don’t attempt to “twist” off the lock. (13) A cutting torch is usually not as quick as a saw, but it may be useful if multiple locks must be cut or a saw is not available. Note the vise grips attached to a chain being used to pull the lock away from the door. (14) A saw equipped with an aluminum oxide blade can be used to cut the pin of a hockey puck lock two-thirds of the body up from the keyway. You can also use a torch to burn through the pin.
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(15) If a guard protects a disc padlock, you may have to cut through both the guard and the lock with a saw. If there are many locks or if the fire condition is heavy, it is often faster to make an inverted “V” cut in a gate and then pull out the slats using a pair of vise grips. (16, 17) Your job is not always done when you get the locks off. Here, you must open the channel iron guard and operate the hoisting chain. (18) Padlocks are often placed in awkward locations to make it more difficult to defeat them. You must be vigilant and locate all the locks. (Note that the “glass” here is really Plexiglas®.)
You must be skilled in a variety of forcible-entry techniques today. Be prepared with an alternate plan for those occasions when the saw won’t start or the torch won’t light. Heavily secured doors are no excuse. Quick entry is essential to accomplishing our mission of protecting lives and property.
LANCE C. PEEPLES is a firefighter in St. Louis County, Missouri. He formerly served as a shift supervisor for the City of St. Louis Department of EMS. He has a bachelor’s degree in public administration and associate degrees in fire protection and paramedic technology and has taught fire protection technology at East Central College.
