The CIA Lockpicking Manual

by Central Intelligence Agency

Do you have the locksmith’s phone number on speed dial? Find yourself spending a fortune on new locks after someone lost their keys again? Forgot your keys in the car one too many times? Free yourself once and for all from ever having a keyless crisis again with The CIA Lockpicking Manual. With this clever pocket- sized guide, you’ll quickly learn how to get yourself into—and out of—tight spaces.With clear explanations and detailed illustrations, The CIA Lockpicking Manual will quickly teach you what you need to know. Soon you’ll be able to get yourself into your house, office desk, or car . . . without your key.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference

59 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2011

About the author

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the U.S. Government, tasked with gathering, processing and analyzing national security information from around the world, primarily through the use of human intelligence (HUMINT). As one of the principal members of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC), the CIA reports to the Director of National Intelligence and is primarily focused on providing intelligence for the President and his Cabinet.

Unlike the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which is a domestic security service, CIA has no law enforcement function and is mainly focused on overseas intelligence gathering, with only limited domestic collection. Though it is not the only U.S. government agency specializing in HUMINT, CIA serves as the national manager for coordination and deconfliction of HUMINT activities across the entire intelligence community. Moreover, CIA is the only agency authorized by law to carry out and oversee covert action on behalf of the President, unless the President determines that another agency is better suited for carrying out such action. It can, for example, exert foreign political influence through its tactical divisions, such as the Special Activities Division.

Before the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, CIA Director concurrently served as the head of the Intelligence Community; today these functions and authorities reside with the Director of National Intelligence. Despite transferring some of its powers to the DNI, the CIA has grown in size as a result of the September 11 terrorist attacks. In 2013, The Washington Post reported that in fiscal year 2010, the CIA had the largest budget of all IC agencies, exceeding previous estimates.

The CIA has increasingly expanded its roles, including covert paramilitary operations. One of its largest divisions, the Information Operations Center (IOC), has shifted focus from counter-terrorism to offensive cyber-operations. While the CIA has had some recent accomplishments, such as locating Osama bin Laden and taking part in the successful Operation Neptune Spear, it has also been involved in controversial programs such as extraordinary rendition and enhanced interrogation techniques.

Reviews

[Hunter Q Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhat helpful.

I am interested in learning about lockpicking. I purchased this book to learn more about the subject. It is somewhat helpful, but I am a bit disappointed with the lack of detail.

[Ramesh Naidu · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I still cannot unlock my bicycle combination lock without the combination, my respect for Richard Feynman who managed to crack all the safes at Los Alamos during Project Manhattan has gained new ground

[Tyler Tabat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not nearly as descriptive as I had hoped. Essentially all the information found within this book's pages can be found via Google searches online. That being said the book itself is very useful if you do not what to Google on your quest for knowledge in the ways of bypassing locks, or if you are new to the art of picking locks and need guidance as a beginner.

[Randolph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Introductory

This short essay gives the reader a glimpse of picking locks and the tools used. You will need a more advanced book.

[Larry Vandergriff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Training Manual

Frankly, I expected this to be more gimmick than practical. I freely admit I was wrong. Tips and techniques have helped me to improve my working knowledge.

[Vicki Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but informative

The CIA I’m sure has an in-depth training book. This is not that book. Beginners like me are helped but not any experienced locksmith.

[David LaBarge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being the son of a locksmith, going into reading this book I was assuming I’d get some sort of secret techniques of how to pick locks like that of a clandestine agent. However, you basically get a simple basics to lockpicking manual. I’m glad it brought up the clicking sound you get as each pin goes down as you pick, but I wish it brought up the feel of doing it. Obviously you can’t see it, unless you visualize it, but using your other senses are key, no pun intended, to locksmithing. I’m proud to say my father is one of the best in the world at what he does.

[Cherie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found that this book was filled with grammatical errors and spelling mistakes, and that it was hard to follow because I don't have any former knowledge of lockpicking. This made it impossible to get interested in and I couldn't even finish it.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 2 out of 5]

A short discussion on techniques, tools, and procedures for opening key locks without using a key. There are numerous color drawings of the tools and steps involved. This work is a very general overview and will not train someone by itself.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cool

I love this book it's so interesting and I loved how it was a step by step nice cool cool