Key Duplication Issues

The police probably shouldn't have their keys hanging visible to the world.

I found this today online (thanks Bruce!). This story is about a guy who managed to duplicate the key used by Dutch police for their handcuffs.

The first main point to learn from this is that you have to be really careful when you walk around in public with identity badges or keys visible. They can be photographed at great distance and be duplicated at leisure (as in the example a while back where a researcher photographed a key on the ground from over 200 feet away and was able to make a working duplicate of it).

Second, he used a 3D printer to create the key from plastic instead of metal which was cheaper, easier and something most anyone can do (if they have or can get access to a 3D printer). It's worse because the key is plastic and won't trip a metal detector. But the issue that no one has talked about yet is the danger of the photo used to show off the key.

Here is the key, but something else important as well.

The person holding it (which I assume was the creator of the key) has fully visible fingers with ridge detail clear enough to possibly create a false fingerprint (just like he did with the key). In other words, by posting a photo showing his fingerprints, he may have just made the same mistake that the police did when they left their keys in the open to be photographed and copied.

Remember to always be careful when posting photos online.