Tsk. It seems lockpicks are pretty much illegal in South Australia. How am I supposed to be a superantihero if I can't pick locks, eh?15. (1) A person who, without lawful excuse --
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(b) has custody or possession of an implement of housebreaking.
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is guilty of an offence.
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'implement of housebreaking' includes a picklock key, crow, jack, bit or other implement of housebreaking. Canada's law regarding lockpicks is rather clearer, despite including the phrase "reasonable inference". Ah, trusting in the reason of the people, where has such folly gone? Canadians are also allowed 'lawful excuse', but are more obviously allowed to possess a lockpick even lacking that.351. (1) Every one who, without lawful excuse, the proof of which lies on him, has in his possession any instrument suitable for the purpose of breaking into any place, motor vehicle, vault or safe under circumstances that give rise to a reasonable inference that the instrument has been used or is or was intended to be used for any such purpose, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years. The UK makes it clearer still that you're definitely okay to have lockpicks in your own house, and that taking them round to get a friend into their home is probably alright too. It looks to me like the UK law is such that possessing lockpicks isn't a crime unless you're arrested for it in which case it is. Which is rather endearing.United Kingdom Theft Act 1968 Section 25(1)
(1) A person shall be guilty of an offence if when not at his place of abode, he has with him any article for use in the course of or in connection with any burglary, theft or cheat.
(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall on conviction on indictment be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years.
(3) Where a person is charged with an offence under this section, proof that he had with him any article made or adapted for use in committing a burglary, theft or cheat shall be evidence that he had it with him for such use.
(4) Any person may arrest without warrant anyone who is, or whom he, with reasonable cause, suspects to be, committing an offence under this section. America, of course, varies its laws regarding such things by state, ranging from "if you have lockpicks then you're a fucking terrorist" to "lockpicks are only illegal if we catch you with them stuck in someone else's lock (fnar)". But tsk, South Australia - you're usually so permissive.
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