You might be surprised at the tricks burglars may use to break in to your home. Not because they're so cunning, but because they're really quite simple. What should you be on the lookout for? See more »

If you find yourself locked out of your house, you might be tempted to learn your way around a lock pick. But while the theory is easy, getting a lock to open without a key is a little harder. See more »

Today's high-tech panic rooms are a far cry from fallout shelters of the past. You can have a basic reinforced closet -- or a luxury security den with an arsenal of weapons. See more »

Security systems can range from do-it-yourself kits for $10 to sophisticated whole-house networks installed by professionals. But most alarm systems are actually built around the same basic design concepts.  See more »

They keep the contents of your school locker safe. They secure precious documents and monetary instruments. Some of them can even take a bullet. Learn about what's going on inside combination locks. See more »

How can motion-sensing lights detect your presence, and what prevents them from seeing you when you're standing still? It all comes down to the movement of light. See more »

The super of our apartment building is always going into everyone's apartment when something needs to be fixed. There must be a hundred apartments, but he only carries one key around with him. How does he get into all those apartments? See more »

Most of us are entirely dependent on electricity, so a power outage can become seriously annoying. Learn about the generators and inverters that can put an end to home power failures. See more »

In movies, burglars can open a lock using a paper clip. Is it really so easy? The basic process of picking a lock is simple, but it takes practice to get it right. See more »

This set of articles includes explanations of lockpicking and safecracking, as well as the mechanical workings of many of the most common types of locks. See more »