S’pore has ‘underground’ lockpicking scene with over 50 members, founder says hobby is about puzzles

Singapore’s lockpicking scene founder says it is a misconception that lockpicking hobbyists have ‘an interest in gaining access to things without permission’

Singapore has an “underground” lockpicking scene with more than 50 members, according to the founder of Locksport SG.

The community, which started in 2016, brings enthusiasts together to learn, practise and share knowledge about locksport.

The hobby involves treating locks as mechanical puzzles rather than attempting to gain unauthorised access.

Locksport SG recently announced that its next beginner workshop will take place on 10 Oct.

Singapore’s locksport community started in 2016

Locksport SG founder Zach Tan said he started the community after developing an interest in lockpicking.

At the time, there was no established locksport community in Singapore that he was aware of.

He began bringing people together to learn and practise the hobby.

The group has since grown through workshops, events and collaborations, including security-related events.

Today, it has more than 50 members, he told MS News.

While still niche here, Mr Tan said locksport is a more established hobby internationally, particularly in the US and Europe.

“Most Singaporeans simply don’t realise that lockpicking exists as a hobby called locksport,” he said.

The group has also been featured by local media and invited to overseas events in cities including Bangkok and Jakarta.

Founder says lockpicking is like solving a mechanical puzzle

For Mr Tan, the appeal comes from understanding what happens inside a seemingly simple lock.

“When you start understanding what’s happening inside, you realise there’s actually quite a bit of engineering and mechanics involved,” he said.

Participants try to understand the “subtle physical feedback” from a lock and work out how to solve the puzzle.

“When you finally open a lock that you couldn’t open before, there’s a very satisfying sense of accomplishment,” he said.

‘Underground’ refers to the hobby’s niche status

Mr Tan described Singapore’s locksport scene as “underground”.

He explained that this refers to the community being relatively small and little-known, rather than anything illicit.

Singapore has had locksport enthusiasts for years, but people may not encounter the hobby unless they come across an event or workshop.

Group says lockpicking is often misunderstood

One of the biggest misconceptions is that people who enjoy lockpicking want to gain access to places without permission, Mr Tan said.

For locksport enthusiasts, he said, locks are simply another type of mechanical puzzle.

“It’s similar to solving a Rubik’s Cube or working through a puzzle which just happens to involve a lock,” he said.

He also said movies and television often portray lockpicking inaccurately.

In reality, the hobby requires “quite a lot of patience, practice and fine motor control”.

Beginners can learn in a controlled environment

Locksport SG’s workshops introduce beginners to the fundamentals of locks and the equipment used for the hobby.

Participants practise with locks specifically intended for training, allowing them to learn in a controlled environment.

“For us, locksport is about understanding how a lock mechanism works, challenging yourself to solve a mechanical puzzle and developing an appreciation for physical security,” Mr Tan said.

“We also talk about responsible practice. The basic principle is we only practise on locks that we own.”

Next workshop takes place on 10 Oct

Locksport SG’s next public workshop will take place on 10 Oct.

The session is aimed at beginners and will cover the basics of locksport, with guided practice using training equipment.

Mr Tan hopes participants leave with a better appreciation of how locks work and why physical security matters.

He said personalised guidance can also make a difference compared with simply watching lockpicking videos online.

Ultimately, he hopes participants discover a new hobby and become part of Singapore’s locksport community.

“Hopefully, people leave thinking, ‘That was much more fun than I expected!'”

Also read: MS Features: The surgeon who found all of S’pore’s stick insects & suffered a concussion for his hobby