f4f3 | Things That Are Wrong, Two of N: Breaking Into An Apartment

The front door to the building is a problem - a good lock you can't get past. But you press on the buttons of the intercom, and a Chinese voice comes back at you. "Yes?" "Hi, it's your downstairs neighbour - I've locked myself out, can you buzz me in?"

And she does, and just like that, you're in to the hallway. Door on the right leads up to where the helpful neighbour stays. Door on the left is glass panelled, with three key holes, two mortice locks and a yale. You give it a push, and, even though only the yale is locked, if feels solid. You think about kicking it in anyway, but all the glass might go. You don't want that.

There's an Oyster card in your wallet. You take it out, bend it slightly, fit it into the gap between door and frame, and start working it up and down at the same height as the keyhole.

Loiding a lock isn't as easy as TV makes it look.

But it's not all that hard.

The door swings open and you're in another hallway.

Two racing bikes in the hall, You turn left, and there's a lounge with a brand new 60 inch plasma TV. So new the box it was delivered in is still sitting there.

You smile. All's well that ends well.