[Aengeuad]

There's a good reason why criminals don't carry lockpicks around and that's because they're regulated, in much of the world mere possession of them outside of your residence is a criminal offence and even in places where you can carry them legally they not only show prior intent, their use in criminal activities carries a charge just like breaking and entering. I'd also argue that being stuck picking a stubborn lock for 2-3 minutes is significantly more suspicion arousing than the literal seconds it takes to break a window but that's neither here nor there.

On the rationality of having locks when criminals can very easily break a window, the old saying that locks keep honest people out rings true. Locks do serve a purpose even if they do very little to slow criminals down. To bring the analogy full circle fingerprint readers always seemed like windows to me in how easy they are to bypass, luckily they're more of a luxury than a necessity. :-)

[lstodd]

Lockpicks for the common locks can be made on site in under 5 minutes and then after about half-minute the lock is broken, and picks are discarded.

That is why they aren't carried around any more.

And that is not taking into account that most locks can be defeated without lockpicks, a steel ruler will do.

It's just sad when people that don't know a bit about the trade boast about "regulations" and how they are relevant. They are not.

[ranger_danger]

Criminals don't carry lockpicks because a brick is easier.

[ClumsyPilot]

Lockpicks are not illegal or regulated in UK, you just have to learn how to use them