A Former KGB Lock Picker Discusses His Craft

Nicolai B. was, for thirty years, a senior operative of the KGB, stationed in Riga, Latvia. He and his colleagues were “laid off” in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the reorganization of the Committee for State Security, one of the most feared entities by Soviet citizens. His comments and disclosures were of particular interest to me and my colleagues because of our work in designing, training, and using covert entry tools in connection with government operations. His job was to conduct sensitive “intrusions” into offices, homes, businesses and other facilities in order to gather information about suspected “enemies of the state.” The theft or covert copying of documents, installation of electronic eavesdropping devices and cameras, and the planting of evidence were all in a day’s job for this retired agent. (more)