How to Break Into a School Locker

Everyone knows how frustrating it is to forget the combination to your school locker. We've all done it at least once, and the results can be mortifying. However, if you stay calm and deal with the situation logically, you'll be able to get into your school locker again and you won't have to worry about the homework waiting inside.

Things You'll Need

• Bolt cutters
• Paper clip or safety pin

Instructions

1. Inform your teacher that you have forgotten your combination or that your locker won't open. It is always better to do this first so you don't get in trouble for tardiness, and your teacher might have a specific set of instructions for you to follow.

2. Attempt to open your school locker again by putting in your combination. In some cases, a stubborn lock will oblige if you twist the dial one or two notches away from the assigned number. For example, if the first number is 26, you might turn the dial to 24 or 25 instead.

3. Insert a safety pin or unfolded paper clip into the lock. Turn the dial several times, then turn it very slowly to the right, listening for a click. In many cases, a school locker is not a top-quality lock, and inserting a piece of metal will produce a click that will then allow you to open the lock. Pull hard on the lock when you hear the click, and it may open.

4. Notify a school administrator that you can't get into your school locker. If no combination works, the administrator might be able to reset the combination so you can open it again. This is better than standing in an empty hall trying to wrestle with the lock.

5. Apply bolt cutters to a school locker in an emergency situation. They are often necessary when school administrators, law-enforcement officers or parents need to quickly access the contents of a locker without the combination. Bolt cutters will simply snap the metal of the lock loop when enough pressure is applied, and most schools keep this tool on hand.

Tips & Warnings

• Know that a school locker is considered personal property. If you try to break in to a friend's locker, you could be in serious trouble.

• Request that a new lock be supplied if the old one is broken, and remove all your personal property until the lock is fixed. This will prevent theft.

• Don't try to use lock picks or any other professional tools. They are frowned upon by school administration and can get you into trouble.