Plastic Handcuff Keys Sold On Amazon For Quick Getaways

Image via Amazon/ASR Tactical

Caught by the po-po? No worries, a variety of non-metallic universal handcuff keys are available for all on Amazon. And some sellers even sell keys that can be covertly hidden in basic clothing or accessories.

Vendor ASR Tactical, for example, sells plastic handcuff keys that can be attached to zippers, as well as disguised as a basic silicon bracelet. You know, for those quick getaways.

Image via Amazon/ASR Tactical

Image via Amazon/ASR Tactical

The silicone wristband is a staple to most everyone’s wardrobe these days; whether supporting a cause or as a fashion statement you can see them on eight out of 10 people walking down the street,” ASR Tactical describes on Amazon. “Previously only used in covert urban settings by the government agencies this refined tactical wristband has been through a rigid R&D process and while simple in design, it is done right!”

Is ASR Tactical preparing consumers for an eminent police state, where anyone and everyone can be needlessly arrested? Or is the seller marketing to criminals? The fact that the $11.99 bracelet includes Microscape Saw Blades doesn’t do much to support the first scenario. The vendor sells a host of outdoors goods through Amazon, but it’s the variety of escape items that is questionable. In what innocent scenario would anyone need a tactical pen cap handcuff key? Can’t think of one? That’s exactly right.

Police officers are now being made aware to look out for the covert handcuff keys. In fact, New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly issued an internal alert last month about the plastic keys for sale on Amazon. And police are particularly concerned about the keys since they are plastic and, therefore, can pass through metal detectors. A criminal mind could potentially pass the key to a colleague in jail.

Should police and the public be concerned about the keys, though? It’s one thing to sell them, but they also have to work in order to pose a threat. And according to customer reviews found on the Amazon product pages, the keys are of little use to someone trying to escape.

What a joke. can’t get it out when you need to and bends. Then you get the crap kicked out of you by the po po,” one customer wrote.

Please save your money this is a rip off,” another customer said. “I work in law enforcements and thought this might be neat. Turns out it was a piece of S***. and It was extremely hard to open up regular handcuffs and will not open my asp cuffs really save your money no lie but it’s your money hope my review helps you.

Still one reviewer, ThePoliceStoleMyStash, apparently enjoyed the zipper-pull handcuff key—although with a name like that, the reliability of the source can certainly be debated.

Listen son, if you shadey you gots to have this piece on yo hoodie,” the customer wrote. “Like I was being ‘detained’ by the man for “suspicious behavior” when the 5.0 found this bag of BBQ potato chips just layin’ on the ground, right. When he opened the bag up he was like pullin’ out 50 rawks and they tryin’ to pin that on me! Fo’ real. I just took my little secret zipper cuff key and I was like late yo im outtie. The 5.0 never knew what happen, ha-ha they was all like “call in the chopper”. Mean while I was kickin’ it up at my boy Pookie’s crib sippin’ on a bottle of OE and laughin’ and gittin’ blunted. Great product, highly recommended; I just wish it wasn’t bright red.

The New York Daily News attempted to contact the seller, ASR Tactical, and tracked the vendor’s domain name to a 37-year-old man in Laguna Beach, Calif. He denied, however, any connection to the business and insisted he doesn’t sell anything before calling the police. When Laguna Beach police officers arrived, however, they were stunned plastic handcuff keys were available to the public.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail noticed that some of the items were listed by ASR Tactical but actually sold by another vendor, JandersInc., which is registered to a Joe Anders in Bellingham, Wash. Although Anders couldn’t be reached for comment, after the Mail attempted to reach him, the item in question—an $8.99 handcuff key—was removed from his Amazon shop. Other items from JandersInc., however, such as the $6.49 non-metallic covert handcuff key, are still available for sale.