Law enforcers fear that a website can allow thieves to create duplicates of their potential victims' keys to their houses, NBC New York reported.
The site keysduplicated.com allows users to create exact, working copies of keys. This can be done by simply taking a photo of a key and uploading to the site.
Based on the photo, the software the site uses analyzes every millimeter of the key. The data from the analysis is then transferred to a machine to fabricate an exact duplicate.
For $6.00, the duplicate is mailed to the address of the user. Unfortunately, the site does not require users to provide ID verification. This means anyone who has a photo of a key, whether it's theirs or not, can take advantage of the site's service, according to WTSP
Police officers believe burglars can benefit from the site by sneakily taking a photo of someone's house keys. With the duplicate, they can easily enter their victims' houses without being detected.
To prove this, researchers from the news site Today took a photo of one of its correspondent's keys. A couple of days after uploading the photo to the site, they received the duplicate.
They then went over to the reporter's house and successfully unlocked the front door.
Ali Rahimi, the CEO of Keys Duplicated, is aware of the possibility that his site could be used for illegal activities.
"You know there's no doubt that this could be used by somebody to copy somebody else's key; I just don't think it's very likely to happen," he said. "If it ever happens, it's going to be a jilted ex-lover or disgruntled co-worker - people who have other ways of breaking into your house."
Rahimi then explained that the site utilizes precautionary steps such as requiring a valid credit card number, mailing address and email address. In addition, they only accept photos of keys that are clear. They do not accept those that are taken from afar or blurry.
Despite these, the site currently does not have ways to verify if the key truly belongs to the user who uploaded the photo.