Locksmith sells master set of keys to N.Y. reporter; keys unlock much of city infrastructure

Lesley Ciarula Taylor 
Toronto Star Staff Reporter 

The New York City fire department is reviewing how and to whom it hands out keys after a retired locksmith sold a master set on eBay that control much of the city’s infrastructure.

Retired New Jersey locksmith Daniel Ferraris sold a ring of five “firemen’s keys” to an undercover New York Post reporter for $150 with the proviso: “Don’t try to use them,” the newspaper reported.

The reporter tried them anyway and found one of the master firefighter’s keys could control every highrise elevator in the city and open firehouse doors, subway entrances and construction site boxes.

Two other keys were city electrician master keys that controlled street lamps and circuit-breakers in large buildings.

Ferraris has promised to stop selling master keys, FDNY spokesman Frank Dwyer told the Star.

The 69-year-old retired locksmith declined to speak to the Star. His eBay account was active, and he was selling “obsolete” and antique keys, briefly after the article appeared but his account was closed down by Thursday.

The fire department, Dwyer said, is looking at “possible internal changes regarding distribution and collection of keys.”

“Every FDNY member — firefighters, paramedics, EMTs — have a key that controls elevators for use in an emergency,” he said.

“Elevator repairmen, electricians, building managers, maintenance people and others also have these keys. (They) are not unique to FDNY members.”

The department has not confiscated the master set bought by the reporter, he said.