Cop killer caught making prison skeleton key

Photo / Thinkstock

A cop killer was caught in a prison workshop cutting a key to jail cells - using only his memory to recreate patterns that would unlock doors.

Officers found Daniel Luff, 26, using metal working equipment to perfect a skeleton key.

Luff was sentenced to 17 years in prison for murdering Detective Constable Duncan Taylor in 2002. He fatally shot Taylor and seriously wounded another officer.

The Corrections Department would not name the prisoner caught making the keys.

But the Herald on Sunday has confirmed it was Luff and he has since been moved to Auckland Prison at Paremoremo.

Acting general manager of prison services Dr Brendan Anstiss said the scam was uncovered when prison officers "jumped" the inmate in a workshop when they realised he was carrying out an unauthorised activity. The inmate was searched and guards found a makeshift key that could have been used to access cells of prisoners who left to go to work for the day.

"At no point do we believe this was an escape attempt."

He said the prison had been "turned over" and a security review carried out. All prisoners, their cells and other areas accessed by prisoners had been searched and more keys made by the inmate discovered.

Australia New Zealand Locksmith Association spokesman Gary Ching said the idea of Luff looking at a key and copying it belonged in the movies.