storage wars observation

is it just me or am i seeing them cut house locks off of some of these lockers?

Short answer... yes.

You wouldn't expect the cast members to bring their own locks would you?

perhaps i didnt explain myself  clearly enough

in one of the episodes up on their website now (auction sesame) the locks they are cutting off the lockers before the auction look suspiciously like the locks a facility keeps tons of keyed alike to lock up empty lockers.
the ones that are all the same color and are usually blue red or green so they stick out from the brass and chrome ones the customers use


in the other episode up (get him to the mayan) they dont show the locks that are being cut off but the only door i got a clean look at was  set up for a cylinder  lock , so again im asuming they are cutting the faciltys own locks off just to make it better for tv

Several forum members have posted accounts of the "staging" they've seen and even been a part of first-hand. Meaning, the film crews drive into a new town, hire extras, write a script and pay the "regulars" to follow the script. Units are rented empty and filled up with items that have been rented from local thrift shops. Something spectacular is rented from an antique shop or gun shop or wherever, then "seeded" into the unit so the stars of the show can later "find" it. Etc.

None of it is real. That's why at the beginning they say that these stories are taken from their most spectacular finds, previously found. So in a way they are like re-enactments, except who knows if any of it ever happened in the first place? No way to confirm, and I suspect the whole thing is make-believe, start to finish.

39shades is referring to Auction Hunters.

Storage Wars and the Texas version will cut locks for TV sake.

In Texas, it is required by law that the facility cut the customer's lock and take a quick once-over inventory of the contents at the time the locker goes into default. This inventory is also a part of the legal notice requirements.

I'm assuming most facilities will replace the customer's lock for the simple reason that they are to be locked out until they've paid up.

Maybe a Cali member can enlighten us on the general practices there.

Matches - same rules apply in California. Inventory description must be included in the legal notices.

Flying sparks make good dramatic television.

Matches: True. Though I'd assumed that the staging, casting, etc. was done by all the shows. Are you thinking not?

Matches: True. Though I'd assumed that the staging, casting, etc. was done by all the shows. Are you thinking not?

I think they may slip cool stuff into their lockers, but as for "casting," they don't have the "local whale" villain for each episode the way Auction Hunters does.

Several forum members have posted accounts of the "staging" they've seen and even been a part of first-hand. Meaning, the film crews drive into a new town, hire extras, write a script and pay the "regulars" to follow the script. Units are rented empty and filled up with items that have been rented from local thrift shops. Something spectacular is rented from an antique shop or gun shop or wherever, then "seeded" into the unit so the stars of the show can later "find" it. Etc.

None of it is real. That's why at the beginning they say that these stories are taken from their most spectacular finds, previously found. So in a way they are like re-enactments, except who knows if any of it ever happened in the first place? No way to confirm, and I suspect the whole thing is make-believe, start to finish.

Yeah-- Its TV! And don't think they ever said the show was a reality TV show. My thinking is that since people bought units before the show aired the buyers related to the show so much that in the buyers mind they created an illusion that the show was real and anything that was done different then there previous buying experience if the show did anything wrong than the buyer would immediately pick out the flaws. Well the show is stupid and for entertainment purposely only.A&E should have this disclamier on before the show ."Warning: the stunts in this show were performed by professionals, so neither you nor your dumb buddies should attempt anything from this show. 

"Warning: the stunts in this show were performed by professionals, with the producers money, so neither you nor your dumb buddies should attempt anything from this show.  You will not find a Strat Violin worth 1/2 a million dollars under that pile of nasty soiled underwear."


Had to change it up a smudge