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January 2023

Technical Info:

The classified Medeco Omega Level IV project was started by Roy Spain in the early 1950’s and went into production in 1957 in a 2000 square foot "Skunk Works" building in Salem Virginia with 10 people working on the project.

The goal was to make lock cylinders where an initial limited number of keys would be produced for a high security pick proof lock that would be deployed for use in government classified projects, by ultra-secret organizations and fraternities installed in clandestine locations throughout the world and that no further keys could ever be made. Keys issued would not interchange with other locks as all sets are unique. Keys issued would be passed down through the generations.

Omega IV locks are keyed using the rare 11 level of pinning resulting in 175 million unique keys on this classified keyway. Keys bittings are NEVER repeated, all key sets are unique, locks are never Master Keyed

Keys arrive on a sealed metal ring with the lead seal embossed with the secret Omega Level IV insignia and are numbered individually and to account for a complete set. Example key stamping would be 1 of 10, 2 of 10, 3 of 10, etc.

To keep the real classified reasons for the Omega Level IV project secret and to help fund the project the decision was made to hide it in plain site with a diversion. In 1968 the original 4 project overseers (also known as the original Omega Four) Roy Spain, Paul Powell, Roy Oliver and Elvis Flora applied for a patent for a high security lock line and Medeco came out of the shadows into public view.

The name Medeco was derived from the original classified Omega Level IV manufacturing company’s first name MEchanical DEvelopment COmpany

Medeco offered the general public 4 different levels of key control including the secret classified Level IV Omega lock and key system. The keys the general public received used cuts that were deeper than keys issued to the “real” end users of the classified project keyway so publicly issued keys could never be cut down or modified to work in the secret classified lock locations that the Omega Level IV had already been or would be deployed in.

One of the first rumored users of the Omega IV system is a secret Hollywood “A” list fraternity that had formed with 33 initial members. The clubhouse is located in an amusement park in Anaheim California. Regular members are buzzed in through the front door but inside the club there is a secret panel door that leads to the fraternities Sanctum Sanctorum and can only be opened by the set of 33 Medeco Omega Level IV keys for this lock. Allegedly WD carried key #1 of 33 and his brother RD carried key #2 of 33, to this day the other key holders are unknown.

Around 1971 questions were starting to be surface about the secret organizations, fraternities, classified blacklist government agencies and other users of the Omega Level IV system

In 1972 it was decided a diversion was needed to take attention away from this classified project and its secret end users. Medeco started a contest stating their high security lock was pick proof and offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who could pick it. This was advertised extensively in newspapers like the New York Times and this proved the distraction Medeco needed for questions surrounding the Omega Level IV project to subside. This also led to the hiring of New York City Detective Bob McDermott to the Omega IV team with the cover title of “Regional Sales Manager”

Also in 1972, Medeco moved to a 132,000 square foot manufacturing facility where located inside the plant the classified Omega Level IV project was moved into a strictly off limits area designated as Omega Area 51. Access in and out of this area is only through 1 door by a select few top level employees.

In 1987 Medeco was purchased by Hillenbrand Industries, the worlds largest manufacturer of hospital beds and funeral caskets. The immediate question is why would this company purchase a lock manufacturing company, it didn’t seem to fit their business model, but it did. As the classified Omega Level IV project got bigger it was much harder to keep it secret. Keys and cylinders were now being shipped around the world hidden in the hospital bed and casket packaging.

At this point all references to the classified Omega Level IV system were expunged from catalogs, tech manuals, price lists, marketing materials, etc. Unless you have the specific inside knowledge and the required EXACT part numbers to specifically ask for and order the classified Omega Level IV lock and key system its very existence is denied.

In 1998 Medeco was sold off to the Assa Abloy group as it was getting more difficult to ship the product hidden in hospital bed and casket packaging. It was decided to ship the Omega Level IV classified keys and cylinders mixed in with 1000’s of regular cylinders making finding them like “finding a needle in a haystack”.

Currently the classified Omega Level IV keys and lock cylinders are still being  manufactured at the factory in the strictly off limits hidden Omega Area 51 and secretly shipped and installed around the world by personnel with Top Secret security clearance.

Acme Lock & Key Toronto manufactures and sells many key blanks and cut keys for patent expired Medeco locks, however we will NEVER be manufacturing the key blanks, cut keys or providing information or part numbers on the classified Omega Level IV locks for obvious personal safety reasons.

Over the years and after many unsuccessful attempts we have finally managed to intercept an Omega Level IV shipment and we have taken and posted pictures of the key bow and cylinder but for our own safety we have kept the actual key cuts out of the pictures.

If you ever see an Medeco Omega Level IV key on someone’s key ring, don’t ask questions and if possible don’t talk to them at all, no good will come of it. Stay safe.

For Locks manufactured by:

Medeco - Wikipedia

Medeco
3625 Alleghany Drive
Salem, VA 24153
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