I have just taken over a charity shop and office space is at a premium, a big bit of wasted space is taken up by an old safe.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2gaEfYb]Untitled[/url] by Pik n Mix, on Flickr

Any ideas how I can get in it (the key is obviously missing) there may be something in it or it may be empty. If I could get a spare key then I could sell it and put the money into the charity coffers. I can’t really afford to get a professional out.

Any ideas?

Get a professional out.

Find out what’s inside.

See if it’s possible to get a key made.

Sell open safe on Ebay or even better with key.

They are worth a fair few quid.

IANAL.

Why on earth is there a sign saying “do not use this safe”? HTF would you if there is no key?

Why on earth is there a sign saying “do not use this safe”? HTF would you if there is no key?

There’s a reason the managers position became open 😉

“Do not use this safe”
Does it unlock reliably? Sir Michael Caine does a lot for charities, maybe he can help

After that news article where tourist cracked a safe by luck, sell tickets to punters to have a go 😀

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-48477081

there may be something in it

Give it a shake

Give it a shake

How strong are are you feeling? Be my guest, I can’t even get the thing to budge a mm.

Contact local paper. Sow seed of story where mystery safe is opened for charity. Get locksmih onboard for free given the good publicity.

Just blow the bloody doors off….

How strong are are you feeling? Be my guest, I can’t even get the thing to budge a mm.

Erm yes. That’s what he meant.

Anyway. We had a similar situation, just with a newer safe. When we broke through the wall into the under stairs area we found the old entrance had been bricked up and sat in the corner was a huge safe.

We went through the exact same thought process and eventually got a safe cracker in to pick it open. He did it remarkably easily and we discovered what was in the safe….

Nothing.

So he fitted a new lck and we just use it to store laptops and assorted paperwork in when we’re away.

I think it cost around 200 quid
.

The keys are probably just in a safe place…

Heh. My grandparents had one exactly like that. The little shield slides upwards to reveal the keyhole, yeah?

Whereabouts are you in the country?

It does indeed slide up to reveal the keyhole. I’m in Perth.

The “do not use” sign might be because there is asbestos in the door seal.

I know with 100% certainty that, that safe has never been opened whilst the current charity has occupied that store (which has been for a very long time).

Dust off and nuke it from orbit, only way to be sure.

As Phil_H said. Do not attempt to smash it open, or you may require a Hazmat team from SFRS and full Decontamination from your friendly SORT team.*

Speaking from experience after carrying out decon on 5 of Police Scotland’s finest. Follow up screening of asbestos exposure may also be required.

It does indeed slide up to reveal the keyhole. I’m in Perth.

Ah, bit of a trek for me to try out my lockpicking then. Get a locksmith.

My brother in law ‘n’ sister took over an ex jewellery shop in Stratford. Had a mahoosive safe in there. Massive!

I couldn’t even move it a millimetre and I’m nails.

He phoned some company up, two blokes came and took it and gave him some money I do believe.

I don’t know who or how much they gave, but it’s a thing.

I don’t know who or how much they gave, but it’s a thing.

I’ll just google safe taker awayers

“I know a bloke tried to blow a Webley 1400 with gelignite. When the smoke cleared, the safe was intact and he was standing there stark naked with his dick in his hand.” (Eric Chappell, Theft)

Just blow the bloody doors off….

I thought Jim Morrison was dead?

Drill a hole through the side somewhere and use one of those thin camera inspection things, you can get them quite cheap on ebay I think.

Not any use bar interest

Interesting info, I’ve seen a couple of pictures with the name plaque Alex Adam but Alexander Adam ones are harder to find.

more research needed.

Didn’t they use a Challenger tank on Brainiac? I think they opened it from about 700 meters away. There wasn’t much of the safe left after the Sabot round hit it.

And as luck would have it I genuinely have access to several Challenger 2’s.

Between the internal and external casing of safes is any scrap metal cutting discs, and asbestos to make it difficult to cut through and to protect the contents from fire, also the door will be fitted with multi point locking pegs, call a locksmith out, try these for advice, https://www.locksmiths.co.uk/ did some training with them many years ago, very proffesional organisation.

“Do not use this safe”

It’s probably unsafe.

I knew this bloke in prison…..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Reynolds_(business)
He did some work for one of the Kray brothers, IE, safe cracking. Shall I have a word with him?

Yes, it’s properly bugging me. I think I’ll have to get a pro in, which will have to wait until a few things are sorted.

You could approach lockpicking YouTubers like Bosnian Bill and The Lockpicking Lawyer and explain the situation. They might  ‘advertise’ what you’re trying to do in a video and ask for help from UK based folk with similar lockpicking skills.

I thought this thread was going to be about gluten free, organic crackers or something… As you were.

I know a locksmith of many years in the trade. Tried to get some amazing stories of finding forgotten millions out of him but sadly the reality is that it’ll be empty and someone just lost the key and left it.

But……

Your safe could be the one? 🤔

It’s already the one, as long as I can get it open and a replacement key. It’s sale value would be a very welcome bonus, as would the space it leaves behind.

Many years ago, the safe in in the supermarket I worked in developed a fault, so we called in an engineer and I had to chaperone him for several hours whilst he worked.

One of the things I learnt was that inside the door was a large piece of plate glass, which had spring loaded locking pegs attached to it. All the locking mechanisms were behind this glass, and if someone tried to drill through the door the glass would shatter and dead-lock the door. Other things that would have the same effect:

– Explosives
– Trying to move the safe without “disarming” the springs
– Slamming the safe door shut

This was in the early 90s, and the safe was a lot more modern then the OP’s, but I imagine a botched attempt at trying to get it open may make it even more difficult for a “professional”.

A couple of good ones in there.
Commendations go to :
myti, josh vegas and the george reynolds wikipedia entry.
But the winner of today’s internet is MCTD

thermic lance.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_lance

Has anyone asked Kryton57 if he still has that angle grinder?