Safe Opening How we do it

The traditional picture of “safe breaking” comes from a western film and involves a stethoscope and dynamite. Nowadays we have slightly more sophisticated ways of legally accessing a safe.

There are many reasons for bringing in someone to unlock a safe for you. Perhaps the lock is malfunctioning, you’ve forgotten the combination, or maybe the key has broken in the lock; whatever the cause, you need access to the contents inside. One of the first things to consider is do you have a safe or just a lockbox. The two terms are often used interchangeably but when it comes down to it, the devices are quite different. A safe is a container made from reinforced steel and features a built-in combination, electronic, or keyed lock. Safes are designed to be resistant to fire and burglars, and feature locks of varying complexity. A lockbox, on the other hand, is designed to be easier, and faster, to access. These devices are used to store money, keys or valuables. They are usually armed with a key or electronic lock. Lockboxes are not nearly as sturdy as safes, but still work to make their contents challenging to access. The level of skill required to access a lockbox is less than that for a safe, but both should be possible to open by a trained locksmith.

When opening safes, we would look to use picking or manipulation methods if possible, to minimise damage and allow the continual use of the safe. If it comes down to drilling, then you will need to consider storage of your valuables while the lock or safe is replaced. If it is a matter of the key being lost, then rekeying is possible for many safes and lockboxes.

If we are called on to gain access to other safety storage then quite often the lock is damaged, either from age, exposure to the elements or as a result of someone trying break into it. The internet is full of “clever” ways to open locks. They can include paperclips or pulling a padlock apart with a pair of spanners. In all cases the most likely event is that more damage is caused, and you still have to call Express in to give you access to your lock. If the internet had the answers then no lock would be secure. 

One of the most frequent reasons for being called to a safe is when the key has gone home in someone’s pocket. Considering management of keys, not just of the safe but all your locks is something to think about. Talk to Express Property Services about this or anything else relating to locks. But perhaps don’t keep the spare safe key in the safe. Get in touch to discuss your requirements.

Categorised in: Locksmith services

This post was written by Express Property Services