Safe Space Episode 61: What Tools Do Thieves Actually Use to Break into Safes?

When customers visit NW Safe, one of the most common questions we hear is, "How do thieves actually break into safes?" The truth is that different criminals use different tools depending on the safe they're targeting. Some attacks are surprisingly simple, while others require specialized equipment.

In Episode 62 of the Safe Space podcast, we break down the most common tools used to attack residential and commercial safes based on our decades of experience, real-world break-ins, industry testing, and law enforcement data.

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Episode 61 Topics

00:00:27 — Understanding How Safes Are Attacked

00:02:11 — The Shoe: One of the Simplest Safe Attack Tools

00:04:43 — The Rare Earth Magnet Attack

00:06:28 — Using a Drill to Defeat a Safe

00:08:20 — Pry Bars: The Most Common Safe Attack Tool

00:10:20 — Hatchets, Pickaxes, and Thin Steel

00:12:07 — Why Angle Grinders Are the Biggest Threat Today

00:14:04 — Why High-Security Safes Use Multiple Materials

00:18:01 — Torches, Plasma Cutters, and TRTL-Rated Safes

00:20:27 — Why Higher Security Ratings Matter

00:22:13 — Don't Leave Your Tools Next to Your Safe

00:24:08 — Heavy Equipment Can Be Used Too

00:25:33 — Why Bolting Your Safe Down Is Critical

00:28:33 — Choosing the Right Level of Protection

00:31:20 — Looking Ahead: Real-World Safe Attack Testing

Episode 61 Discussion Synopsis

00:00:27 — Understanding How Safes Are Attacked

Not all safe attacks are the same. The tools used against a small residential safe are often very different from those used against a commercial safe or jewelry store vault.

Our goal is not to teach people how to break into safes. Instead, we want to help customers understand why safe construction matters and why some safes provide far more protection than others. Over the years, we've seen countless examples of how burglars attack safes, and certain tools show up again and again.

00:02:11 — The Shoe: One of the Simplest Safe Attack Tools

Believe it or not, some low-quality safes can be opened with nothing more than a shoe or another impact tool.

Many inexpensive electronic locks use poorly designed locking mechanisms. When pressure is applied to the handle and the safe receives a sharp impact, the lock can momentarily disengage. This brief movement may be enough for someone to turn the handle and open the safe.

We've demonstrated this vulnerability to customers using examples in our showroom. Unfortunately, many low-cost safes sold through big-box stores and online retailers use locks that are vulnerable to these types of attacks.

This is one reason why buying a safe based solely on price can create a false sense of security.

00:04:43 — The Rare Earth Magnet Attack

Another famous attack involves powerful rare earth magnets.

This vulnerability became widely known years ago when videos began circulating online showing certain electronic locks opening with a magnet. The magnet pulls on internal lock components and can bypass poorly designed locking mechanisms.

The problem isn't the magnet itself. The problem is the low-quality lock design.

Many budget safes are manufactured overseas and sold under various brand names. The focus is often on keeping costs low rather than maximizing security. As a result, some of these vulnerabilities remain in the marketplace long after they become publicly known.

The lesson is simple: a safe is only as secure as its lock.

00:06:28 — Using a Drill to Defeat a Safe

Drills have long been used to attack certain types of safes.

Some inexpensive safes have locks that can be defeated if a thief knows the correct drill point. By drilling into a specific location, an attacker may be able to manipulate the lock and open the door within minutes.

Other budget safes have reset buttons that can be reached by drilling through thin steel sidewalls. Once accessed, the lock can sometimes be reset to a factory code, allowing the safe to be opened.

These attacks are only possible because of weak lock protection and thin steel construction. Better safes use hardened steel, relockers, glass plates, and other security features designed specifically to stop drilling attacks.

00:08:20 — Pry Bars: The Most Common Safe Attack Tool

For many years, pry bars were among the most common tools used to break into safes. A burglar could tip an unbolted safe onto its back and use large pry bars to force the door open. We've seen many safes defeated this way over the years.

The good news is that manufacturers have improved pry resistance on many modern safes. Features such as tighter door gaps, stronger locking systems, and reinforced door construction make prying more difficult.

However, pry attacks are still very effective against many entry-level safes. This is why we constantly recommend bolting safes down. A bolted-down safe is much harder to position and attack with pry bars.

00:10:20 — Hatchets, Pickaxes, and Thin Steel

Many people assume that any steel safe is difficult to break into. Unfortunately, that's not always true.

Some lightweight safes use steel that is so thin a sharp hatchet or pickaxe can punch through the body. We've seen demonstrations where a pickaxe easily penetrated entry-level safe bodies while barely scratching heavier-duty safes.

Steel thickness matters. The difference between a lightweight cabinet and a true security safe can be dramatic when subjected to real-world attacks.

00:12:07 — Why Angle Grinders Are the Biggest Threat Today

Today, the angle grinder is probably the most common power tool used in safe attacks. Modern battery-powered grinders are inexpensive, portable, and incredibly effective when used against thin steel safes.

In many retail theft cases, criminals steal these tools directly from hardware stores or construction sites before using them in burglaries. This is one reason we place so much emphasis on construction materials. Security isn't just about thicker steel. The best safes use multiple layers of different materials that slow down cutting tools and force attackers to consume more time, blades, and effort.

When a grinder has to cut through steel, concrete composites, mesh reinforcement, and additional steel layers, the attack becomes much more difficult.

00:14:04 — Why High-Security Safes Use Multiple Materials

One of the biggest misconceptions in the safe industry is that security comes only from thick steel. In reality, many of the most secure safes use layers of different materials.

Examples include:

• Steel plating

• Concrete composite barriers

• Reinforcing mesh

• Specialized aggregate materials

• Cast alloy barriers

The reason is simple: different materials attack cutting tools in different ways.

When a burglar must continually switch blades and tools to cut through varying materials, progress slows dramatically. Every blade change costs time, and time is often the burglar's biggest enemy.

00:18:01 — Torches, Plasma Cutters, and TRTL-Rated Safes

Customers often ask us whether plasma cutters can defeat high-security safes. The answer depends on the safe.

TRTL-rated safes are specifically designed to resist both torches and tools. These safes use construction methods that prevent cutting heat from penetrating efficiently. Unlike cutting steel on a workbench, attackers are trying to cut through multiple layers of materials while working vertically. Heat, molten metal, and debris become difficult to manage.

This is one reason why TRTL-rated safes receive such high insurance ratings and are trusted to protect significant amounts of value.

00:20:27 — Why Higher Security Ratings Matter

Insurance companies place enormous value on security ratings. As security ratings increase, insurance coverage limits often increase dramatically as well.

The reason is straightforward: higher-rated safes require significantly more time and effort to defeat.

For customers protecting substantial collections of precious metals, cash, jewelry, or business assets, these higher-rated safes provide a level of protection that entry-level gun safes simply cannot match.

00:22:13 — Don't Leave Your Tools Next to Your Safe

One mistake we occasionally see is homeowners storing cutting tools right next to their safe.

If you own:

• Angle grinders

• Sawzalls

• Cutting blades

• Torches

• Metal-cutting equipment

Consider storing critical accessories inside the safe itself whenever practical. A thief can't use a grinder if they can't find the blades. Even small obstacles can create valuable delays during a burglary.

00:24:08 — Heavy Equipment Can Be Used Too

While uncommon, we've seen cases where criminals used heavy equipment to remove safes entirely. Examples include:

• Excavators

• Forklifts

• Backhoes

• Vehicles with chains attached

In one story discussed during the podcast, an excavator was reportedly used to remove a safe from the second floor of a home.

We've also seen safes dragged from garages and pushed through walls or windows. When criminals become fixated on a target, they sometimes go to extraordinary lengths to get what they want.

00:25:33 — Why Bolting Your Safe Down Is Critical

If there is one recommendation we make more than any other, it is this: Bolt your safe down.

We've seen bolted safes stop attacks that would have succeeded otherwise. Even when our own professional crews move safes, a properly bolted-down safe creates a significant challenge. It takes additional tools, additional time, and additional effort.

For burglars, those delays can make all the difference. An unbolted safe can often be tipped, dragged, or loaded into a vehicle. A bolted-down safe becomes a much more difficult target.

00:28:33 — Choosing the Right Level of Protection

Not everyone needs a commercial vault or TRTL-rated safe. However, everyone should choose a safe that matches the value being protected.

In many cases, customers are better served by:

• Using separate safes for firearms and valuables

• Splitting high-value assets between multiple safes

• Investing in stronger construction rather than larger capacity

• Choosing safes with tighter door tolerances and plate steel protection

As security levels increase, different attack methods begin to disappear. A better safe doesn't necessarily make theft impossible, but it eliminates more and more avenues of attack.

00:31:20 — Looking Ahead: Real-World Safe Attack Testing

At NW Safe, our goal is always to show customers the truth about safe security.

That's why we're planning real-world testing using common tools such as angle grinders and cutting equipment. We want customers to see firsthand how long it actually takes to break into different types of safes.

The results may surprise many people.

Understanding how safes fail is one of the best ways to understand what makes a safe truly secure. And when it comes to protecting your firearms, valuables, precious metals, and important documents, knowledge is one of the most valuable tools you can have.