The Superior Master 40 Gun Safe withstood a tool attack while the homeowner was away.
Following a home robbery, our Master Gun Safe Technician was called in to open a damaged safe. He opened it within minutes, allowing the customer to retrieve the valuables that had been preserved.
Cutting a safe has become more and more common with thieves and with locksmiths who don't have the proper tools and expertise to open a safe without damaging it. There is no reason a safe needs to be cut open if you are working with an experienced gun safe technician.
While the intruders did ransack the home and caused extreme damage, they were unable to break into the safe. It appears the thieves used an angle grinder, pry bars, and an electric drill.
During the attack, the lock was broken off and the handle was removed via the set screws. The thieves were able to successfully cut a seven-inch square in the door’s exterior panel and fire insulation. But, they were unable to breach the door’s interior hardplate, lock, and boltwork mechanism.
The Thieves Attempted to Grind Through the Door. Why?
Grinding through a door is a common method of entry. It is typically used by inexperienced locksmiths. While this method works on cheap, lightweight safes, it is substantially less effective on heavier duty safes.
What does this mean for a customer? It means more time. The longer it takes a thief to grind their way through your safe’s exterior, the better chance they’re going to give up and leave your valuables.
Is Grinding a Hole the Only Way to Open a Locked Safe?
Definitely not. If a locksmith says the only way inside is to cut a hole, get a second opinion.
In most cases, a qualified gun safe technician can open your safe and have it remain operational. This is particularly an important fact to remember if you’ve lost the combination to your safe or if your door has become jammed and won’t open.
Home Burglaries Are On the Rise
Home burglaries are not talked about often. And yet, break-ins are common and on the rise. The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs annual report for 2020 revealed a 13.8% increase in Crimes Against Property. Furthermore, the report estimates a burglary takes place every 12.7 minutes.
The majority of thieves are only within a home for a short period of time, meaning they grab what they can carry. However, when a home is vacant, burglary crews can be more thorough with their search and more destructive.
Bolting Your Safe Provides An Extra Level of Security (and personal safety)
The safe was located in a bedroom on the first floor of the house. It’s unknown how the safe was moved, but when the break-in was discovered, the safe was sitting in the dining room, upright on two moving dollies.
Presumably, it was placed on the dollies to move it around the house and potentially outside. However, the thieves would have had to navigate several steps with a 1,050 pound safe. This would have been a risky endeavor, to be sure.
Had the safe been bolted to the floor, it would have provided an extra layer of security. This is a step we strongly recommended to the homeowner with his new safe.
How to Get a Damaged Safe Replaced
If your safe is damaged during a robbery, the traditional path to get it replaced often takes months and a lot of time. It typically involves the following steps:
- Contacting the Manufacturer (that is typically located out of state)
- Getting Approval from the Manufacturer to Hire a Professional Gun Safe Technician
- Scheduling an Appointment with a Professional Gun Safe Technician
- Waiting for the Manufacturer to Find a Replacement Safe (this can often take months in a regular market)
- Scheduling Delivery and Installation of Your Replacement Safe
NW Safe Replaced the Superior Safe in Days
At NW Safe, we pride ourselves on customer service. Generally speaking, it’s a matter of days — not weeks or months — for our team to replace a damaged safe. Working with us to replace your gun safe typically involves:
- Customer Called Our Team
- We Facilitated the Manufacturer’s Approval
- We Had a Replacement Safe In-Stock
- Our In-House Master Safe Technician and Gun Safe Delivery Crew Opened the Damaged Safe, Removed It and Installed the Replacement Safe.
- And we did so in JUST FOUR DAYS
Why are we able to offer such superior service? Because:
- We have developed extremely good relationships with the gun safe manufacturers we carry.
- We keep the largest supply of in-stock and ready-to-deliver gun safes of any locally-owned retailer in the area.
- We have master gun safe technicians on staff who can open damaged safes.
- We have an experienced delivery and installation crew.
Get a Superior Master 40 (just like the one that withstood the attack)
