Advice sought on opening a 'broken' safe

[ger]

I have a small house safe firmly bolted to the floor (interior coach bolts). It has an electronic access keypad. It is made by the Phoenix Safe Company and is a Model Titan 950 It has worked fine for many years. When the batteries (inside) run down you apply an external 9v battery to open the door (along with the access code of course) This has always worked until yesterday - applying the battery has no effect. The circuit appears dead. So, now, I need to open the safe - there are valuables inside!! A locksmith has offered to come and drill it open - cost £125. Since the safe originally cost £90 this is not an option - at the minute. Any other *reasonable* suggestions as to how I might proceed? Yes, I do own the safe!! The contents are my property. Ger

[mark.hannah]

Blow the bloody door off!!

[Adrian]

ger ("ger" ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

Ummm, surely the relevant figure to determine whether to spend £125 getting into the safe is the value of the contents, not the original cost of the safe?

[John]

Can you remove the safe somehow and then take it to the locksmith as part of the cost will be his call-out fee.

[Phil L]

Try a different 9V battery

[Phil L]

It's got internal coach bolts which are presumably bolted into concrete.

[George]

Hahahahahahahaha! it sure is safe buying a keypad battery operated one,even a key type is fallable but a darn more robust than an electronic one than could fail at any time...as it has now. :-)

[Mathew Newton]

A good sized crowbar will have no trouble.

[Scabbydug]

A lot of the cheaper safes have a keyed lock under a cover beside the digital keypad. Does yours?

[Clive George]

Why has nobody said "angle grinder" yet?

For a 90 quid safe, wouldn't that be likely to be the most appropriate solution?

cheers, clive

[ger]

Thanks for those suggestions - well, most of them :)

Yes, I have tried 3 batteries. No, there is no key option. The bolts are into the joists - a crowbar would maybe damage them but is probably best option. Looks like best bet is try remove safe from floor and take to a locksmith. I agree that choice of an electronic pad safe was stupid - no fallback, no spare key, dumb. I had hoped that if someone knew the particular safe they could offer advice on best method of attack. The electronics doesn't pull back the bolt - it just releases a catch on a manual handle. The outer case housing the keypad (and electronics) is behind a relatively flimsy outside casing. Might also try break into that. Wish me luck. Ger

[George]

Apply 240v to the 9v line...that should do it. ;-)

[ger]

Now, there's a thought :) Ger.

[ger]

Yes, thought of something like that. Was thinking more of 10KV Ger

[Mathew Newton]

Are you sure? One would hope it's just the keypad on the 'outside' - the rest will surely be inside the safe.

If not then angle grinder the thing in two - it's not a 'safe' you'll want to be keeping.

Mathew

[ger]

I agree. Just sort of hoped the electronics would be accessable. As you say, probably not. Sounds like the grinder isd the answer. Ger

[Broadback]

Have you though of asking advice from the manufacturer?

[chrisj.doran]

Well, the company still exists and has an office in Liverpool:

Why not ask them?

Chris

[Sparks]

We have several Phoenix data safes, some bright spark lost the key to one of them, Phoenix were very helpful when I spoke to them, try calling them!

How old is the safe?

Sparks...

[ger]

Yes, talked with the manufacturer. Get a locksmith they said!! :(

Ger