NCJ Number
113749
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 36 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1988) Pages: 45-50
Date Published
1988
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Police officers confronted with locked safes when conducting a search should exercise caution because safes may be booby-trapped.
Abstract
Three types of booby-traps exist for safes: gas dispersal devices, such as the Badger Safe Protector designed to foil robbery attempts; explosive or flammable substances stored in the safe; and explosives designed to detonate if the safe door is jarred or subjected to sudden shock. Officers can maximize safety by having a dog trained in explosives detection check the safe before the locksmith attempts to open it. The best way to open a safe is with the combination. A careful search of the premises or a suspect's wallet may reveal the combination. Combinations generally use 3 or 4 numbers under 100, with a final bolt-retracting turn to the right. The usual dialing sequence is four times left (counter-clockwise) to the first number, three times right to the second number, two times left to the third number, and a final turn to the right until the dial stops. Safe owners may write combinations in their telephone books under 'C' or 'S' or may make small scratch marks on the combination numbers. In terms of safety, the best opening technique is manipulation, in which the manipulator's sight, hearing, and sense of touch are used to defeat the lock. This method requires skills and may be time-consuming. Drilling is another straight-forward method, but care must be taken not to jarr the safe. If forceful methods are used, police should clear the area of all but essential personnel. The use of cutting torches and minilances is the least desirable method of opening a safe whose contents and characteristics are unknown. Photographs.