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You will need to
contact us or a
locksmith in
your area for a specific recommendation. Try to have
the following information on hand:
1) Record the brand
name, model # and serial number of the safe or box and the lock (these are
often different).
2) Know whether the safe or box is portable or
installed (or just too heavy to move).
3) Know whether the safe or box locks with a
key, a mechanical dial, an electronic keypad, or a combination of
the above. If there are both a keyhole and a dial, note whether the
keyhole is in the dial, or separate.
4) If it is a gun-safe that you purchased at a
sporting-goods store, look for a set of numbers and/or letters on
the face of the lock. You may be able to get a key by
code.
After you provide the locksmith with this information,
he or she will be able to tell you how best to proceed. In some cases, they
may be able to obtain the keys and/or combination from the manufacturer. Expect to provide proof of ownership of the unit. If no documentation is
available, the locksmith may insist on delivering the information and keys,
and verifying your identity and control of the safe at that time. If the
safe is good quality, you may be in for a costly
safe penetration.
This can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars.
Once the locksmith has the brand and serial number, they should be able to
give you an estimate. Expect your ID and credentials to be carefully
scrutinized before work commences. Also, the process of penetrating a safe
can be disruptive if the safe must be serviced in its installed location. In
the worst cases, you can expect 2 technicians with noisy drills underfoot for
hours or days. And that doesn’t include restoring the safe after it’s
open... | 