Opening a safe without the code

YJJPWrangler

YJJPWrangler

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2005
Location
Charlotte
Long story short, my buddies wife is the executor of a will for a gentleman that died recently with no family. He has two safes, one they have the code for and one that that has the code panel removed. Both safes are the bigger Stackon Series brand(so not a whole lot of money). Locksmith wanted $400 to drill the safe but I'm pretty sure we can break into it with a couple of grinders. My plan of attack is to tip the safe over on its face and enter in through the back wall(its not bolted to the ground). The only downside to this is the contents of the safe. I have no idea if the guy handloaded or not but I've heard of many people leaving gunpowder in a safe for safekeeping/storage. I'm worried about sparks from the grinder etc. My other thought is to drill four corners on the back and then take a jigsaw with a good blade to minimize sparks. Any opinions or advice?
 
I would go with the drill and jigsaw.
 
Tanker bars and two strong fellas. That'll open it quick with no sparks. Let me see if I can find a video.

Edit: found it

 
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YJJPWrangler said:
Long story short, my buddies wife is the executor of a will for a gentleman that died recently with no family. He has two safes, one they have the code for and one that that has the code panel removed. Both safes are the bigger Stackon Series brand(so not a whole lot of money). Locksmith wanted $400 to drill the safe but I'm pretty sure we can break into it with a couple of grinders. My plan of attack is to tip the safe over on its face and enter in through the back wall(its not bolted to the ground). The only downside to this is the contents of the safe. I have no idea if the guy handloaded or not but I've heard of many people leaving gunpowder in a safe for safekeeping/storage. I'm worried about sparks from the grinder etc. My other thought is to drill four corners on the back and then take a jigsaw with a good blade to minimize sparks. Any opinions or advice?
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Dumb question, but if the code panel is removed, did he leave it unlocked?
 
jeepinmatt said:
Dumb question, but if the code panel is removed, did he leave it unlocked?
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Not a dumb question but no its not unlocked(too my knowledge). There was a breakin at some point after he died so I'm assuming the thieves tried to pull the code panel off. I haven't seen the safe yet, just pictures. Potential to drill the hinges is there. I'm more leaning towards a couple of crowbars and some leverage.
 
Not sure if it helps you any with that particular model of safes, but I have seen several videos of folks using a neodymium magnet to open safes.
 
Be careful, and be sure and CYA. In the computer service world, I had two instances of being asked to get into a computer by a supposed executor as part of an estate. Both were "friend of a friend" situation. One, the executor could not produce any documentation showing a legal assignment as executor (Letter of Testamentary). Turns out there were four siblings arguing over the estate. The friend of a friend was not the executor/administrator, after all. Second time, I got tipped off by the common friend that it wasn't even an estate being settled...ladies husband was alive and kicking, and they were in the middle of a divorce. She just wanted into his laptop to snoop.

CYA.
 
@kaiser715, no worries, my buddies wife is a lawyer so everything is on the up and up. She showed me the documentation that designates her and her law partner as the executors.

The safe was a nicer stackon safe with a keypad lock. We found the face of the lock inside the safe:rolleyes:. My best guess is that someone knew the code, opened the safe, cut the combo lock off(wires were cut) and relocked it to prevent anyone from taking anything(lot of pistols are missing based on number of pistol boxes we found). Luckily it wasn't bolted down :shaking:. Got it out in the garage and on its back and we used two big pry bars to open it. Took about 10 mins and the hardest part was getting it out in the garage...
Now comes the fun part of assigning value to the rifles/shotguns. Most of them are shotguns and .22s but there are a couple of nice ones. She is still figuring out how to sell them. Her documentation states that best practice should go through an FFL but with 15-20 long guns and a couple pistols, shes gonna lose a lot of money in transfer fees.

@scrubber3 had the right idea. Not a hard job at all. Im glad we didn't cut it open bc that would have taken way too long to do.

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Scrap metal I guess...
 
Note to self... don’t buy a cheap safe.


Is there actually a law that says to go through an FFL dealer? Only law I know of still requires the seller to verify the private party buyer is legally able to purchase, so as long as this is performed (purchase permit or concealed carry permit), then I se no reason to go through a dealer and incur those fees.
 
rockcity said:
Note to self... don’t buy a cheap safe.


Is there actually a law that says to go through an FFL dealer? Only law I know of still requires the seller to verify the private party buyer is legally able to purchase, so as long as this is performed (purchase permit or concealed carry permit), then I se no reason to go through a dealer and incur those fees.
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Not in NC.
 
@rockcity NC law says that a individual can sell to another individual a long gun and only need to verify age(18 or older). Pistols are trickier, the seller needs a pistol permit or CCP. I have always written up a bill of sale that includes seller, buyer, date, serial number etc. In the past, whenever I've sold long guns, I've asked for a PP or CCP if I don't specifically know the person or know people that know the person(not required by law but makes me feel better).

The tricky part is since she is the executor of the will and her liability comes into play. The exact wording of selling firearms in the legal documents state that best practices should be to go through FFL dealer and is much preferred over private sales. I mentioned that just because it is the best practice doesn't mean we can't do private party sells. She gets paid a percentage of the overall value of the estate sale and getting hit with $50 transfer fee per rifle or pistol is gonna eat into that. She is still figuring out what to do. I mentioned that I potentially have a few buyers lined up already and that I could handle everything/provide bill of sale etc but it that depends on her. She knows absolutely nothing about guns and neither does her law partner(his idea was to take everything to Hyatts :lol:, I told her they would give her pennies on the dollar). There are a couple of nice belgium made browning humpbacks in there in mint condition and some nice old .22s that should fetch a premium to the right buyer. It's my job to figure out prices and everything for them.
 
YJJPWrangler said:
@rockcity NC law says that a individual can sell to another individual a long gun and only need to verify age(18 or older). Pistols are trickier, the seller needs a pistol permit or CCP. I have always written up a bill of sale that includes seller, buyer, date, serial number etc. In the past, whenever I've sold long guns, I've asked for a PP or CCP if I don't specifically know the person or know people that know the person(not required by law but makes me feel better).

The tricky part is since she is the executor of the will and her liability comes into play. The exact wording of selling firearms in the legal documents state that best practices should be to go through FFL dealer and is much preferred over private sales. I mentioned that just because it is the best practice doesn't mean we can't do private party sells. She gets paid a percentage of the overall value of the estate sale and getting hit with $50 transfer fee per rifle or pistol is gonna eat into that. She is still figuring out what to do. I mentioned that I potentially have a few buyers lined up already and that I could handle everything/provide bill of sale etc but it that depends on her. She knows absolutely nothing about guns and neither does her law partner(his idea was to take everything to Hyatts :lol:, I told her they would give her pennies on the dollar). There are a couple of nice belgium made browning humpbacks in there in mint condition and some nice old .22s that should fetch a premium to the right buyer. It's my job to figure out prices and everything for them.
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If youre paying $50 for a transfer fee, youre getting screwed. Last I checked, my LGS was charging $15 but that was a few years ago.
 
JSJJ388 said:
If youre paying $50 for a transfer fee, youre getting screwed. Last I checked, my LGS was charging $15 but that was a few years ago.
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Agreed. 5 years ago it was $15-20. With the growing popularity of armslist and gunbroker etc, many LGS started charging more. Back when I sold guns(3x gun shops) we charged $20-25(but that was back in 2010) Most shops in and around charlotte are $50. Blackstone charges $35 if you are a member($40 a month..)
 
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