Liberty Safe broken into lessons learned

[Poptart86]

My safes have very little in them, mostly just paperwork and ammo. They exist to keep an unlucky intruder busy, the good stuff is concealed

 

[foxmeadow]

25+ years ago, A friend and I decided to build our own safes. We talked with a safe retailer who had a security business and he recommended what brand of safe to copy, and gave us access to one so we could take measurements.
We both worked for a large fabrication company with a press brake operator who did fantastic work, and arranged with the company for him to shear and bend the shell (back, sides, and front edges) and we fabbed everything else. My home barn (shop?) has a 1 ton crane in it which made everything a lot easier. Our copies had heavier steel for the doors and shells than the one we copied.
We figured that if we were going through the trouble, we might as well build a couple more and sell them, which we did, and that paid for the materials for ours plus a bit for our labor.
edited to add : My friend bolted his to the garage floor, as did the guys we sold the other the ones to. Mine is bolted through the stout floor and into the 4x 10 floor joists on the second floor. Don't ask how I got it up there..

 

[Belial]

Take every precaution you can afford is my motto.

 

[Koda]

Take every precaution you can afford is my motto.

It really does all come down to spend the most money you can afford.
The more money, the more secure.

 

[orygun]

It really does all come down to spend the most money you can afford.
The more money, the more secure.

And do it sooner than later. Everything is still goin up in price.

 

[nosbocaj]

Wow, that's pretty crazy. I definitely need to get my new safe bolted down!

 

[Nosferatu]

What's the best method for bolting to concrete?

Tapcons or anchor bolts.

 

[DirectDrive]

nosbocaj said:

What's the best method for bolting to concrete?

Wedge anchors


or Titens


Those are the two primary methods used in construction to anchor to concrete.
Titens are a little trickier to install (read impact wrench) but if you think that you might move the safe, you can back out the Titens.
Remember that you probably have a 4" slab. Best not to penetrate through (read water).

 

[WHO]

This guy had his Liberty safe broken into. They tipped it over and used an angle grinder.

Bolt your safes down....

View: https://youtu.be/HgIXX7UOfr0?si=2-l0gE14rT7GH6lS&t=266

 

[WHO]

Securing to the Floor is just a mechanical enhancement to a good Safe ..
Everyone one needs at Minimum a stand alone security cam even a mini battery powered video
Surveillance or Hunting cam

 

[Idaho44]

Location, location, location! Even Castles have 'fallen' to the determined!

 

[WHO]

Location, location, location! Even Castles have 'fallen' to the determined!

 

[WHO]

Agree completely
And a Good Dog is invaluable as well

 

[monks]

Agree completely
And a Good Dog is invaluable as well

Like this one?

 

[Colt Carbine]

Its all about how much you can spend, but its good to know what a true "burglar rated" safe is. I was still impressed it took them just over an hour to get into the Liberty safe even after tipping it over.

Willing to bet I can cut into a safe in minutes. These guys were rookies using an angle grinder.

As a plumber, I use these Sawzall blades for cutting cast iron pipe. Being they cut through cast iron, it will cut through carbon steel like a hot knife through cow .

 

[Caveman Jim]

Deter them…
If my stuff is going to disappear due to theft then who am I to give a damn about the thieves?



But then again…

 

[Colt Carbine]

nosbocaj said:

Wedge anchors
View attachment 1983459

or Titens
View attachment 1983460

Those are the two primary methods used in construction to anchor to concrete.
Titens are a little trickier to install (read impact wrench) but if you think that you might move the safe, you can back out the Titens.
Remember that you probably have a 4" slab. Best not to penetrate through (read water).

It is really easy to over torque the Titen screws using an impact gun, causing the hole to strip out. Every commercial job site I've worked on always required the use of concrete Wedge anchors.

If I was bolting something heavy to a concrete floor, I'd use at minimum 1/2" Wedge anchors. I'm not going to trust a screw but that's me.

 

[Colt Carbine]

Deter them…
If my stuff is going to disappear due to theft then who am I to give a damn about the thief's?

View attachment 2058389 View attachment 2058390

A friend of mine had his entire safe stolen and it wasn't small.

I wonder how much time it would take using a 6 ft digging bar to breach the door.

 

[Caveman Jim]

A friend of mine had his entire safe stolen and it wasn't small.

I wonder how much time it would take using a 6 ft digging bar to breach the door.

View attachment 2058395

Don't know but I'd feel vindicated if I could at least hear it going off.

 

[ActBlueDonor]

6 bolts (wedge anchors). 3/4" in diameter, 6" into the concrete with 2" heavy fender washers. This was just to secure it so the weight of the door didn't tip it.

Silly not to bolt it down.