Reply With Quotei can't see that keeping the at bay for long..
If you have the house alarmed it should be ok as they won't have long to work on it!
Make sure it fix to a solid floor or they will just rip the floor boards up round it.
Having read a few horror stories about TZ members shamefully having watches and other sentimental items stolen from their properties, I have decided it would be a good idea to buy a safe and install it to my home.
I’ve given myself a £100 - £150 budget and thought it would be a fairly simple exercise to find a safe to suit my needs. I thought there shouldn’t be too many variations or ranges to choose from, however, it seems I was a little naive.
My requirement is a safe that is small in size, manual operated (lock and key) and was thinking of purchasing the following, although it is above my budget:-
http://www.safeoptions.co.uk/deraat-safebox-key-lock
I was just wondering if anyone else on the forum has purchased a safe recently they would recommend that might be better value then the one I have listed above.
Also, any advice on how to install it would be appreciated, currently I’m planning on fixing the safe by bolting fixings through my suspended timber floor because I can easily access the void below and also fix bolts into a masonry wall adjacent.
i can't see that keeping the at bay for long..
If you have the house alarmed it should be ok as they won't have long to work on it!
Make sure it fix to a solid floor or they will just rip the floor boards up round it.
https://www.safe.co.uk/products/fire...fe-medium.html
The way I look at it, it only needs to stop them smash and grabbing what's lying around as I hope the alarm will cause them not to hang around
Last edited by Robti; 23rd April 2017 at 20:46.
New safes are expensive and you won't get a high rating for that money.
Look at re-conditioned safes from people like https://www.atozsafes.com anything from something to keep a few watches up to serious safes with insurable limits. If it has a cash rating of £10,000 then add a zero for an insurance rating for non cash valuables.
I don't have a solid floor so was planning on bolting it to the wall and through the floor for added protection (annoyance for any would be thief).Originally Posted by golf
Buy two.
The 'real' one less obvious.
Why do you want a small safe? Get the biggest, heaviest one you can afford (try your local business auctions), one that will take you and three mates to install and that you will likely have to rent a vehicle to transport adequately.
If they find a small safe, the whole thing is going with them.
Also - don't put your faith in the alarm bell box; assume they may be able to work through a tripped alarm.
That's pretty clever..
I got this beast from ebay, 3 1/2 tonnes of security professional courtesy of a former nat west branch in the midlands.
https://www.atozsafes.com/tann-ts4-900
I have one, had it for years, bolted into my cupboard above my bed. It was a fairly decent one at the time but can be doing with bigger tbh, so this thread is of interest.
Anyways, I used coach bolts for the fixings and the nuts are in the inside of the safe rather than outside where it can be unscrewed, common mistake apparently that people bolt the outside fixings.
As an aside, the house I live in has stud walls and wood flooring everywhere, how would I secure a safe, any ideas greatly received.
Depends how far you want to go mate.
A friend of mine, runs his own business, installed one in his. We removed a section of the plaster board and put dwangs (noggins) every where and bolted it all together, then he replaced the plaster board and tidied it all up. But it was solid and all fixings were only from the inside.
The studding that was there already was to flimsy and he wanted it beefed up.
Older housed with brick walls are usually alot easier to secure a safe.
Last edited by Walesy; 23rd April 2017 at 21:19.
External wall, a 10 g screw of max poss length into studs/joists with a washer on the inside of safe will take some pulling out, A real problem with is if the safe is too secure then they will come and "ask" you to open it, concealment is a real winner.
It's possibly also a reason for buying fakes, if you're 'targeted'
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The description says it's partially made of adamantium II. I presume this is an enhancement on the the stuff wolverines skeleton is made from ?
I have a couple of cheapies left on the dresser in full view actually, hopefully they go for them first and go...never thought about decoy's actually.
Neighbours were robbed a few months ago, the thieves returned a second time the following night. For me:
1 the thieves knew they were away on vacation AND would still be away.
2 they didn't get everything they were looking for the first night.
If I had some high value watches, I would be considering some matching fakes as decoys (not just some cheapies)
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That is great idea, buy a couple of decoy watches so if you are targeted they may do a grab and run.
I doubt anyone breaking into a property would check to see if a watch is authentic, or at least not until they are safely outside and away from the property!!
I'm going for a small safe as I think my wife wouldn't be too happy with me installing a big bulky safe taking up storage space.
Out of interest where do people install safes in their homes, under the stairs, garage, under a suspended floor or in the roof?
Matching fakes in the original box with papers would work.
I know I would rather lose an original box than an original watch.
He that would keep a secret must keep it secret that he hath a secret to keep. Concealment is more important than the safe itself. Burglars are opportunists, and won't spend hours searching your house; they'll take whatever is on view and be away on their toes.
Last edited by bitfield; 23rd April 2017 at 22:28.
Mine is in a cupboard above my bed, bolted in. You wouldn't know it was there.
Defo!
I bought a new ammo safe for my shotgun cartridges, due to its size and the fact that it is finger print activated I now use it for my watches!
It is so easy to use, only I can get in it and it's the perfect shape, so much so I'm going to get another, plus my gun cabinet will be full soon, so when I get a new one I'm off to get the finger print recognition one!!
It is massive but has shelves and little lockers in it!! Guns and watches all in one place what could be better🤗
I bought the first one which is an ammo safe for £125 on sale but it should have been £200 or £250? The gun cabinet is quite a bit more but it really is the best of both worlds!!
Chris
My folks have been burgled a couple of times (about 30 years apart though) so the approach I've taken is to pack my boxes away in the attic and then hide the watches away in various places.
I remember the police saying to my parents that a burglar will try to get out as fast as possible after checking the usual places people would hide money, jewellery etc. I've also used smart water on my watches so that any legitimate pawn shops would have to hold onto the watches and return to police.
I think having a safe will focus the burglars attention, so make sure it can't be ripped out.
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My (elderly) father got burgled late last year.
He lives alone - and my wife and I went over to take him out for dinner one evening. Just as we sat down for dinner, which was within 15 minutes of leaving his home, we got a call from a neighbour to tell us that the police were round and that the house had been broken into. The police said that the burglars probably saw us leave the property in a half decent car and they opportunistically broke in. It seems there were 3 men. They broke down the main door to gain access (dad lives on a fairly busy road). He has a very loud alarm and the police were there in less than 5 minutes, by which time they had left.
It seems that the 3 men went straight upstairs into the bedrooms. They found some of my mothers costume jewellery, took it and left. Dad was shaken up, but on balance we were glad nobody was home and nobody got hurt.
Based on this experience:
1) get a seriously loud alarm - preferably with cc tv. Burglars will be panicked and will want to leave quickly.
2) don't keep valuables in the bedrooms at all. It is the first place they look.
3) I keep watch boxes/papers in the loft and Watches in the bank and elsewhere in the house (not in the bedrooms)
4) Even if you have a safe, don't put it upstairs. I like the idea of a decoy/ costume jewellery.
We have also changed car from a BMW to a Nissan Leaf. There are many houses in my area with fancy cars. I expect thieves would go straight past the house with the alarm box and Nissan in the driveway. We are not really into fancy cars anyway.
I think the b@stards got caught recently. I hope they throw away the keys...
Clearly, anyone can get robbed. But it is actually pretty rare. Most people go through life without their house ever being broken into. Just get decent insurance, decent locks, and enjoy life. No-one should need a massive safe in their house.....shotgun owners excepted.
Ask marcj in here
Would you recommend a " normal safe" or a fire safe, just wondering if there was a fire ?
Thanks
Can't be that heavy - it says you can pick it up in their warehouse! lol
I was well sorted at my last house. It was George Daniels' old house, and it had a safe within a much larger walk in safe. When he died, all of the watches that were in the Sotheby's sale after his death were in there, so I figured if it was good enough for him, it was good enough for my far more modest collection.
I've now had to buy two new safes since moving. Bloody heavy they are, it took four people to get them in, and they're bolted to the concrete floor.
1900kgs is fairly heavy. IMHOCan't be that heavy - it says you can pick it up in their warehouse! lol
My Defender had 1250kgs of paving slabs in the back
YorkshireMadMick
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+1 ask marcj
I like that.
Buy a dummy safe and pop a couple of moody rolex models in there (as also mentioned)
How about the Campbell's tomato soup can safe. My Rare Swiss dial Sea Dweller would Fair better in that than reading some of these horror stories. Live in a bungalow so they would rummage all rooms I guess. Would they check the cans? Guess so now
YorkshireMadMick
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Its riduculous how heavy they are for a box full of air, mine is a couple of sizes up from the linked one, 1800x950,800 weight 3480kgs, door has glass elements in the mechanism to resist impact attack.Can't be that heavy - it says you can pick it up in their warehouse! lol
I've got a quite weighty safe, but my 'issue' is where to hide the key, it's too long and big to carry about and if it was lost I'd be buggered as it's the only one, so I hide it in the house but often worry it will be found.
Cheers..
Jase
Have it changed to combination, save them trashing the joint searching for it hopefully. or a out of the way magnet screwed up can be an unconventional hiding spot.
Have key recut with a detachable bit https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ch...zjsZVpVs7BjuM: and take the stubby with you.
- - - Updated - - -
That's not a bad idea, ( the recut with detachable stubbie ) thanks.
Cheers..
Jase
Be warned it could be 90/100 a key, i had a pair done for £186, inc a site visit to final fit one of them.
Blimey! I think I'll drop in on Marc, see if he can help.
Cheers..
Jase
Thanks for all the advice, it is food for thought. What I thought might be a fairly slow thread turned out to be a very intriguing one.
I think I will go for a heavy safe so if anyone does steal it, I hope they pop their back doing it.
A standard floor safe will deter a casual burglar, but who knows who he will tell further up the food chain, i recently installed a small floor safe in the slab in his garage, covered it with an off cut of carpet and was under car too. If you can secure discretely then aim for this.Thanks for all the advice, it is food for thought. What I thought might be a fairly slow thread turned out to be a very intriguing one.
I think I will go for a heavy safe so if anyone does steal it, I hope they pop their back doing it.
I live on a street of 3, mine is the only one not been turned over yet, im convinced its my CCTV,
Take a look at this one?
https://www.securesafe.co.uk/securik...ver-0-key-lock
Slightly above your budget, £4,000 cash rated, is insurance approved, quite small and can be fitted to the wall
That with a code would be nice
One other tip. When fitting to wall position it in a confined space like under the stairs. Thus making it difficult to lever it out or swing a sledge at it.
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Iv got a old victorian safe not for everyone but it dose me as im in to the vintage industrial look if they can get that out good luck ☺two dogs alarm and just about to have cctv fitted
, poeple who rob house should be wiped in public to a inch of there life the crime rat would soon go down
I'm all for that, have to use the cheapest toilet roll too!
;)
You think a gun to the head wont make you reveal the code?
in my last flat, I had two safes - but kept cash and watches hidden elsewhere.
I would defy any burglars to find either.
You really are desperate to get to see Sales Corner........?
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Buy a large metal lockable cupboard,
eg: https://www.theworkplacedepot.co.uk/...FY8Q0wodRzACvg
hide it inside a wardrobe or other cupboard(as suggested above under the stairs might be good) and bolt straight through into the wall
Put the safe inside that and bolt that right through the metal cupboard into the wall.
It makes it very difficult and noisy if they want to attack the safe.
Oh and have a well trained large canine in the vicinity to add more difficulty and noise to the mix.
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