We received an emergency call from our Facility Manager partners late at night. The emergency was this:
A high-security safe at a local Target store was locked (as it should be) but the combination was lost. Target needed the lock opened but had no idea how to do that. So that’s why they reached out to us.
Ron, the owner of Alamo Key & Lock, visited Target after store hours to take care of the emergency (keep in mind that we provide 24 hours rapid response for all our valued customers in Houston)
High-Security safes have different ratings depending on their level of protection from fire and from burglary. The safe Ron opened is rated TL-15.
Ron opened the safe without damaging it, helping Target get what they needed, and redid the combo so they could continue to use the safe.
WHAT IF I LOSE THE COMBINATION TO MY COMMERCIAL SAFE?
If you do not have the combination to your electronic safe and have lost the backup key, don’t panic! You can still get into the safe with the help of a locksmith.
Do not try to get into the safe yourself unless you are an experienced safecracker. Using home-ready tools such as crowbars, chisels, and screwdrivers can damage your safe. If damaging your safe is okay with you, then go ahead! However, a professional locksmith can get inside an electronic safe without damaging it. How does he do this?
The most common method for a locksmith to open an electronic safe without damage is to access the reset button inside the safe:
A locksmith might be able to access the reset button on the inside door of the safe. If this reset button is placed near the frame, then the locksmith can maneuver a wedge tool between the safe door and the frame of the safe, triggering the combination reset button. This method does no harm to the safe and does not require the combination or the key.
Another method a locksmith may employ to open an electronic safe where the battery is dead, or the combination is lost, involves removing the electronic cover and the key entry point. However, this method does damage the face of the safe.
First, a locksmith can use a wedge and hammer to pry off the electronic face of the digital panel.
Second, he prys off the key entry plate.
Third, he inserts his finger into the space where the entry plate was held and presses down on the locking mechanism. This action releases the lock and allows the safe door to open freely.
Unfortunately, this method damages the electronic keypad panel and should only be used if you don’t mind replacing some parts of your safe.
In Conclusion
Target needed their electronic safe opened before their management could go home. After calling Alamo Key & Lock, our locksmith was at their site in under an hour. Within 15 minutes he had opened the safe without damaging the safe itself. Although it is possible for handymen managers to do this themselves, we highly recommend calling a professional who has the right locksmithing tools and expertise to open any safe.
Call 713-688-3887 today and speak directly with a professional locksmith in Houston.
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