The attached article is about a theft from a Milwaukee area store. The thieves picked up the safe and carried it away, along with the security videotape. I'm not a professional locksmith, but it seems obvious that the owner should have:
1) Been using a real money safe. At 60 pounds, this sounds like a Sentry type fire safe.2) Made the safe too heavy to move easily (750+ pounds is the rule of thumb) or bolted it to the floor.
3) The videotape should be in a secured location that could not be easily broken into.As my literature professor was fond fo saying, "Experience is the best teacher, but she demands the highest wages."
Thief steals piece of the American dream Money allotted for Mexican families
By LAWRENCE SILVER - GM Today Staff March 26, 2005
WAUKESHA - A thief stole a piece of the American dream from Pano's Fruit & Meat Market, 200 W. Main St., on Thursday. Store owner Pano Assimakopoulos said a 50- to 60-pound safe containing about $3,000 in cash and another $1,500 worth of phone cards was stolen from the back room of his store sometime before he came into the store in the late afternoon. The cash was mostly comprised of money orders to be sent from Waukesha residents to their families in Mexico, Assimakopoulos said. "I came in to get some stuff, and the safe was completely gone," Assimakopoulos said. "I am so surprised." The thief could have entered a back door on the east side of the building without walking through the store, Assimakopoulos said. But, he said he found the door locked. There was no alarm on the door, Assimakopoulos said.
Lt. William H. Graham Jr. of the Waukesha Police Department said there were no signs of forced entry. The store does have security cameras; however, the security tape was stolen during the robbery. "I have no idea who did this," Assimakopoulos said. "No way, I don't believe this is an inside job." Graham said there were no suspects as of Friday morning.
Pano's Fruit Market has been in business for two years. Assimakopoulos said Thursday's robbery was the first. Assimakopoulos said the store is insured. He said he expects the money to be reimbursed.
This story appeared in the Waukesha Freeman on March 25, 2005.