A Hotel Safe is not Fort Knox.
And a YouTube favorite of J. Kb’s has another video out.
Contrary to the “experts” Hotel room safes are good for the job they are intended to do: Fast grab-and-run jobs.
I may have mentioned a couple of times before (yeah, just a couple) that I worked hotel security and the majority of the problems we had with room safes was when the guest forgot the code followed far away by when batteries died. Theft from them? In 5 years I never logged a case nor knew of one in my hotel.
If you want to break into a room safe, the first thing you need to know is if the reward is high enough that will justify the risk. Again, have to know if there is a worthy loot. An attack on a safe is a direct and conscious decision and an affair that can land you in prison for a decent amount of time. Getting caught for breaking in a safe full of Legos is simply not worth it.
Then it comes the realization that unless you have an inside person, you need to bypass two safety devices: The room’s door lock and then the safe. Here is where the real violations of safety begin. Housekeepers are supposed to clean a room with a door closed for their own security. Unfortunately some will keep the damn door open and even leave the room to get something they forgot or ran out of. The time it takes her to go and come back will be the time you would have to go into the room, break into the safe and then make an escape.
The other violation of security is done by the guest him/herself who does not make sure the door is properly closed or leaves it open because “they are just going down the hall to check on the folks and will be right back.” The number one call in our daily patrol logs was doors found open in occupied rooms. You know what never failed to amaze me? How people would leave a door propped open, be gone from the room and leave all their valuables a top of the effing dresser in full view of anybody walking by.
J Kb said something like he doubted he was going to be attacked by a Ocean’s 11 type crew and that goes the same for your hotel safe. The purpose of the room safe is for when you develop that unexpected brain fart and leave the room door unsecured. And please, please, I beg you: Do not be “smart” and hide stuff in the room in places you think nobody will ever find. First, we know the room better than you and second (and mark my words) you will forget about it and go home without the hidden item.
And finally, I always like to quote from the movie “The Accidental Tourist,” a tear-jerker, but it hits one important point
“And most importantly, never take along anything on your journey so valuable or dear, that it’s loss would devastate you.”
And use the gorramed room safe.