I've been watching a lot of lock picking videos just out of curiosity. Which has not been good for my paranoia. Seems like basically every key and combination lock out there can be compromised within minutes.

Not that I didn't think locks were really that secure to begin with - it's just one level of deterrent in hopes of making other opportunities besides me more attractive. But I have no illusions that locks keep people out. I just didn't fully grasp how easy it was to pick locks.

Anyway, I'm considering a console vault - again, just trying to inhibit smash and grabs and realize that a determined thief with a little bit of time will get in.

Lock'er Down has a vault for my car (can't find another vendor for me car). Seems okay as car vaults go (albeit a bit expensive).

1) How easy is it to pick the dial lock?

2) How easy is it to pick the electronic lock?

3) How easy would it be to break the dial or electronic locks to enter the safe? For example, do you think I could just take a hammer to them and then swing the locking arm off?

4) How easy would it be to crowbar the door off? <1min? Or would it take work (ie - discourage smash and grab sufficiently)?

https://www.lockerdown.com/i-1....html?ref=category:3

I considered a product very similar to that one. Don't rely on the oem sheet metal screws that secure the console to the floor. Use bolts and nuts. It should be secured to the metal transmission tunnel/floorboard not just the plastic console.

It might slow a car burglar down. They want a quick smash and grab without drawing attention. They could try to kick the console apart to remove the safe, which is why solid fasteners to the tunnel are a good idea. It's certainly better than nothing. I can't answer how easy it is to pick or break the device locking mechanism.

They are not inexpensive and if you sell the host vehicle, the safe more than likely won't easily transfer to another vehicle.

Been watching LPL and / or Bosnian Bill, huh?

I have a console vault in my 4Runner and am very happy with it. It's certainly better than those cases that you can lock to the seat rails or similar.

A properly motivated thief with the right equipment is not going to be stopped but they would certainly attract attention unless the vehicle is in a remote place. Most of the vehicle thefts are smash and grab and run.

Holy Crap! For that kind of money you can get a Glock 22 police trade and not shed any tears if it gets gone

quote:

Originally posted by BigSwede:
Holy Crap! For that kind of money you can get a Glock 22 police trade and not shed any tears if it gets gone

Well unless it gets used to plug some poor bastard and then frankly I would feel like shit.

LPL is terrific fun. It's amazing that there are methods and tools like this. I now want to make it such that all my deadbolts physically can't be rotated using some switch from the inside. If someone wants in, they need to break something.

I was entertained by the Simplisafe bypass....

And I'm going to be testing hotel safes for admin access.....

quote:

Originally posted by cslinger:

quote:

Originally posted by BigSwede:
Holy Crap! For that kind of money you can get a Glock 22 police trade and not shed any tears if it gets gone

Well unless it gets used to plug some poor bastard and then frankly I would feel like shit.

And for me, I use the vault at times to hold electronic components, about $2k worth.

Should I the 10 gauge Extreme version? Or is that just a gimmick - the standard one is fine.

The combo lock looks like a toy (and I'm not impressed with the combo locks on LPL ). I'm thinking about the electronic lock even though I'm generally averse to electronics.

ETA: UGH. Disappointing that a safe made in Texas would use a made in china electronic lock. Abloy key I get. Why not Simplex? Why a china lock of all things.....?

Do they have a 10 guage version? The page I went to seemed to say that the safe was 12 and the lid is 10.

On my console vault, I went with the 4 digit combo lock.

quote:

Originally posted by Gear.Up:
Do they have a 10 guage version? The page I went to seemed to say that the safe was 12 and the lid is 10.

On my console vault, I went with the 4 digit combo lock.

Standard is 12 gauge. Extreme version is like you said - 12 gauge with another 10 gauge sheet attached to the lid only (not to shell).

Not sure what the benefit, if anything, that would provide other than drill / hammer attacks?

Those 4 digit combo locks on LPL - seem like 1 min job to open? Good thing is that if I forget the combo, I could probably still open it w/in a few minutes.

Frankly, the best thing to do is put it somewhere where it isn't visible from outside the vehicle. Just like a gun safe in your home, the best deterrent is no one knowing it is there. But you won't find one that is actaully impossible to get into. Particularly with small safes, the thief will just take the whole thing to digest at their leisure.

Find a spot in the vehicle, I have mine bike-locked under the seat. Someone will at least need to work for it.

A gun shouldn't really be in a car all the time, unless the car itself is in a secure location. Like a garage that itself is monitored.

All this stuff still just keeps honest people honest.

It's why I have a version of lo-jak on the van, and a monitored security system. Safes are the right way to store firearms, but they only slow down a determined attack.

I have the Console vault. A thief actually got his knife stuck in the safe and left it there. No damage to the safe whatsoever.

That's promising.

But I also saw a video where the combo dial was left in pieces and the bolt that rotates the locking arm was sheared across the bolt.

But that's probably not what I'm trying to protect against (although would be nice when at remote lakes).

quote:

Originally posted by Gear.Up:

quote:

Originally posted by cslinger:

quote:

Originally posted by BigSwede:
Holy Crap! For that kind of money you can get a Glock 22 police trade and not shed any tears if it gets gone

Well unless it gets used to plug some poor bastard and then frankly I would feel like shit.

And for me, I use the vault at times to hold electronic components, about $2k worth.

Oh. Ok, I shouldn't have assumed it was for a weapon