Safe Location

[Phil3]

I need to get a safe, but am undecided on location. Garage or inside the house? In both instances, safe could be bolted to the concrete foundation.

Inside the house, the safe goes into the end of a closet, bordered tightly on three sides, without about .6" per side clearance. This would be a smaller safe, about 24" wide and 370 lbs (Costco - Sentry). The only safe surface you could get to is the front and the top.

In the garage, the safe will have one or both sides exposed. The safe could be bigger however, but probably don't need that much space.

The interior safe is harder to get to, but easier to break into, while the garage unit is easier to access, but harder to get open. I live in a pretty safe area, though there is the occasional burglary. What do you think is preferred?

- Phil

[johnny_22]

Inside the house

Garage has too much temperature variation, causing condensation and rust. Also, a chain around it will allow it to be dragged right out of the garage easily (even if bolted). The inside the home in a closet makes the chain technique harder, if not impossible.

You'll see that ATMs in convenient stores are being located in the back now, because of the chain wrap technique working so well at the front of the store.

[Cokebottle]

Ditto.... only garage if you NEVER open the door. Every time the garage door is open it is advertising to the neighborhood that you have guns and exactly where they are stored.... gone in 30 seconds as soon as you leave for work.
Do you have tamale vendors working your street? A friend of mine was robbed about 15 years ago (guns were in the bedroom)... the tamale vendor was a spotter. Only the garage was hit... woodworking and welding equipment was cleaned out. They didn't even try to get into the kitchen through the passthrough door.

[Phil3]

If in garage, would be walled in (fake cabinet, etc.), so not evident a safe is there. Still, opening it means shutting the garage door if people are around , an annoyance. Garage is already getting cramped, and have room in the closet. If I need more space, I can get another safe for another closet that has room.

- Phil

[inbox485]

Walk in closet is far more secure than garage. Even if it is known that it is there, it is far more difficult to get to and remove. Garages have these nifty doors that you can pull up to (or into) and carry large objects out of easily.