Legal Definitions - safe breaker

A safe breaker, also commonly referred to as a safe cracker, is an individual who unlawfully gains or attempts to gain unauthorized access to a safe, vault, or strongbox. This act typically involves using force, specialized tools, or technical knowledge to bypass the security mechanisms of the container, with the intent to steal its contents or cause damage.

Here are some examples illustrating the term:

• Example 1: During a late-night break-in at a small business, a burglar uses a pry bar and a portable cutting torch to force open the company's steel cash safe, intending to steal the day's earnings.

  Explanation: This individual is acting as a safe breaker because they are unlawfully using tools and force to gain unauthorized entry into a secure container (the company's cash safe) with the clear intent to steal its contents.

• Example 2: An organized crime group targets a high-security bank vault, employing sophisticated drilling equipment and explosives to breach its reinforced concrete and steel walls to access the safety deposit boxes inside.

  Explanation: The individuals in this scenario are safe breakers due to their deliberate and unlawful use of advanced tools and methods to penetrate a highly secure container (the bank vault) for the purpose of theft.

• Example 3: A disgruntled former employee, aware of a hidden wall safe in their previous employer's home, returns to the property and uses a combination of lock-picking tools and a small bore scope to manipulate the safe's internal mechanism and retrieve sensitive documents.

  Explanation: This person is a safe breaker because they are unlawfully employing specialized tools and skills to bypass the security of a private safe, intending to access and remove its contents without permission.