Telegram-herald., 1891-11-30
HOW SAFES ARE ROBBED
Detectives Smith and pArr Dis
course On BurglAring-
TOOLS OF MARVELLOUS INGENUITY
yariess byst~ms by which the etrssg
Hexss are kined cxrefeiiy IA
piained by Men Whs kaew
nsw-A kis Of Iools-

at is wonderful what nerve and skil
some OF these professional burglars dis
play in 'doing job,'" said Detective
Joe Smith last night.
"They risk their lives and liberty
every time they undertake 10 crack
safe" ehimed in Detective Darr. The
two officers eat IN the private Office At
police headquarters recounting some OF
their many experiences and the leading
eyeats IN their service as detectives.
THAT makes me think" continued
Joe, turning to reporter for the TELr-
GRAM. Herald, "Dld you ever zee
frst-class XII of burglsr's tools Here's
a set we captured some time ago.. If
you'll listen Eli tell you how they 90 AZ
IT. You see these pieces of steel. Don't
look as II they amounted TO
much, en-? Among those harmless
appearing little things are skeleton
keys which will open the doors OF any
store IN Grand Rapids. Suppose there
Is a key and bolt on the inside. The
exper, takes this pair OF sharp pointed
pincers, catches hold Of The key. turns
IT, unlocks the door, shoves il out, puts
this crooked piece OF wire through, gets
II around the knob on the bolt, pulls II
back, and there you are. We'll say
this is y vault, surrounded by strong
CRATES. That saw sewers TWO OF them
at the bottom, spreader 10 applied
which forces them apart. This last I'M
plement is very ingenious rs You can
81 g. Ii works on ths same princIple as
vice, and every turn on the ceEtre
piece spreads the ends outward.
The Real work Now Begins.
"This much accomplished the gang
crawis through. Cutting and spread-
ing the bars is only cniid's play TO the
professional. The real work begins
when the vault is tackled. As usual
thing vault doors are not as substantial
as safe doors. They take this
copper sledge.' smash oil
the handle and then insert
this "punch." A few sharp blows de-
stroys the "spindle," the ''dog" Is
broken, the bolts showed back and the
doors swung on their hinges. The
safe is reached and now the strug-
gle begins IN earnest. A diamond
auger is the next tool employed. There
is one somewhere. All, here 1t 10. Now
that's o lstructed of the hardest known
metal and lease hardened" The
brace is put against the shoulder, the
point placed IN the top ieft-hand corner
of the door and q hole bored. Another
OF smaller dimensions IS made IN the
bottom right-hand corner. In the top
hole the burglar uses funnel into
which dynamite il pou ei. while in the
lower one pal lnjects air with q con-
triyxnce called an air-pump. The air
is cor she purpose of sc>t.ering the ex-
piosive into every crevice SO that when
they are filled there will be plenty OF
resisting force. Sometimes comb
nation jimmy drill is used, and
very effectually, too. A fuse is
connected a. d this little pocket battery
comes into play. A wire 10 attached
and the gang retlres to . place of
security. Everything being ready the
fuse is ignited by an electric spark,
there is dull explosion, cloud of
smoke and the burglar proof" safe is
total wreck completely at the mercy
of the blowers.
The Rest IL Very Easy.
"The cash drawer On the inside falls
prey to IA steel lever Ii it does not
submit, hole is drilled and one OF
these. ILLUMINATING caps utilized. All
safe crackers do not proceed alike.
Another way is to back Q safe. That
| is drilling from the side or behind. The
result is tho same. This kit, which is
regarded as one of the finest, is COM
posed of eight skeleton keys, an air
pump, bulb lamp having air and nap
| tina tanks with . burner, a HOLSTER,
pocket battery, steel crow bar, dyna-
mite, battery fuses, Illuminating caps,
copper sledge. funnel, drills, braces,
punches, . spreader. diamond augur,
| knob hole punch-out and many other
little things. In cutting windows after
the "a amond' has been used this
rubber pane holder is applied and
| the glass lifted out. OF course, an ex-
pelienced gang carries impression wax
and all the other necessaries."
Many of the safe blowers utensils
in the possession of the police depart.
ment show careful study aud inventive
genius. In the room occupied by the
reserve force is case containing sand
bags, slung-shots, brass knuckles, coun-
terfeIt money, daggers, jimmiss
| punches, saws, razOrs, knives, etc. A
silver plated dinner knife is the only
memento OF the daring escape made
from the county jail in this city, few
| years ago 10y the notorious counterfeit
er, Bryandt. An additional curiosity
is tiny file which wss smuggled TO 8
prisoaer in the jail concealed in a
cigar. Though email, il - sufficient &c
cut the toughest wrought iror. ''1'he
most expert and dangerous safe rob
bers of today" said Detective Darr
"are the artists who use no tools excep1
their hands. Their mode of operation Il
to file the nail on the index finger dowr
TO the quick, rest II in the center knob
turn the continuation with the SECOND
finger and thumb until the ;umblesI
drop into their respective places. TIL.
feeling IL 80 acute that no mistakes ar.
made. Some of the beat safes IN th'
country have been opened in this man
ncr."