We were recently called to a particularly challenging and interesting job in Liverpool, where a customer needed access to a locked E. Hipkins & Co. safe — but there was a twist. The safe wasn’t just locked due to lost keys, it was also securely locked inside a Chubb vault, which had to be opened first before we could even begin work on the safe itself.
E. Hipkins & Co. were renowned 19th-century safe manufacturers, known for their high-quality, robust designs. Their safes often feature complex key locks that were built to last and resist tampering — which is great for security, but not so great when the keys are lost!
As professional safecrackers, we thrive on this kind of challenge. But before we could get to work on the Hipkins safe, we first had to gain entry to the Chubb vault it was stored in — a task in itself, given the formidable construction of Chubb vault doors. You can read more about that part of the job here: Chubb Vault Opening Safecracker in Liverpool
Once we’d successfully opened the vault, we carefully set to work on the Hipkins safe. Using precise, non-destructive lockpicking techniques, we were able to manipulate the lock and open the safe cleanly, without causing any damage. This ensured that the customer could reuse the safe in future and even have new keys made if desired.
It’s not every day you’re tasked with opening a safe within a safe, but this job showcased just how layered and effective traditional security systems can be — and how important it is to call a true professional when you’re locked out.
If you’ve lost the keys to your antique or modern safe — even if it’s locked away in a vault — Paladin Safe Services is ready to help. Serving Liverpool and the North West with expert, damage-free safe openings you can trust.
