Secure physical storage

bowen · January 2017

So, I'm looking for like a trunk or piece of storage that I can pop into my apartment closet and keep things I don't want people snooping on locked away. I'd like it a little more secure than a file cabinet lock, but something about the size of a 1x1 file cabinet (maybe half the height) would be perfect and that's what I'm looking for. But I really want to be able to padlock it or have a really strong lock that I can pop on my keyring.

I have nosy visitors coming and I don't want them prying into my personal life, so it'd be nice if I could lock some stuff away if possible.

Does anyone have any ideas or recommendations for that?

TychoCelchuuu · January 2017

You mean like, a safe?

bowen · January 2017

all the safes I can find/buy are flimsy pieces of junk with shitty locks before I'm getting into like, $1000 territory (and they're tinyyyyyyyy)

I was thinking something similar to those hard case luggage things with a pad lock? Maybe? I have no idea what brands are good for them.

tinwhiskers · January 2017

You could get a footlocker. Most of them take padlocks.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/16415912?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227000769454&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=41080779032&wl4=pla-62497498866&wl5=9018852&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=16415912&wl13=&veh=sem

e:

You could get a gun cabinet. They're only like $100 for a decent size one. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Stack-On-8-Gun-Ready-to-Assemble-Steel-Security-Cabinet-Hunter-Green-GCG-8RTA-DS/202996382

bowen · January 2017

that footlocker is exactly what I pictured in my head, thank you!

Enc · January 2017

I've given suggestions on this topic before. I think It may still be relevant:

-Take videos and store on removable hard drives.
-Place hard drives in secure, padded cardboard box.
-Seal cardboard box in airtight plastic bag.
-Place bagged cardboard box in a slightly larger, metal box.
-Take metal box to your backyard.
-Dig hole in back yard approximately 10% distance from the back left corner of your yard. Place metal box inside.
-Fill in hole.
-Plant a Rose Bush (of moderate size to start with) over the burial site.
-Plant two other bushes at aesthetically pleasing distances from the rose bush.
-Mulch all three new plants along with existing plants in your back yard with a pleasing mulch color, this will help keep moisture for the plants along with insulating their roots against sudden frost.
-Brag to neighbors about your yard changes, with a specific interest in insightful one-up-man-ship amongst them so they also plant new foliage in the neighborhood.

Upon suspicion your secure storage has been compromised.
-Secure x1 fanatically reliable friend, tell them the location of the box and the conditions upon which for them to remind you about them upon desired retrieval date.
-Take several medications know to cause memory loss for short periods of time just before interrogation. Common drugs that affect memory and brain function include sleeping pills, antihistamines, blood pressure and arthritis medication, antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, and painkillers. Be sure to research these extensively for safety before use.
-Be interviewed and have your name cleared, try and leave yourself a reminder to get close to those snooping in on your secure storage.
-Have friend provide you with the information on the box upon arrival of your desired retrieval date, preferably via dead drop or some sort of hidden compartment upon your person (say, an unobtrusive pouch in your jeans or tucked into the battery slot in your wristwatch).
-Be smug in knowing you got away with it.
-All according to keikaku.

bowen · January 2017

I guess if you need to hide something from the mob versus your parents, sure.

Enc · January 2017

You can never be too careful.

hsu · January 2017

bowen wrote: »

I was thinking something similar to those hard case luggage things with a pad lock?

Pad lockable hard sided luggage from Pelican are really, really nice. I've got 2 of them, one in a max airline check-in size, one in a max carry-on size. If you wanted something lockable, that serves a purpose after your parents leave (as airline luggage that'll last the rest of your life), I can highly recommend Pelican cases.
https://www.amazon.com/Pelican-Storm-iM2500-without-black/dp/B0026PIQ0S/
It's hard to tell in the photos, but there are pad lock holes next to each latch.

zepherin · January 2017

You could also put a portable lock on a closet door. Works as long as hey aren't willing to remove your closet hinges. You can also use it to lock a bedroom

https://www.amazon.com/Calslock-Portable-Door-Travel-Lock/dp/B00GMPFCNC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1484191481&sr=8-3&keywords=Add+a+lock

https://www.amazon.com/Rishon-Enterprises-Addalock-1-Piece/dp/B00186URTY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484191481&sr=8-1&keywords=Add+a+lock

Hevach · January 2017

Just how secure are we talking about? "Mom not finding my porn"? "Roommate not finding my money"? "Cops not finding the maps to all the bodies"?

Secure storage doesn't have to be perfect, it has to be better than the contents are worth getting out. How often and long it's unattended is also a big consideration, since time alone with a safe always makes breaking into it more feasible. How reasonable and respectful the people it will be unattended with are also considerations - even people who are already snooping will usually draw the line upon encountering something secure, either because proceeding will probably get them caught or because whatever excuse they have in their head for rummaging through your drawers doesn't hold up for cracking your safe.

I've broken into a bunker hill (an old Harbor Freight knockoff brand, they've renamed them to something else now but it's the same physical safe with new electronics) floor safe after losing the key and finding the battery was dead (meaning the electronic flaw that made it garbage was out of play), and it was six kinds of bitch shit. By the time I finally managed to get enough cut in with the angle grinder to get at it with some power shears, the contents had been damaged and I'd spent more money on blades than it had been worth anyway. That's about a $150 safe, and it's 1.51 cubic feet, and there's probably a dozen or more superior brands for under $300.

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