Liberty Safe has created quite a controversy by turning over a safe reset code to the FBI.
Like most safe and/or safe lock manufacturers, Liberty Safe keeps records of factory-set default combinations of the safes it sells. With proper documentation and the serial number, safe owners and the safe technicians they hire can contact the manufacturer and get that code if the lock malfunctions or the code is lost.
The owner of a Liberty gun safe has been charged with felony civil disorder and several misdemeanors relating to the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Much of the controversy surrounds whether the FBI's warrant was sufficient or whether a court order was needed.
Liberty Safe has announced a procedure where safe owners can request that the backup combination be removed from their records.
Update: Liberty Safe has announced a procedure where safe owners can request that the backup combination be removed from their records and has issued the following statement: "We have also revised our policies around cooperation with law enforcement. Going forward, we will require a subpoena that legally compels Liberty Safe to supply access codes but can only do so if these codes still exist in our system."
The takeaway here for locksmiths is to reach out to gun safe owners and offer a security upgrade.
Locksmith Ledger contributor Wayne Winton, an experienced safe technician, shared some good information on how secure safe locks really are, when reset codes are used, and what safe owners can do to achieve a higher level of security in this viral YouTube video.
