1. Welcome to VegasMessageBoard
    It appears you are visiting our community as a guest.
    In order to view full-size images, participate in discussions, vote in polls, etc, you will need to Log in or Register.

Hotel Security Boxes

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by SAll11, Feb 26, 2020.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. journaljim

    journaljim Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2012
    Messages:
    368
    Location:
    East Central IL
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    18
    I use them but do check to make sure they are secured to the wall/floor/shelf. I don't remember if it was in a thread here or on twitter but someone posted a pic of a room safe that, though fully operational, was not nailed down in any way shape or form. We also always make sure the room lock latches when we leave.
     
  2. NotFromConcentrate

    NotFromConcentrate It’s a Cassowary :)

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2015
    Messages:
    9,321
    Location:
    Digital Nomad from Southern Ontario
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    28
    The conclusion that I've come to when it comes to hotel safes is that they are no more "unsafe" than carrying your valuables on your person. If you're just walking around and have a pocket full of money, that money isn't inherently exposed to danger... though there is always the possibility that you could be the unlucky one who is the target of a mugger or pickpocket. Muggers or pickpockets won't necessarily go around ripping people off one after the other nonstop, otherwise they'd be caught in no time. Similarly, I believe even the most crooked of hotel personnel would be aware that doing multiple raids of safes in guest rooms would also get them caught in no time.

    So are hotel safe thefts likely to happen on a regular basis? Absolutely not... as not only would it be too easy for the perpetrator to get caught, word would get around pretty fast and people would stop putting valuables in their room safe, which would make such robberies less than worthwhile going forward. It isn't sustainable.

    But if the right opportunity presents itself... there is still a non-zero chance that it could happen, just as with carrying it on your person. Personally, I have comfort knowing that no habitual hotel safe thief would be able to make a regular thing out of it, so I know it isn't a "common" thing... and likewise, with the possibility of it happening being so low and unpredictable, I know my valuables are no safer in the safe than they are anywhere else.

    The best defence, of course, is not making yourself a target. If there's any evidence of what valuables might be residing in your safe, it gives a potential perpetrator a bigger incentive to do it. That could be anything from leaving those "bands" that banks bundle cash in laying around on your desk, to leaving prescription receipts laying around for a hot commodity medication (since that suggests such medication might be in the safe), or leaving your player's card in plain sight (a Seven Stars player is far more likely to have something worth stealing than a Gold player).

    Personally, I think one of the best approaches to mitigating a theft attempt is to leave some "bait" valuables laying around. Let's say you've got $5,000 cash that you're leaving in the room. If you leave $500 on the desk in a way that's clearly not a gratuity (e.g. perhaps underneath your player's cards), and the other $4,500 in the safe, the type of dishonest person that would want to break into your safe now has an easy opportunity to take $500 cash and walk away with something.

    Admittedly, I am still somewhat paranoid about hotel safes, and what I often do after entering the code on the safe to lock it is press a bunch of random buttons after it's been locked. The reason for this is that someone who enters the room shortly after I leave could use a thermal camera to detect which digits my fingers last touched, and that would be an easy way of figuring out the code. Probably a crazy thing to do, but to me, the two seconds that it takes is worthwhile for the peace of mind :)

    I'm pretty sure that was me... it was at the Hyatt in Incline Village on Lake Tahoe... I posted a photo of the safe on my room's bed. You could literally pick the safe up and walk away with it. Unbelievable.
     
    [TENTATIVE Late Jul/Early Aug] Vegas by way of Chicago/Elko/Reno!
    • Like Like x 1
    • Wow! Wow! x 1
  3. flyguyfl

    flyguyfl MIA

    Joined:
    Apr 11, 2014
    Messages:
    3,801
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    75
    I don't trust room safes. I carry my cash in my left front pocket. When doing well I turn all bills I can in 100's. Even then I sometimes get strange looks from some ladies.
     
  4. FABismonte

    FABismonte Tell my wife I am "about even."

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2009
    Messages:
    3,794
    Location:
    Silicon Valley, CA
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    88
    I carry my gambling cash along with ID and casino cards in a pouch I carry around my neck, tucked inside my shirt. I started that on a trip in Europe and it kept me from getting pick pocketed a few times there.
     
  5. fenway68

    fenway68 VIP Whale

    Joined:
    May 21, 2006
    Messages:
    2,595
    Location:
    Connecticut by way of Massachusetts
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    26
    That’s what dad does. Now he just looks like a crazy old guy fumbling for something in his shirt!![emoji1787]
     
  6. journaljim

    journaljim Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2012
    Messages:
    368
    Location:
    East Central IL
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    18
    Yes! Yes! That was it. Thanks!
     
  7. NotFromConcentrate

    NotFromConcentrate It’s a Cassowary :)

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2015
    Messages:
    9,321
    Location:
    Digital Nomad from Southern Ontario
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    28
    "Hi, I'd like to order one room safe, to go."

    I wish I took ten minutes to walk around the hotel/casino holding this and darting my eyes around suspiciously to see if anybody would say anything. How many other opportunities would you have to do such a thing? :)

    [​IMG]
     
    [TENTATIVE Late Jul/Early Aug] Vegas by way of Chicago/Elko/Reno!
    • Like Like x 2
    • Funny Funny x 1
  8. melbedewy

    melbedewy MIA

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2012
    Messages:
    300
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    12
    I keep cash in money belt and (don't laugh) travelers checks in room safe. So if someone is dumb enough to steal the checks I won't lose a dime. So don't laugh.
    When I go in the pool I leave a little cash in the safe but take the money belt and put it on the beach chair under a bag and a bunch of stuff and watch it like a hawk if anyone comes within 10 feet of the chair.
     
  9. VegasDaytripper

    VegasDaytripper Re-Retired Degen

    Joined:
    Aug 17, 2016
    Messages:
    9,661
    Location:
    California
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    999
    it only takes a second for someone to grab it and go
    invest in a waterproof pouch if you want to take the cash with you to the pool


    i also had to call the front desk because i found the room's safe locked when i checked in
    someone came to the room ... did some hocus pocus and the safe was open within a few seconds
    so i wouldn't trust anything too valuable in the room safe
     
  10. SMG

    SMG VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2018
    Messages:
    2,066
    Location:
    Chicago, IL
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    49
    When the Orleans started installing safes in their rooms years ago, they were also negligent for not bolting them to the wall or whatever to secure them in place. Anyone could have carried them out of the rooms too. There are some videos of this on YouTube for those who want to do a search and check them out. LOL
     
    • Funny Funny x 1
  11. Kisby

    Kisby High-Roller

    Joined:
    May 9, 2017
    Messages:
    784
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    12
    :eek: Are those casino chips in your pocket, or are you just happy...
     
    • Funny Funny x 1
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.