Safecracker: A Chronicle of the Coolest Job in the World

by Dave McOmie, Keith Szarabajka (Narrator)

Like a character in a Hitchcock movie, Dave McOmie travels the country breaking into bank vaults, cracking jewelry store safes, and decoding unbreakable codes secured deep in government facilities. He’s never been arrested or charged with a crime, because—it’s his job!

Safecracker reveals a shadowy world where tumblers are twirled, skeletons are exposed, and longstanding mysteries are solved. You’ll ride shotgun with Dave for one crazy week, beginning with an impenetrable vault in Vegas with a midnight deadline, and ending with Prince’s ultra-secure music vault in the basement of Paisley Park. In between are factual stories that sound like drilling the same model ATM from the notorious episode of Breaking Bad, meeting a mystery man from the Department of Defense at a remote location to crack two high-security safes, chronicling the corruption and ineptitude that dogged efforts to develop the first electronic safe lock to guard our national secrets, tackling a hundred-year-old antique bank vault in downtown Salt Lake City, and more.

What’s in all these safes and vaults? Gold and silver, drugs and cash, guns and ammo, family heirlooms, and X-rated paraphernalia. And a few secrets that should have remained secret.

Shhhhh!

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Biography Memoir

Audible Audio

Published May 10, 2022

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"People tend to have one of two reactions upon learning of my occupation. Faces often light up as they envision 'The Italian Job' or 'The Score.' Don't I wish! Safecracking in the movies is usually more fun to watch than it is in the real world. Others look at me a bit cautiously, unsure if what I do is legal. To be crystal clear here: I don't open safes in the wee hours under the glare of a flashlight, but during work hours, at the behest of bankers and jewelers . . . " -- the author, on page 8

Although owing up to being influenced as a child when viewing the 1967-1970 TV series It Takes a Thief (which starred Robert Wagner as a dashing playboy thief recruited for his technical skills by the U.S. government), Dave McOmie first apprenticed as a locksmith when he was a teen for completely legitimate employment purposes. However, he soon realized that he was very enamored with the different but various challenges of entering locked safes and vaults, with folks needing entry often because 1.) they lost the keys / pass-codes, 2.) because said secure item was purchased at auction / estate sale without a key or pass-code or 3.) it needed to be opened after the owner's passing for an inheritance or will without a key or pass-code. Although he quietly resides in the Pacific Northwest, he is often flown at all hours of the day by banks, jewelers, private citizens or even his government to anywhere west of the Mississippi River for a gig. McOmie recounts a chunk of his professional life story in the concise Safecracker, and he seems like a humorous, honest, and always humble salt-of-the-earth guy. (He stresses that 99% of safecrackers are upstanding types and DO NOT engage in illegal activity.) The job detailed in the concluding chapters was very notable (entering the vault of a recently deceased musician - a talented man known by a majestic moniker - at the request of his attorney), and the touching section on the passing of his mentor was particularly nice as well.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

True story. Of course, the highlight here is breaking into Prince's vault in the lower level of Paisley Park after his death. Inside is a Prince catalogue library of music and video from the greatest musician of my lifetime. 8 of 10 stars

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining read and an intriguing peek into the profession of legal safecracking.

I made the distinction of “legal” because it’s important in terms of what to expect out of this book. A heist-driven, criminal safecracking memoir probably would have been a lot more exciting, but of course, there probably aren’t many people in that one of work eager to put their name on a book about it.

The author here does a good job of writing about his own completely legal brand of safecracking with as much excitement as one can for, say, trying to get into a bank vault when the bank itself is paying you to do so.

He’s also a likable guy, devoid of the awkwardly obnoxious ego that often populates these types of niche professional memoirs.

I didn’t learn as much from this as I would have liked to in terms of the technical aspects of the job, but the book is appropriately short, well-paced, and holds your interest throughout.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and exciting read! This book chronicles a week in the life of one of the world’s best safecrackers.

Be forewarned: if you’re thinking you might pick a lock or pull off a heist after reading this book, it actually had the opposite effect on me. Even though McOmie goes into quite a bit of detail about the breach point and technique of opening each particular safe, you realize how much professional knowledge and skill is required to be actually be successful.
McOmie is a great storyteller, and the history of safes and the stories behind how each safe came to be locked are interesting!

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for review

Fun and interesting look at the inside world of a professional safecracker. It reads like having your favorite uncle tell you all his best stories, and McOmie legitimately has some very cool stories. This is the guy they called to come open Prince's safe after he died. Really. It's an informative book too; I now know the difference between a locksmith and a safecracker, as well as some of the many clever engineering tricks that are built into safes to make them burglar-proof. If you like movies like The Italian Job, you're going to enjoy this book.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

What did you want to be when you grew up? Firefighter? Cowboy? Indian chief? Or maybe a chef or a sports star? But did you know that you could be a professional safecracker? Well, that is what Dave McOmie became and this is his story!

Dave McOmie tells the story of his career over the course of a week. Starting with a flight to Vegas on Monday to open a major bank's private currency center because the bankers has overwound the timelock. And it needed to be done by midnight! While taking the reader along on this thrill ride, Dave reveals how he got into this business. Tuesday involved opening an ATM at a theater in full view of the public plus a discussion of professional ethics and the challenge of opening safes. Wednesday involves a chartered flight to open two gun safes for a widow and the Department of Defense followed a return home for supper. During the course of the day, he gets a couple of jobs for Thursday and a job for Sunday while discussing the merits of various gun safes. Thursday involves opening the Portland Air National Guard armory vault with an interesting side-bit on government procurement in regard to safes and vaults. Friday comes with a fully automatic bank vault to open in Salt Lake City with the need to return home for a daughter's dance recital. Unlike Vegas, he has plenty of drill bits this time! Saturday has Dave spending time at home and reminiscing about old jobs, the journal he writes,and the Penetration Parties he hosts. Sunday involves a flight to Paisley Park, Minnesota to open a Mosler vault after the owner has died. This opening has a big crowd of lawyers, bankers, and an archivist as well as DEA agents. And of course this opening would be filmed. Dave manages to get the safe open in the end only to have a smaller safe he needed to open inside the vault.

When a reader cracks open a biography, you can never be sure what you will find in side. In Safecracker, the reader gets a glimpse into a job most people will never experience in a lively, entertaining read!

[Judah Kosterman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Safecrackers aren’t criminals: they’re the physical version of white-hat hackers. How often are they needed? Every day of the week, all across the country by bankers, jewelers, armories, larger businesses, estate lawyers, renovators, speculators … anybody stuck with a safe that’s stuck shut.

Safecrackers have a trade association, a newsletter (the author publishes it), a web of contacts stretching from government to equipment manufacturers, an ungodly number of frequent flyer miles, and a bag of tools which are really hard to explain to TSA agents.

The book follows our safe-cracking author through a week in the life plus additional recollections. It’s physically hard work, often involving hours of operating power tools. Relentless precision is called for, as one must know exactly where and how to drill on each model of safe door. There is always the risk of injury (the author recalls how he lost a finger) and often time is very limited. Discretion is required, both in the safecracker’s comings and goings and in handling the “reveal” once the safe is open (a few examples of why are provided). Equal parts art and science, safecracking sometimes drifts into the realm of magic, from the safes that were stuck shut for no reason that could be determined to opening the vault at Prince’s Paisley Park estate after the untimely death of the artist.

The author leans toward a philosophical view. His approach to this book is very personal, from family details and pre-job playlist to bringing his mentor in the business to life for the reader. High intelligence and a wise-cracking sense of humor shine through. For the not-mechanically inclined, stretches of the book involving methods will be confusing or a bit boring, but each safe cracked is its own vignette and the humans behind and around the safe are always part of the story.

Overall a fascinating peek into a world most readers have no idea exists.

[Linnae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable, fast read.

Dave McOmie's job is to break into safes and bank vaults. If the combination goes missing or has been forgotten, if the time clock gets wound too tight or something gets stuck, Dave gets a call and off he goes. He spends a lot of time travelling to his job sights, as most of them are far enough away to require an airplane flight. He has to bring his tools with him--drills, lots of extra bits of various sizes, and expensive scopes to look into the holes he has made. It's often a timed or high pressure situation.

Between jobs, Dave is a dedicated family man and a philosopher at heart.

* * * * *
I found this fascinating. His job is one that rarely crosses my mind--but then again, I have never needed a safecracker. The book takes the form of "A Week in the Life," going day-by-day through the jobs required. He also tells stories of other jobs he has done, people he has worked with and for, and throws in some philosophy here and there. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into his life and perspective.

Content: A little profanity, plus a couple of the safes had x-rated contents, which were mentioned but not graphically described.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading safecracker I had no idea there were different brands of safe manufacturers, that vaults or safes had timelocks, that there were two types of locks mechanical or electronic. And I also never thought that banks would get locked out of their vaults enough to have someone working fulltime as a safecracker.

I enjoyed reading the stores of Dave's safecracking in safecracker. I also learned a little bit about his family and how he met his wife. It was also interesting to learn about his mentor Eugene Corey. So I found safecracker full of entertaining and interesting stories. I even laughed at a few of them.

One thing that surprised me is that even though he is a safecracker does not mean that he is a good locksmith. One of the subheadings in a later chapter is called safecracker does not equal locksmith. And in that subsection he shares a store about how he locked himself out of his work van and had to call one of his locksmith friends to get him back in.

For me safecracker was definitely worth reading.

[Ben Savage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew I'd learn philosophy from safe cracking?

This guy gives me hope that an ADHD less mechanically inclined guy like me can get into lockpicking and the mechanical aptitude of it.
A safecracker is different than a locksmith, today I learned. He readily admits to being a poor locksmith but an excellent safe cracker.

Everything aside from the technical aspects is usually wrong in movies related to safe cracking, but then again so is firefighting. He discusses in vauge terms how to do it but readily admits its training, knowing your opponent and studying.

This dude opened Paisley Parks vault. He does an amazing job of preserving people's privacy. He is also fairly in line with my own prinicples as far as security, bureaucracy and government goes. He actually devotes a whole chapter to lambasting the government over their choice of locks for paperwork. Armory and munitions are excempt, but all GSA electronic locks are subject to a 4 minute exploit.

Great little read and ecstatic I picked it up in a book store earlier.

[Suziqoregon · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I learned about this book after a story in our local paper about the author. He lives in the area, and he had been hired to open a safe at the Cal Neva resort in Tahoe that had belonged to Frank Sinatra. It was an interesting story, and I was happy to discover that McOmie’s book was available at my local library.

McOmie is a professional safecracker but not the criminal kind. He opens safes that the owners or heirs cannot open for a variety of reasons. Sometimes the combination has been lost, other times people have purchased used locked safes. Sometimes the owners have died and the ability to open the safe died with them. Sometimes banks and financial institutions have timelocks go bad either through error or malfunction.

It was a fairly short but interesting book about the types of jobs McOmie typically takes on. It’s not literary nonfiction by any means but it’s a quick and interesting book. The final part of the book is about how he was called in to open the vault at Paisley Park after Prince died.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing memoir of one of the world's best safecrackers -- a professional locksmith who is focused on opening safes and vaults (for banks, law enforcement, and owners who have either locked themselves out, or had a malfunction in closed position.). There's a bit of interesting technical info (although nothing security-sensitive -- just the widely known info on how safes and vaults work, and what the drilling and manipulation techniques are to defeat them -- which depend on specific knowledge of that specific model of safe. There's also a lot of (domestic US) travel adventure -- lost luggage is a big deal when you are flying to a site to do a job with tools and there are hard deadlines. The best part, however, are accounts of professional conduct, mentors in the industry, and general philosophy.

[Thomas Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dave McOmie has to have one of the coolest jobs. From the time as a kid with his fascination safecracker in a television series he was attracted to the profession as a safecracker which lead to apprenticeship as a lock smith and a safecracker. Can you imagine having a job getting paid to crack safe and not go to jail ? He goes on to being if not the best one of the best. He was even an editor and publisher of a magazine to pass on trade knowledge and particular jobs. This book covers various jobs he was called out on. You would not think there were so many callouts or jobs for safecrackers or technicians. This is a fast and fun read. The only downfall I see with this book is I wish there would have been a few more illustrations. Thank you to Netgalley and Rowman & Littlefield for an ARC for a fair and honest review.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fascinating concept that certainly delivers yet only for a small part of the book. It starts strong with a style attentive to deal that I really liked. The repetition quickly sets in especially when the reader is subjected the trivial minutiae of the authors personal routines, travel logistics, and musings on parenthood. I think it’s meant to offer a degree of personality, but I found it tedious.

The book is roughly divided into 4 parts:
1. Introductory narrative
2. Saga of his displeasure with government safes
3. Miscellaneous anecdotes
4. Cracking Prince’s vault

Dropping the trivial details and the meandering second section would result in a solid set of interesting stories that ring true to the book’s subtitle promising a chronicle of the coolest job in the world.

[Ash Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A phenomenal look into the life of a safecracker. It was fun to “go on” jobs with Mr McOmie and learn about him the interesting world of safecracking and his friends family and colleagues. Some might not classify this book as an adventure, but I do. It was a wonderful foray into McOmies world and learning about many types of safes and the differences. I enjoyed my look into this world and find Dave McOmies writing to be I want to say relatable. To me he writes like someone I’d like to actually listen and talk to and have him tell me his stories. I feel like I felt his excitement in his jobs. Wonderful book. Absolutely loved it!

[Vincent T. Ciaramella · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun book! Being a huge fan of the movie "Thief" and just loving the idea of safe cracking, this book was right up my alley. I'm sure others have written lengthy detailed overviews of this book, so I'll skip that. My favorite part of the book was the final vault (I won't give it away). That was pretty darn cool.

On a personal note. If the author ever reads this, the final post script hit home. My grandad and I traded books and had discussions much like you and your dad. Sadly, he passed in 2018. After finishing your book I thought, "Man, he would have loved this". I hope that one day also we get to sit down together again and resume our discussions.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who knew there was such a thing as a safecracker? I mean I know they are in movies but..... This book was fascinating I kept interrupting my husband to read him parts. He was intrigued as well. I plan to buy a copy for my brother because I know he will enjoy it as much as I did. I know it is non-fiction but you wouldn’t think that while reading it. It reads like a novel and you want to see what’s next. Great book. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me a chance to read a book I probably would have just walked by but now I need to know more about this job!

[Linda Quick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating look into the life of a professional safecracker. To be honest, before seeing this book, I had no idea there was such a profession, let alone such a significant need for it. The author's stories about some of his more notable experiences were interesting and told in an engaging way. While a non-fiction book, this book read more like a novel.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject or simply learning about something outside of their own experiences.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, Dave McOmie and Rowman & Littlefield for the digital copy of Safecracker. This is my personal review.
Ok this book made me say WOW I want to go to work with him for a day!
Dave McOmie was fascinated by seeing safecrackers in a television when he was young. This is what lead him to an apprenticeship as a locksmith and safecracker. He becomes on of the best paid in people to crack safes and do it as a job!
I was so fascinated by this book that I can not wait to buy copies for family and friends as a gift.

[Byron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent look into the world of safecracking, by someone who loved their job. It is a friendly, amusing and interesting book, with just a modest amount of non-offensive opinionating. I appreciate that someone shares their opinion understanding that others may disagree with them, and that’s okay. But the safecracking stories are slightly technical, but interesting, with the bonus being that one story is the job he did opening Prince’s safe after he died.

[Cameron Toney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a few quibbles about this book- no one has conversations like the ones he has written here, and some of this book can get very technical, but these are mere quibbles. Mostly I found this to be a very enjoyable slice-of-life memoir from a man who loves his job, and who is delighted to tell us tales about what he believes to be the coolest job in the world.
I had fun reading this, as it is almost always fun to read anything by someone who loves their subject.

[Brent · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
A fun, easy read about a fascinating line of work. McOmie has a conversational style and the ease of a natural story-teller. He shares anecdotes, professional details, and historical insights in a manner that made me feel like we were sitting on a porch together. And he structures the book as a "week-in-the-life" narrative that builds to a very memorable finale. I have already recommended this to several people and will surely do so again.

[Corey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written, easy and entertaining read where McOmie covers not only his technical expertise, but his drives and their origins. He writes as if telling a story to his friends, including the life around him that's happening during his fascinating anecdotes. We should all be so lucky to be so good at something we love.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, even more so because I live in the same town and know the landmarks he mentions. I thought it was well written and the way it's presented, a week in his life, made it more enjoyable, with short chapters that are easy to fit into your day. I think my husband would enjoy it. I'll see if he will try it.

[Bob Rosenbaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look at a mysterious job

This is a fast, easy read that had me saying “Aha!” every couple of pages. The author isn’t a polished author, but he’s a clear and effective writer who has fascinating stories and unbelievable knowledge about safes and how to open them. Glad to have read it.

[sbtbkb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read that was written well. The author had a great sense of humor and told the stories well. While it was the technical in parts, it was all easy to understand. The stories blended well together and the author seems like a fun guy to hang out with

[mib6475654 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like Mission Impossible music should be playing along with the review. This book is biographical and suspenseful. This book and Dave McOmie's story are so cool! This book really has everything. I can't wait to buy it in the future.

[Addison Rizer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is so cool to read about jobs that seem entirely out of reach for me and to find the people doing them are operating just the same as I am: with a lot of hard work and a little bit of luck and good people helping us along the way.

[Dennis D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this book! Finding it interesting about his various experiences and situations. He doesn't get into too many technicalities, just an enjoyable and smooth read. I highly recommend this book!

[Ali Atkison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Interesting, well-written. He doesn't embellish, but he doesn't need to. I appreciate his writing style, and he comes across as a humble yet interesting person giving us a glimpse into a unique profession. Definitely worth the read!