Gamble on the safe or be safe?

The other night on Storage Wars, Barry bought a unit which contained a pretty nice safe. Wasn't anything else in the unit, just a safe. Now, I think most people know that there is resale value in a safe as long as you don't destroy it while you're trying to get into it. (Like Barry did) So, I just wanted to take a poll to find out what you guys and gals do when you come across a safe.

Do you bid on it? And if so, do you only bid up to what you could reasonably resell the safe for? Or are you willing to pay more than the value of the safe to see if there is anything valuable on the inside?   

I just wanted to take a poll to find out what you guys and gals do when you come across a safe.

I only bid for the value of the safe itself since most of them are usually empty or just contain personal papers anyway.

Value of the safe itself only, minus the cost of getting the combination.  Generally that means from what I have seen-I rarely win units with safes.  Every now and then I manage to get the small safes.

Safes don't do it for me. If one happens to be in a unit I want so be it but I am not bidding on just a safe unless it is something antique. Then I would only bid for the safe not the contents.

I for one don't gamble unless the odds are substantially in my favor.  (safes aren't)  Instead I make sure I point out that I spotted a safe using my "outside" voice.

safes are always interesting however im never willing to bid much on them. the one i bought i tried to get the combo from the company who made it but had no luck wound up having to bust into it which essentiallyruined any value the safe had aside from scrap value. it wasn't willing to pay a locksmith a few hundred bucks to open it properly or drill it out. in my experience most safes i have bought or seen opened tend to be empty. im sure there's some great scores but ive also seen so many people come out losers after buying safes. in my area there's always a several people who seem to think decent size safe that makes the unit worth at least a grand. when figuing a bid i dont take the safe into account as muhc more than scrap value and generally assume they are empty

Last safe I saw was a gun safe.   Besides that there wasn't much else.  Went for $750.

Guy goes in a its unlocked! WhoHoo!
Inside are seven hard case gun totes and piles of mint coin boxes!  Heck yeah!!

Proceeded to open everything......empty....empty.....empty..... 

We were all like WTF?!?

Okay, little odd to take guns and not hard case but maybe he sold each gun without case?  Came and took all so loaded in something less conspicuous since guns aren't suppose to be stored there?   Fine.

But who takes mint coins out of case?

Guy still had a nice score.  Safe was $2k new. Even with re-combo fee he either got a nice safe cheap or made a few hundred.    Pulse each gun case? Couple probably only $25ish but most were the nice rifle case's that (new) go for $150-$250.

Anyway, the point is he only went to $750 based off value of safe.  What he could get for safe, not its possible contents........


<side story>
It was funny because this particular facility has a policy that firearms must be turned over to police.
And around here, once the police have your gun for any reason your not getting it back any time soon, if at all.
So the auctioneer is there and see's this guy going to open safe and he runs over and says:  "looks like its all locked up, eh?  Can't get into it?"  And stands right in font of it with he door about two inches open.

We are all confused for a second and then owner gets it.  "Yep. Locked.  Going to have to haul it home and call lock smith!" 

So a lesson learned.  Don't open safes unill your alone......which would be good advice anywhere.  I'd hate for everyone to know I'm all alone in a dark warehouse after cracking open a safe with millions in it.

I'd hate for everyone to know I'm all alone in a dark warehouse after cracking open a safe with millions in it.

Plus, if someone sees something valuable in your unit, you're a target for a break in if you leave it overnight.