Chapter 6

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"GROUND FLOOR HOSTS the expensive stuff, upstairs the obscenely expensive stuff. Down here you may call it safe, but up there it is safest," Ron explained the setup, pointing to a broad set of stairs that ended with an enormous high tech steel door. "Down here, we have the standard setup for a high price gallery or antique store—reinforced doors, unbreakable glass in extra sturdy frames, standard alarm. The second floor is a different beast altogether—two doors leading to the display room are secured with in-frame bolts, electronic locks and drill-proof casing, computer controlled electronic lock, no tampering possible. The ceiling and floor have both been fitted with welded steel plates. The air-conditioning shafts are blocked. The windows are made of high grade security glass; it is easier to break the walls than it is to break the glass that you see from down the street."

"The whole floor is like one big safe," I stated innocently. "Usually a jeweler or a gallery has to lock away the pieces overnight and rearrange them each morning. That's what I am doing for 30 minutes each day in my store."

"Right. The insurance company approved the security level of the display room. Mr. Wynn's colleague faxed us the checklist and the detailed setup."

We stood at the steel plated, motor-driven door leading from the staircase into the second floor showroom. On the left of the door was a simple but effective looking electronic control, resembling a small ATM machine.

"Any additional alarms?"

"Out here, it is by electronic control. The door has motion sensors implemented in case anyone starts to drill or blast it."

We made our way inside the safe, more like the safe room. It was almost as large as the lower showroom. Rebuilt as display units, the windows displayed the same pieces for the outside world and the gallery visitors. Classy affair. The walls, ceiling and floor were all painted a neutral white, giving it a Soho-Lofty look, which had clearly been the intent of the architect.

"Due to fire regulations, whether a safe or not, the room had to have another exit. This one lead to the back-office and the fire door." Across the room was the other safe door, which I had used to peek into the safe room to discover the dead night watchman.

"One wonders how you should open that door in case of a fire," I said.

"Good point. The fire marshal thought of that, too. That's why the doors are always opened simultaneously," Ron explained.

"Really? Doesn't that defeat the purpose of a safe room?"

"In a way. Supposedly, the floor qualifies as a showroom and not as regular safe, hence the regulation. But the trick is to open the safe at all."

"The door on the other side is the same type. Impregnable. Same security mechanisms. The control center of the security company never got alerted, so whoever managed to open it was very careful, indeed."

I gave a small cry when I saw the taped silhouette of a body on the floor, behind one of the display boxes. The contrast between the bloody remains and the innocent white of the floorboards was frightening. Having seen the real deal, it was even more so. But I still reflexively gave that small cry.

"Yes, this is where we found the night watchman and here is the display that the jewels were taken from." Ron stepped up to one of the regular displays, which was actually empty. "Protected by a simple security lock."

After we solemnly looked at the flimsy lock, I nudged him. "You want to tell me the heist step-by-step?" I encouraged him.

Ron nodded. "Good idea, let me give you my theory, feel free to correct me anytime you think I missed something."

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