
A bank robbery vault is essentially a safe deposit box for cash and valuables.
The vault is typically made of thick steel and concrete to prevent drilling or explosive entry.
A security breach occurred at a bank in 2019, where thieves used a combination of social engineering and physical force to gain access to the vault.
The thieves exploited a vulnerability in the bank's security protocol, which allowed them to bypass the vault's electronic locks.
Bank Robbery Vault
The Bank of Spain's vault is a highly secured facility that's even harder to break into than the vault in National Treasure. In real life, there are almost no chances of success due to the numerous precautions in place.
The vault's design includes a flooding mechanism that makes it extremely difficult to navigate. This mechanism is triggered after the second door, leaving only one more step to the plan.
Even if someone were to survive the initial flooding, they would still face significant obstacles to reaching the end of the vault. In fact, it's unlikely that anyone could successfully execute this plan in real life, let alone in a fictional series like Money Heist.
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Real Safety is More Protected

The Bank of Spain's vault is a lot more secure than what you'd see in movies and TV shows, like Money Heist. In fact, it's much harder to break into than the underground vault in National Treasure.
The writers of Money Heist were inspired by the Bank of Spain's legendary flooding vault, but they didn't quite get it right. In reality, the flooding happens after the second door, not at the beginning of the vault.
There are still one more step to the plan, making it highly unlikely to succeed. Even if someone survives drowning, getting to the end is only possible in a fictional series like Money Heist.
Thieves Cut Roof to Raid Safe Deposit Boxes
A group of thieves managed to break into a Maspeth Federal Savings bank by cutting a hole through the roof to access the bank's vault.
The heist was rather clever, as the thieves stole a ladder from a nearby home to get onto the roof, and then constructed a wooden box to hide themselves while boring a hole in the ceiling of the bank.

The hole led right into the vault where the safety deposit boxes were kept, and the thieves emptied the boxes of customers' possessions.
Dozens of safe deposit boxes were taken to the roof, and the thieves cut a hole in the back fence and escaped undetected.
The police say that the thieves cut wires before the robbery so there's no surveillance footage.
The bank employee noticed the missing safe deposit boxes and the hole in the ceiling of the bank yesterday morning around 8:30 a.m.
The thieves cut a hole in the roof of the bank in Rego Park, Queens, and accessed the vault area.
A ladder was found in the rear of the bank, which the thieves likely used to climb up to the roof.
The break-in occurred sometime over the weekend, and the bank was closed for business on Saturday at 1 p.m. and was closed all Sunday before reopening on Monday.
The police believe that this robbery is linked to nine other similar bank robberies where the thieves gain access by cutting a hole in the roof.
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Here is a list of some of the key facts about the heist:
- The thieves stole a ladder from a nearby home to get onto the roof.
- They constructed a wooden box to hide themselves while boring a hole in the ceiling of the bank.
- They cut a hole in the back fence and escaped undetected.
- The police say that the thieves cut wires before the robbery so there's no surveillance footage.
- The break-in occurred sometime over the weekend.
Thieves' Tactics
Thieves cut a hole through the roof to access the bank's vault, a rather clever move. They used a ladder from a nearby home to get onto the roof, which they then hid themselves in while boring a hole in the ceiling.
The hole led right into the vault where the safety deposit boxes were kept. The thieves then constructed a wooden box to hide themselves while accessing the vault.
Police say the thieves cut wires before the robbery so there's no surveillance footage. The bank's vault contains cash for tellers, in addition to the safe deposit boxes.
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Money Heist Season 3 Plot
Breaking into the Bank of Spain's vault is a daunting task due to its multiple steel doors, each requiring a tight seal to prevent entry.
The doors are made of non-stainless steel, which means they need a constant layer of Vaseline to prevent rust from forming.
There's never been a real-life attempt to rob the vault, suggesting its security measures are indeed impenetrable.
The show Money Heist takes creative liberties with the vault's security, depicting the characters plotting to enter it in Season 3.
In reality, the vault's security is so advanced that it's a wonder no one has tried to steal from it before.
Thieves Cut Roof Hole
Thieves have been using a clever tactic to gain access to bank vaults by cutting a hole in the roof.
They often cut through the metal and wood on the roof to reach the vault area. This was the case at the Maspeth Federal Savings bank in Queens, where a large hole was discovered in the roof.
The thieves then use the hole to access the vault and remove safe deposit boxes. At the Maspeth Federal Savings bank, about three dozen empty boxes were left on the roof.
A ladder was found in the rear of the bank, suggesting that the thieves may have used it to reach the roof. The ladder was painted flat black, which may have helped the thieves to remain undetected.
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The thieves have been able to cut through the roof and access the vault without triggering the alarm system. This suggests that they may have cut the video cameras as well, allowing them to avoid detection.
This tactic has been used in at least 10 burglaries across the city, with the first reported incident occurring in 2011. The thieves have been able to get away with large sums of money, including nearly $300,000 in a heist in Borough Park, Brooklyn.
The following table summarizes the key facts about the thieves' tactic:
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was 30 million dollars stolen from?
The theft occurred at a money storage facility in the Silmar neighborhood.
Sources
- https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-04-03/sylmar-burglary-money-storage-facility-30-million
- https://screenrant.com/money-heist-flooded-gold-vault-real-bank-spain/
- https://gothamist.com/news/thieves-cut-hole-in-queens-bank-roof-to-ransack-safe-deposit-boxes
- https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/11/germany-robbers-drill-into-vault-steal-6-5m-euros
- https://abc7ny.com/queens-rego-park-bank-robbery-heist/1351473/
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