By Nathan Baca
News Channel 3

Local locksmiths say many of the safes flying off store shelves lately are so easy for burglars to break in, they're giving a false sense of security.

Safe sales have gone up 50 percent in the past three weeks. Unfairly or not, some people just don't trust the banks as much as they used to.

But as local locksmiths point out, much of the inexpensive safe brands nearly being sold out aren't that secure after all.

We asked Mike Harden, owner of the Lock Shop in Palm Desert, to show us what happened to a safe that was broken into.

"What happened is you have your two bolts on this side here," Harden demonstrated. "What they did is they took a crowbar, when this door is in the closed position and they just kept working it in with sledgehammers until they can keep prying on the door until they manage to bend the bolts."

One rule of thumb when it comes to safe security is the size of the bolts. "Firefyter" and "Sentrysafe" are among the most popular safe brands. But this safe door is made of plastic on the inside. Even more alarming, we found the entire lock mechanism was dependant on a small plastic screw that could be popped off with enough handle pressure.

"If you go to a big box store, they're going to sell whatever they have on their shelf. What they have on their shelves are not necessarily specific to their needs," said Harden.

Another sign of a good safe, is the thickness of the metal on the door. One half inch is usually good enough. Safes with thin doors can be pried open easier.

Whether keeping money or valuables in home safes is the smartest financial strategy is up for debate. But if a burglar can bust into your safe without much challenge, these things may be providing a false sense of security.