What's this thing in my cellar?

shaun_from_Africa

konark wrote: »

So how did all that water get in a safe? Aren't they supposed to be airtight?

A modern safe will probably be air and water tight but this is far from guaranteed to be the case with one that may be 100 years old.
There is also the fact the OP has stated that the lock was broken and was sitting inside the safe so water could easily have gotten in through the keyhole.

sleepymans

In the recent past, ordinary folk couldn't necessarily open a bank account ....or didn't trust banks and so they would hide their valuables about the house. Come to think of it, who doesn't know an elderly person who is hiding cash in their home?
Sadly the hiding places are only too easy to suss, especially for thieves.