Cops Spent Over 10 Hours Trying To Break Open A Safe In Najib's House

According to Najib's lawyer Datuk Harpal Singh Grewal a police team began its efforts to break open the safe by drilling into it at 8.30am on Thursday, 17 May.

Harpal said that the old safe has never been unlocked for the past 20 years because the key is missing.

"At about 8.30am, some of the officers proceeded to a room located on the first floor and decided to drill open a safe which had remained locked for two decades as the key had been misplaced," he said in a statement.

New Straits Times reported Harpal as saying that the drilling had continued until past 7pm, adding that there was "absolutely no peace and quiet" at Najib's residence.

He added that the continued presence of police officers at the residence and the drilling of the safe strongly suggests unwarranted harassment, which caused Najib, his family members, staff, and others in the residence mental distress and anguish, as well as casted a bad image on Najib, his client.

Reuters reported that two locksmiths, with one of them spotted wearing a jacket emblazoned with with the safe's manufacturer's name, Lion Steelworks Sdn Bhd, were tasked with breaking open safe in Najib's house.

Lion Steelwork's manager, Tan See Chong, reportedly told Reuters in a text message that it was "not difficult" to open the safe because the company manufactured it.

"It's a very old safe... this type will take longer time because of anti-drill features," Tan was quoted as saying.