Hollywood Hills

Mulholland Drive Mystery: 600-Pound Steel Safe Pulled From Hollywood Hills Canyon

A mystery emerged from the brush below Mulholland Drive when fire-rescue teams pulled two safes from a Hollywood Hills canyon.

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A shared question was on the minds of residents Tuesday night near a scenic overlook off Mulholland Drive in the Hollywood Hills.

What's in the safe?

A safe is pulled from a Hollywood Hills canyon Tuesday Aug. 16, 2022.

The wild speculation began when Los Angeles firefighters with heavy rescue equipment pulled two large safes Tuesday afternoon from the brush-covered canyon. The mysterious discovery was made near the Universal City overlook, which offerings sweeping views of the San Fernando Valley to the north. 

Instead of expansive views, residents took in a more unusual sight at the location when an approximately 4 1/2 foot-, 600-pound steel safe was pulled from thick brush. When fire-rescue personnel retrieved that safe, they spotted another smaller safe not far away. 

Both were slowly pulled up the hillside using ropes during a three-hour operation in steep and rough terrain.

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The smaller safe turned out to be empty, but the second remain locked Tuesday night. The safes were taken away by the LAPD.

“It could very well have been taken in a burglary or robbery,” said LAPD Detective Tim Kirkpatrick. “It’s evidence and we want to follow up on all leads possible.”

Kirkpatrick said the LAPD has a team of professional safe-crackers, who managed to open the safe Wednesday.

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