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Earning money inRed Dead Redemptioncan be challenging, but John Marston isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. From clearing gang hideouts to cracking safes, he’ll seize any opportunity to make a quick buck, regardless of the risk factor. Looting strongboxes, in particular, can severely impact his honor andWanted Level.
Unlike regular chests, the safes serve as a more reliable source of income. They spawn in fixed locations and reset under certain conditions, providing a steady stream of valuable loot. This guide will further explain the safe cracking method inRed Dead Redemption.
While progressing throughRed Dead Redemption’s campaign, players will come across a few safes to crack. When they find one, aCrack Safe promptwill appear in the bottom right corner of the screen. After clicking the button, John Marston will proceed to pick the lock by rotating the dial accordingly.
Every safe in the game comes with athree-wheel combination lock. To find the first number in the combination, move the dial slowly to the right. Thelock symbol at the top will shake when close to the correct digit. After finding the first number, move the dial to the left until you find the second number, and then back to the right again for the third.
Cracking safes inRed Deadis a straight-forward process butdemands patience. A misstep, especially in a bank with lawmen nearby, can derail your efforts. If this ever occurs in a playthrough, stop picking the lock and start over.
Set the dial to zero at the beginning to avoid missing out on the on-screen cue.
The safe will open once all three numbers are matched and can contain rewards like money, a Cattleman Revolver, and occasionally aPardon Letter. Looting resources in such a manner willnegatively affect John Marston’s honor rating. To prevent that from happening,wear a bandana while cracking a safe.
A Wanted Status will prevent you from cracking a safe, soreduce the bountybefore looting any strongbox.
Once a safe has been looted,it will reset as long as players leave the area. They can return and crack the vault again to make some quick money and increase their chances of obtaining a Pardon Letter, which can be used todecrease bounty inRed Dead Redemption. Here are the locations of the safe in every town in the game:
Safe locations
Two safes are located at the back of the bank.
Blackwater
Two safes are located near the desk inside the front office and around the corner to the right of the door, respectively.
Head upstairs in the Butchery office.
Fort Mercer
Reach the second floor of the fort and enter the room in the right corner.
Behind the jailhouse door.
El Presidio
Head to the second story of the house where Javier Escuella was caught.
Chuparosa
Follow the teller to the bank to loot the two safes inside.
Aside from the fixed spawns, players can find and loot safes duringThe Great Mexican Train RobberyandSolomon’s Folly Gang Hideoutmissions.
