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A SAFE TAKEN OFF THE MARKET THAT AFTER THEIR SIX YEAR OLD OPENS IT AND TAKES A GUN TO THE SCHOOL. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN SARAH FILI INVESTIGATES WHY THAT SAFE UNLOCKED AND WHAT CONSEQUENCES THE FAMILY FACES. AS GUN OWNERS. WITH A LITTLE BOY IN THE HOUSE, A SHENANDOAH, IOWA FAMILY BOUGHT THIS SAFE TO MAKE SURE THE GUN WAS SECURE. ONLY A REGISTERED FINGERPRINT CAN UNLOCK IT, AT LEAST THAT’S WHAT THE FAMILY THOUGHT. WE PUT THOSE SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE. WE DID OUR BEST. WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO PROTECT OUR FAMILY AND COMMUNITY. AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT JUST DIDN’T HAPPEN IN THIS SCENARIO. IN EARLY MARCH, THIS MAN’S SIX YEAR OLD SON WAS ON THE SCHOOL PLAYGROUND AT RECESS WHEN TEACHERS FOUND A GUN IN HIS BACKPACK. THEY CONFISCATED A GUN FROM A STUDENT AND THEY NEEDED OFFICERS OUT TO THE SCHOOL. SHENANDOAH POLICE CHIEF JOSH GRAY CONTACTED THE BOY’S PARENTS, WHO INSISTED THE GUN HAD BEEN IN A LOCKED SAFE. IF HE JUST SAW THE SAFE AND HE PUT HIS THUMBPRINT ON IT AND IT OPENED RIGHT UP FOR THE KID. THAT’S RIGHT. THAT SAFE SOLD BY A CHINESE COMPANY CALLED BIRKIN, UNLOCKED FOR THE SIX YEAR OLD. POLICE WENT TO THE HOME TO CHECK THE SAFE. THE FATHER WAS MORE THAN WILLING TO WORK WITH US, SHOW US ANYTHING WE WANTED TO EXAMINE THE SAFE. HE WENT TO GO PUT HIS THUMBPRINT ON THE SAFE. AND RIGHT AWAY, AS SOON AS MY OFFICER DID THAT, THE SAFE OPENED RIGHT UP FOR HIM, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE BASICALLY JUST FOR THAT OWNER AND HIS OWN THUMBPRINT IN FACT, THE FAMILY QUICKLY DISCOVERED ANY FINGERPRINT OR EVEN TOE PRINT UNLOCKED THE BIRKIN GUN SAFE. WE AGREED TO DISGUISE THE FATHER’S IDENTITY TO PROTECT HIS SIX YEAR OLD SON. WE STILL HOLD A LOT OF, LIKE, GUILT FOR IT. I’M LIKE, WE FEEL PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE, BUT WE’VE TAKEN EVERY ACTION THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN. IN MY OWN POWER, THE FATHER BOUGHT THE BIRKIN BIOMETRIC SAFE BOX ON AMAZON IN NOVEMBER FOR $229. THE COMPANY NOTES THAT IN DEFAULT MODE, ANY FINGERPRINT CAN OPEN THE SAFE. BUT THE FATHER TOLD US HE SET IT UP. ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL, INCLUDING THE FINGERPRINT READER THAT UNLOCKS IT. AND IT REMAINED LOCKED WHEN HIS WIFE TRIED TO OPEN IT. REVIEWS POSTED ON AMAZON.COM ECHOED THE SHENANDOAH MAN’S CONCERNS. ONE USER SAID THE SAFE OPENED WITH, QUOTE, ALL TEN OF MY FINGERS AND TOES. THEY KNOW IT’S AN ISSUE MEAN BASED ON THE REVIEWS YOU CAN GO AND PULL IT’S A KNOWN ISSUE AND THEY’VE THEY’VE ALREADY RESOLVED SOME OF THOSE BY SENDING NEW SAFE. WE’VE BEEN WORKING TO CONTACT BIRKIN ABOUT THE SHENANDOAH MAN’S ORDEAL. THE COMPANY HAS NOT RESPONDED TO ANY OF OUR REQUESTS FOR COMMENT, BUT THE SHENANDOAH MAN PROVIDED US WITH COPIES OF EMAILS HE SAYS HE EXCHANGED WITH THE CHINESE COMPANY IN ONE EMAIL DATED MARCH 13TH. BIRKIN SAYS TWO MONTHS AGO WE UPDATED THE CHIP PROGRAM THAT THE SAFE CAN ONLY OPEN IT UNTIL USERS HAVE REGISTERED FINGERPRINTS. SUCCESS ONLY USERS CANNOT OPEN IT WHEN IT IS IN DEFAULT MODE. RECEIVED THE SAFE. THAT UPDATE WAS A MONTH AFTER THE MAN BOUGHT THE SAFE. WHY WASN’T THERE A RECALL WHEN YOU DECIDED TO PUT NEW CHIPS IN? WHY DIDN’T YOU RECALL THAT? LIKE, WHY WASN’T ANYBODY THAT PURCHASED THAT SAFE PRIOR NOTIFIED THAT, HEY, THIS IS A POTENTIAL RISK. WE WANTED TO SEE IF BIRKIN’S UPGRADE CHANGED ANYTHING. SO KETV, NEWSWATCH SEVEN INVESTIGATES BOUGHT THE SAME SAFE IN LATE MARCH AND SET IT UP ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTIONS, INCLUDING THE FINGERPRINT READER. TRY YOUR FINGER AFTER PROGRAMING. OUR PHOTOGRAPHER TRIED THE FINGERPRINT READER OVER THE COURSE OF A DAY, ALMOST A DOZEN DIFFERENT EMPLOYEES TRIED THEIR FINGERPRINTS. NOT ONE UNLOCKED THE SAFE EXCEPT MINE. DAYS EVEN A WEEK LATER, IT STILL ONLY OPENED FOR THE ONE REGISTERED FINGERPRINT. WE LET THE SHENANDOAH FATHER KNOW THE UPGRADED SAFE SEEMS TO WORK. HE’S THANKFUL, BUT SAYS, WHAT ABOUT ALL THE OTHER SAFES WITH OLD CHIPS THAT COULD STILL FAIL? GET THIS PRODUCT REMOVED SO THIS CAN’T HAPPEN TO SOMEBODY ELSE? BECAUSE IN TALKING WITH AN ATTORNEY, THEY CAN’T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNLESS SOMEBODY WAS INJURED. IN THE CASE OF THE GUN ON THE SHENANDOAH SCHOOL PLAYGROUND, NO ONE WAS HURT. AND THE PAGE COUNTY ATTORNEY DECLINED TO PRESS ANY CHARGES. BUT UNDER SHENANDOAH SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY, THE SIX YEAR OLD WAS EXPELLED FROM KINDERGARTEN, LEAVING HIS FATHER STILL ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MAKER OF THAT GUN SAFE. THIS IS ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY. EVERYBODY DOESN’T HAVE A PROBLEM HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE FOR IT. I THINK THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AS WELL. WE ASKED THE CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION IF IT WAS AWARE OF ANY ISSUES WITH THE SAFE THE AGENCY SAYS IT CAN’T COMMENT ON ANYTHING. IT QUOTE, MAY OR MAY NOT BE INVESTIGATING, BUT THE SAYS HE HAS SOME COMPLAINT THERE. AMAZON SAID IT HAD NO COMMENT FOR OUR STORY. AGAIN, WE’VE REACHED OUT REPEATEDLY TO BURKE AND THEY HAVE NOT ANSWERED OUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SAFE OR THE UPGRADE. THREE WEEKS AFTER GETTING OUR SAFE, IT’S STILL UNLOCKS ONLY FOR ME. IF YOU HAVE A GUN SAFE, TAKE THE TIME TO KNOW WHO CAN ACTUALLY UNLOCK IT. SARAH FILI