Strongroom 1962

Robbery begins just after closing time

Griff, Len, and Len's brother Alec pull off a bank heist at a city bank just after closing on a Saturday ahead of an Easter Monday holiday. They trap the bank manager, Mr. Spencer, and his secretary Rose inside the tight strongroom. Realizing the danger of discovery, they flee the scene, not fully considering the fate of the trapped workers.

Two workers left in the strongroom

With the robbers gone, the manager and Rose find themselves sealed inside the strongroom with dwindling air. They realize the bank will stay shut for days, making rescue unlikely unless someone acts. Time becomes their adversary as they ration breaths and wait.

A failed plan to signal for help

The criminals draft a plan to signal for help by leaving the strongroom keys in a telephone box and calling the police anonymously. Alec is tasked with delivering this signal, but is killed in a road accident while driving away. The plan collapses before it can be executed.

Police knock on Griff and Len's door

Griff and Len are surprised by a knock on the door from the police, who bring news of Alec's death and Len's brother's death. Len panics and blames the bank employees, vowing not to help Griff in freeing the trapped workers.

Air supply calculation inside the vault

Back inside the strongroom, the two trapped workers calculate their air supply. They realize they might have only about 12 hours if they conserve air, and that they probably won't survive until Tuesday when the bank reopens. They cling to the hope of an outside rescue.

Outside world distracts from the crisis

Outside the bank, the manager's golf friends leave after noticing his car is missing and head to play golf. Rose's family assume she is away for the weekend, unaware of the crisis below. The contrast between normal life and the trapped workers heightens the tension.

Len seeks his brother's belongings

Len goes to the coroner's office to recover his dead brother Alec's belongings, but is told they cannot be released without police authorization. The items include the strongroom keys, tying Len's fate to the ongoing investigation. His anger grows at the bureaucratic delay.

Griff and Len pursue the torch plan

Griff persuades Len to obtain an oxyacetylene torch and attempt to breach the strongroom door. The plan heightens the risk of harm but promises a possible rescue. Time is running out as the air grows thinner.

Key trail leads to the bank

The coroner's assistant informs the police about the strongroom key found with Alec's belongings. A sergeant traces the key maker, who confirms the bank to which the key belongs. The discovery suggests an inner link rather than a random crime.

Suspicions shift to bank staff

Initial police suspicions focus on the bank manager for absconding, but they realize no bank employee should possess both vault keys. This realization points to deeper internal involvement and reshapes the investigation. The risk to the trapped workers remains the central concern.

The bore-in attempt is discovered

Police catch Len and Griff attempting to bore a hole in the strongroom door. They explain their motive—to rescue the trapped workers—and the inspector reluctantly allows the attempt to continue. Tension tightens as the sound of metal echoes through the bank.

Air line reaches the vault

An air line is threaded through the door, allowing a brief relief as the strongroom is opened. The bank manager is carried out barely alive, and the tense rescue operation pivots toward its grim conclusion. The criminals' fate hangs in the balance along with the workers' lives.

Rose is found dead during rescue

A police officer reveals that Rose has died during the incident, discovered among the trapped victims as rescuers work to save them. Griff and Len exchange a look that shows they understand murder laws and the gravity of their actions. The revelation confirms the lethal stakes of the crime.