Watch CBS News

Mysterious Safes In Jersey City Mayor's Office Are Empty

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYorkAP) -- The Al Capone vault comparisons were pretty spot on.

After much anticipation, locksmiths on Tuesday opened two mysterious safes discovered in a wall of the Jersey City mayor's office.

Mayor Steve Fulop said he had no idea what the safes may have been used for, or whether anything might be inside. His predecessors also didn't have any ideas.

Mysterious Safes In Jersey City Mayor's Office Are Empty

It tuns out there was nothing in the safes except a rusty extension cord.

Mysterious Safes In Jersey City Mayor's Office Are Empty

"This is the Geraldo moment, I totally know how Geraldo feels, whether it's the Titanic, or King Tut, or the safes in City Hall," Fulop said.

City officials think the safes have been around since the 1940s and not opened for many years.

Given the city's checkered past, Fulop said he was expecting there to be something in the safes.

"Being that we had a lot of mayors that left abruptly, we figured that it would be an interesting thing to open, unfortunately even if people leave abruptly they still take what's in the vault," Fulop said. "We thought it would be fun being that we've had so many mayors arrested and go to jail and the colorful history here, unfortunately there was no hidden treasure."

He plans to put a few items in the vaults to make a time capsule.

A vault in Chicago's Lexington Hotel linked to Al Capone was opened during a live TV special in 1986. The vault was empty save for a few bottles and a sign.

You May Also Be Interested In These Stories:

(TM and © Copyright 2013 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2013 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.