no but seriously, where do people store valuables these days? original certificates, passports, family heirlooms...?

Sidam, Leeds,

This is a abuse of power and violation of human rights similar to arrest of opposition leaders in zimbabwe

m.m.desai, london,

I agree with Phil, a definate human rights issue as apparently owners of boxes are not allowed to be present when their box is opened.....

So where is your money safe these days.... clearly not in banks or safety deposit boxes!!!

JG, London, UK

Surely there's a human rights issue to opening of a safety deposit box & how much worse a crime is squirreling away a few quid, than all the tax avoidance schemes that leave income tax optional for those earning over £300k. Might make good copy but doesn't make our streets any safer!

Phil McCavity, London, UK

"Up to 90 per cent of the private boxes are also believed by officers to contain illegal goods."

This is transparent nonsense. It's PR, not law enforcement. How on earth would the police know, a priori, that the contents of thousands of deposit boxes are illegal?

FH, London,

This govt has taken a bank from its shareholders and is now plundering deposit boxes! Is nothing sacred?

Jamie, Edinburgh,

Perhaps the SFO could now raid the UK banks for evidence related to the far bigger sub prime debacle for fraud, 400 BILLION and counting, along with the negligence of the Bank Of England and US Federal Reserve in abrogating their duty to protect adequately our financial systems .

Philip Palij, Ashburton, New Zealand

'each box is a separate crime scene'... would it be too much to hope that the Police therefore have a separate search warrant and probable cause for each box they open? Or is this a ginormous fishing expedition and terrible trampling of private property rights.

David Rowell, Seattle, USA

so thats how the govt is going to recuperate some of the tax money its just given back lol

cc, london, uk