Seen & heard
The mystery of what some people keep in their private bank safes has been solved. Not ingots of gold bullion but bars of stolen soap - and a ham salad. These were among the more unusual items discovered when a fire at the Credit Lyonnais bank in Paris forced staff to open the boxes. Other, less conventional, items were a felt hat, jam and a bottle of whisky.
However, the more obvious trappings of wealth were also unearthed. One customer emptied his safe of about 100 paintings, including some by Picasso, Matisse and Chagall - kept at the bank because he already had 2,000 hanging in his home.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies