Strongroom

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The rescue ends with tragedy and the criminals face severe consequences. The atmosphere among survivors and law enforcement is heavy as the possibility of the death penalty hovers over their heads. The events leave lingering guilt and a stark reminder of the crime's price.