Rescue mobile phone from behind fitted wall units

[Jo1]

Help my son managed to drop my mobile down the small gap between my fitted Cupboard and the wall
. The cupboard is part of a run with cornice top and bottom, and the walls are tricky to fit to ( old brick/ plaster and prone to being crumbly) so I’m hoping to avoid having to remove cupboards
Does anyone have any ideas? Is it feasible to cut through the back with a Stanley knife?
Thanks

[Rorschach]

If it's a hardboard back then a stanley knife will cut it eventually. Take your time though and make it neat, then it will be easier to repair later. Make the cut at an angle too, then the piece will not fall through the back.

[Jo1]

Thanks I’ll give it a try, think the back is hardboard, fingers crossed

[toolbox]

Cutting hard board with a stanley do it in stages take a light scribe first going slightly deeper each time.

[dewaltdisney]

Is this a base unit or a wall unit? If it is a base unit then it will be easier to pull the kick board off as they are usually held on by clips. If it is a wall unit then as the others have said above. How the hell did he get up there to drop a phone??

DWD

[Jo1]

What can I say, he’s a 10 yr old adventurous climber, with Autism and learning difficulties, and I need eyes in the back of my head!!

[dewaltdisney]

Well it was quite an achievement to get up there! I can see now how it happened. Good luck with retrieving your phone

DWD

[big-all]

just a though
some units can have batons going side to side which may or may not catch the phone
try ringing it to help locate its exact position

[Job and Knock]

I presume you mean split battens or (French) cleats. If that is the case the phone would be fairly near the top as you always need to put the top cleat in where it would support the weight. Upper cabinets only, though, I'd say