Only part of this is true. Despite what you may see in the movies, a Western Sydney facility is offering people an economical option to protect their priceless assets and family heirlooms.
And if you think you have to channel your inner Jason Bourne to get inside, then read on.
Australasian Vaulting Industries new safe deposit box facility in Bella Vista features the latest electronic security systems to safeguard its contents – bomb resistant vault doors, bullet proof glass, hardened concrete and steel walls, guard rooms and airlocks.
To gain access, customers undergo scans using the latest in biometric iris reading technology.
Andrew Dalton has been operating private vaults for several years and is the man behind this new, purpose built facility.
“Getting to Sydney from the west can be a heartache with traffic, tolls, parking and time, actually costing more than the original cost of the safe deposit box. We saw an opportunity to move to where our clients are based in Western Sydney and North-West Sydney so we decided to take the vault to the people,” he said.
As well as being Western Sydney’s largest private vault, Australasian Vaulting Industries is also the only facility to use biometric iris reading technology – said to be more than 10 million times more accurate than fingerprints.
“Most people use fingerprint technology or palm geometry which isn’t as unique as iris biometrics. Our technology can only be surpassed by DNA; it is very accurate meaning there are no false entries,” Mr Dalton said.
So how much does this level of security cost? As little as $5 a week which includes $10,000 insurance cover and a whole lot of peace of mind.
Registration is similar to setting up a bank account. Customers need to complete a 100-point check and supply photographic identification before being issued two keys, a security chip tag and a PIN and their biometric iris algorithm is recorded.
The vault is constantly monitored, and the customer’s safe deposit box can only be unlocked by inserting two distinct keys.
And only the nominated people on the account can ever gain access inside.
The seismic sensors, infra-red technology and CCTV system may make Australasian Vaulting Industries sound like something out of a Hollywood movie. Not so, said Mr Dalton, because in the movies, the bad guys inevitably gain access inside.
“Our reputation has been built on many years of experience and the integrity of our name,” Mr Dalton said.
That is why, he said, Australasian Vaulting Industries is trusted by businesses looking to securely store data drives, company records and sensitive documents as well as families wanting to store jewellery, titles, deeds and passports.
“There is a phenomenon we’re seeing across Western Sydney where homes are being targeted by thieves whose weapon of choice these days is a metal detector to target gold and jewellery,” Mr Dalton said.
For that reason, safe deposit boxes have become popular among the Chinese and Indian communities to secure precious heirlooms and Mr Dalton thinks local aged care facilities will soon follow the trend, so they don’t have to bear the onus of protecting the expensive belongings of its elderly residents.
“We’re very proud of the facility we have built and of the checks and balances we have in place from years of experience,” he said.
To arrange a tour of the Australasian Vaulting Industries facility at Bella Vista or for more information, visit www.avivaults.com.au
WHAT'S INSIDE
Australasian Vaulting Industries customers use safe deposit boxes to store a range of goods including gold and silver bullions, jewellery, stamps and coins, data drives, currency, spare keys, legal documents and certificates
