SANDY — Fingerprint entry pads, iris scanning technology, and motion and pressure sensors are security options people might expect to find in a place where precious and priceless art is stored.
Now that type of technology is available to Utahns who don't want to use a home safe or a bank safety deposit box to protect valuable documents and possessions.
Safe Haven Private Vaults takes protection of personal precious valuables to a whole new level.
Getting to a safety deposit box at Safe Haven is like a scene out of "Mission Impossible." Getting into the building requires a numeric code. To get through a second door, a person must have their retina scanned. Then once a person is inside a small hallway called a "Man Trap," the door behind the owner of a safety deposit box has to lock before they enter yet another code that opens another door.
Unlike a fireproof strong box, which could be taken by thieves, or a bank safety deposit box that can't be accessed if the bank is closed, Safe Haven Private Vaults at 8675 S. 700 East in Sandy is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
More and more people are demanding this level of security for their personal possessions, according to Safe Haven owner Nathan Coccimiglio.
"Some of these technologies are being used in the Pentagon and security of federal buildings and such," he said.
And it's totally anonymous. No names appear on the client list, only retina information is stored. The deposit boxes need only one key, and the owner of the box is the only one with that key. Employees do not have a master key.
There are about 3,000 boxes of various sizes, including large safes with digital locks.
The building has ballistic-grade steel-reinforced walls and bulletproof glass, and there are multiple cameras in each room.
"There are over 50 cameras that are monitored on-site and off-site, interior and exterior as well, with the ability to zoom in," Coccimiglio said.
Employees are also in place around the clock, keeping an eye on the cameras, and there's a sophisticated alarm system that will sound in case there's any kind of breach.
Safe Haven Private Vaults is only the ninth such facility built in the country, and it officially opens for business Nov. 3.
Prices range from about $400 a year for the small boxes to $3,000 for the larger safes. And people are already starting to reserve them.
Coccimiglio said the bottom line for those who desire ultimate safe keeping of their valuables: This is about as secure as it gets.
"There's nothing comparable in the state," he said. "This is a maximum security facility for valuables — much like Fort Knox is to America's gold reserve."
Email: kmccord@ksl.com