Stay Safe

Stay

Safe WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER PHOTOS PROVIDED

When we lose something, we cannot just step into a time machine to get it back. Instead, we can prepare now and protect our valuables before they are ever lost. “When I see things like the terrible California wildfires that destroyed so many homes and then not see one safe standing among the rubble, I ask myself, ‘Where are all the safes? Those people lost so much stuff and that stuff is hard to replace. I think if they’d just had a safe,” said Bob Neville.

PRIVATE EYES

“Everyone has valuables, but most people don’t have safes,” said Neville. As co-owners of 3N Document Destruction, brothers Dave and Bob Neville have been trusted to keep sensitive information private for 26 years. Why do people trust them? It’s all in the eyes. Bob Neville says people feel comfortable with him because he is the type of guy who looks you in the eye when he’s talking to you. “You are your word. When you tell someone something, you have to follow-through. We seal a deal with a handshake. A deal’s a deal. We’re old-school like that,” he said. Building trust is a skill the brothers learned from their parents, who were married for 62 years.

SAFETY FIRST

Uncertainty causes us all to pause and to reassess, but the tension of holding back naturally melts away once anxiety is eased, and a sense of security is restored. Since 1994, more than 6,000 customers (ranging from car washes, to hospitals, lawyers and C.P.A.s) have been trusting 3N Document Destruction’s services to handle and shred their private papers. Then, 15 years ago, they opened Capital District Records Management to archive and store documents. When Bob Neville wanted an Americanmade gun safe for his own home, he had to drive 90 miles away to find one. He bought a Liberty safe. His brother saw it and wanted one, too. Then, their dad did. That’s when, in 2012, they opened 3N Liberty Safe in Clifton Park. “There’s a safe for every budget. We’ve installed them in trailers, $8 million homes, and everywhere in-between,” said Neville.

SITTING PRETTY

Whether you are installing a small handgun safe or a room vault, there’s a way to hide it. One homeowner used a rolling bookcase to hide a vault, another disguised a premium home safe as a cabinet that looked just like all the other cabinets surrounding it. “Most people tend to want to hide a safe, but you don’t have to. Don’t go hide it in the closet because no one’s going to get into it. These are high-end, with beautiful paint jobs and are so well designed, it’s like hiding away a Porsche,” said Neville. Moving one in can feel like moving a small car into the house, as well. Weighing as much as 1,600 lbs. and costing up to $7,500, this is a one-time purchase that holds its value. Liberty safes don’t just look like a high-performance sports car however, they are as innovative as one, too. “These are not the safes of yesteryear,” he said. They have interior LED lighting, accessory drawers and cooling document pockets. While about half of 3N Liberty Safe’s customers prefer the traditional dial lock, electronic locking systems are quickly becoming popular. When linked to your smart phone, you’ll be sitting pretty with features such as unlocking remotely, SecuRam to protect against electromagnetic pulses, and Safe Alert, a monitoring system that notifies you of an internet outage, movement, or if there is an increase in temperature.

BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY

When Neville arrived at the scene of a customer’s still-smoldering house fire, he saw just how tough these safes are. “It just looked terrible. It was wet, had smoke damage and was covered in black ash but when he opened it up and saw that all his valuables were still there, untouched, he started crying, he just couldn’t believe it. Everything was fine,” said Neville.

“You just never know what’s going to happen in life,” said Bob Neville.

It’s nice to know there are some things you can count on – like 3N Liberty Safe’s durability, lifetime warranty and the people backing it.

As a small, family-owned local company, the Nevilles’ ensure a smooth installation by going on every delivery in-person and arriving incognito (often in an unmarked truck) with their fully-screened and fully-insured staff. Their mission is to keep your important information confidential, which is why they’ll install any safe, (even if you bought it from someone else) and offer discounts to law enforcement and military personnel.

“When you call, someone’s going to pick up the phone and you’re most likely going to get a Neville.”

S S 3N Liberty Safe, 24 Corporate Drive, Clifton Park, is open by appointment only. Call them at 518-371-SAFE or visit them online at 3Nlibertysafe.com.