An apparatus for reliably and easily controlling articles in custody, for example articles in a safe, has a storage unit lockable to keep the articles therein and unlockable to allow the articles to be taken out therefrom, an input unit to input biometric information for unlocking the storage unit, a registration unit to register biometric information in advance, a collator to collate the input biometric information with the registered biometric information, a controller to unlock the storage unit if the collation by the collator authenticates the input biometric information, and a recorder to record at least a person related to the authenticated biometric information in response to the unlocking of the storage unit.