Changers-Most Secure

[wasiknator]

Just had two of my changers broken into. Locks cut out of the back of the door. Have had these American changers for 10 years. Any suggestions on changers that have a more secure door/lock/metal housing?

 

[mac]

There are more secure cabinets out there, but they may not actually be of any real world benefit. Once a criminal gets inside your room, and no alarm goes off (shame on you for that. You can get a cheap one for under $200), he's going to get inside the changer. The more secure the cabinet, the more damage that will be done to your equipment. I know some operators who just leave a small ammount of coins in them, and leave the doors unlocked. That way they lose a hundred bucks or so, but don't have to repair anything. I would recommend an alarm that lets out an ear piercing scream, and a camera system. Both will cost you less than a new changer.

 

[Jim L.]

I had the same thing happen to me 2 years ago. The thieves cut my telephone line and a 2X2 hole in my equipment room door. From there they cut the corners off the backs of my changers. Since then I added motion sensors inside the equipment room and a radio backup to the alarm system. No problems since these additions.

I did add a hasp and padlock to the changer doors to keep the honest people out when the equipment room door is open.

 

[dirty harry]

The most secure changer is the one that dispenses tokens.

 

[Ric]

The most secure changer is the one that dispenses tokens.

Did that 7 years ago. Haven't had an issue since. I leave them unlocked, remove bills daily.

 

[wendy's wash]

I have an alarm at both of my washes. Each system has a motion sensor. Guy cut a 2x2 hole in roof. Was inside and saw that the dollar machines were not locked and saw the motion sensor. Went for changer any way and that caused him to set off alarm. Got change and went back out roof. Fell off roof and fractured ankle. Police heard alarm and went on lot. Coming around corner was crook. Hobbling and fell to ground and gave up. He got 14 months in jail. An alarm is in my opion to be the best expense I ever made. Now I have motion at both ends of equipment room. Without an alarm they will have time to cause a whole lot of damage and steal everything they can.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

You could always gets some steel plates cut for all the back sides of changer and weld them to case, with a another lock over the lock. I don't think in the stock form one changer is any tougher than the next. An alarm and inside and outside cameras would do more for you along with possible lighting changes.
I myself leave the keys on a magnet tag on the side of the changer so less damage would be done. Once again high security $1tokens seem to kill the thieves energy for breaking in also . You can't make everything bulletproof, but a combination of things will make you look unattractive to all but the hardcore idiots, at that point its best to just try to minimize damage so that you have very little downtime, and large expenses.

 

[Jim L.]

For me, changing to tokens stopped the frontal attacks on my changers. However, it did not stop the thieves from breaking into the equipment room to get cash out of the rear of the changers.

 

[wasiknator]

Thanks for the feedback.

Unfortunately, they wanted tokens as well. Broke into the token credit card changer and took tokens and hoppers. Did not break into the changer that gave tokens for bills. Unsure why, did not make sense.

Adding motion sensor to eq room and to changers with the loudest alarm that I can purchase.

The scariest aspect of this crime is that it would have been 3 on 1 if either my business partner, maintenance man or myself would have been there. All would have been unsuspecting when opening the door.

 

[Bucksavage]

"The scariest aspect of this crime is that it would have been 3 on 1 if either my business partner, maintenance man or myself would have been there. All would have been unsuspecting when opening the door."

A small security tool in .40 caliber would help even those odds. Not an option for everyone but helps me sleep at night.

 

[MEP001]

Adding motion sensor to eq room and to changers with the loudest alarm that I can purchase.

Monitored alarms are cheap. For around $25 a month you can get one with motion sensors and uses wireless to call out, so even if every line to the wash is cut the alarm will still work. Sirens might scare them off, but they might not.

 

[JustClean]

Monitored alarms are cheap. For around $25 a month you can get one with motion sensors and uses wireless to call out, so even if every line to the wash is cut the alarm will still work. Sirens might scare them off, but they might not.

That is fine if the alarm company is awake! The company I am with the guy was asleep and I only found out the next day that somebody had broken into my carwash. It was even the owner himself. From that day on I also get an SMS if there is a problem.

 

[jimbeaux]

Check out www.burglarbomb.com. This was a popular thread here a few years ago.