theft device used on Hamilton changers

[G WASH]

I found this laying in a bay thought it looked a bit like a giant lock pick and ran my cc footage to see when it appeared. Two young guys in a food truck/roach coach but with no numbers or badging required by the state. In the video they are using it on one of my RNS changers with success it appears..they only take @ 40 or so and i have seen them many times in the recent past. The old veteran that works for me in the morning spooked them and they have not returned although im concerned that the truck is just a cover and thier real line of work is hitting changers. Any one ever experience this. they appear to run it thru the coin bowl.probably not a coincidence I had a vandal use a small pry bar on the flapper a few weeks before this. I thought at the time ...are you kidding your not getting in there with that..I now think he was prepping the opening for the other guys. makes much more sense.

 

[G WASH]

post note it's 30 inches long and stainless steel non-magnetic . I believe it's a stainless steel brazing rod as you see it has a 90 degree bend and the tip has been filed down to a fine point. it's stiff yet can bend and hold a shape. Do you think they are targeting the coin switch or motor ..in the video they seem to be able to get money and then stop quickly when another person starts to approach...they do it while it's busy ..not in the late night. the guys attention is laser focused on the cup. He only ever looks up at the bill feed when someone approaches.

 

[Main Street Carwash]

Disable the hopper run switch at the bottom of the hopper

 

[I.B. Washincars]

That’s been happening for 30 years. They pull the harness out of the cup and know which wires to short for the hopper to run. They can also access the circuit through the out of service light holes. The harnesses need to be secured like Fort Knox and the heavy coin cup covers installed. GFCI needs to be installed as well.

 

[Randy]

It looks to me like it’s a tool used use for harness tampering on a bill changer. Look at the harness going to the Hopper for any signs that it’s been pulled out the coin cup, loose harness, exposed wires going to the Hopper, pin holes in the exposed wires. If you have a newer harness check to make sure that the quick disconnect is unplugged, this will disable the toggle switch on the Hopper. If you don’t have the quick disconnect, cut the solid white wire going to the Hopper and install a quick disconnect, again this will disable the toggle switch on the Hopper. We cover the Hopper harness with 5/8” water hose slit down the middle and then wrapped the hose around the Hopper harness and then secure it to the inside of the changer with a rubber lined metal clamp. This makes the harness so stiff and better secures the harness so it can’t be pulled out the coin cup. I don’t see how they could be manipulating the Hopper payout switch with a long welding rod, the payout switch is pretty well protected inside up at the top of the Hopper.

 

[Greg Pack]

I'll also mention someone did this to my ACW4 at one wash recently.

 

[G WASH]

Disable the hopper run switch at the bottom of the hopper

Oh

 

[G WASH]

All of mine have been for decades it's not that ..

 

[G WASH]

I have the video of them They stay in front of the changer for 2 minutes and 15 seconds they're smart They don't take a whole lot looks like 50 60 bucks and it's in an r&S that they're getting it out of so you know the things probably got $1,000 in it at any given time. These are young boys Hispanic and they use a food truck No badging on the food truck at all and I seen that the food truck in in that food truck with other food trucks at the wash quite regularly as you can imagine It was only after I found this laying in the bay that it peaked my suspicions and then I ran the security camera and reversed until the piece disappeared and I fast-forwarded it to see well when does it appear and it's these guys and I guess at some point they become paranoid after they've taken the money and they throw it on the ground and then leave and you don't even see them throw it on the ground I got kind of throws it out of the back of his hand but it's darn sure them that threw it there definitely stainless non-magnetic they're going up through the coin shoot they're going up through the coin chute. I have a license plate I have their names but what I really don't have is actual proof you know lawyer would say well and how much money did they take and can you prove that. I became suspicious when my water bill gas bill and electric bill was going up but my income was going down I haven't my gross was going down that's when I started auditing and paying more attention but those thing guys have been coming in for 3 months They have just been slow grinding me

 

[G WASH]

Doubt the younger one shaves.

 

[G WASH]

I'm have1 RNS Both a foot apart ... The one that they've never messed with has the thicker shielding on the inside above the cup and a flapper The one that they're hitting doesn't have a flapper on it So obviously I have installed one now but you know apparently maybe that made it too difficult I mean you can only steal from one at a time but I don't have any video of them messing with the one that had better protection on it

 

[Randy]

Hamilton makes a shield that goes over the coin cup on the inside of the changer, the newer changers have this shield. I've sold a few of them, it requires 2 studs on the inside of the changer or you have to drill 2 holes in the front of the changer just above the coin cup.

 

[MEP001]

I have a license plate I have their names but what I really don't have is actual proof you know lawyer would say well and how much money did they take and can you prove that.

That's why you should valuate your changer on a regular basis.

 

[Greg Pack]

Let area operators know about that too. They are likely hitting several locations in the area

 

[washnvac]

Well, I just gotta say it- again- switch to $1 high security tokens and this issue goes away.

 

[Randy]

Well, I just gotta say it- again- switch to $1 high security tokens and this issue goes away.

Better yet go "Total Cashless"

 

[Greg Pack]

Better yet go "Total Cashless"

I've got a friend that just pulled a changer out of a location and his gross did not go down. As a result he's pulling his changer out his other SS/IBA wash next Month. He'll be down to those two plus two gated SSs. Money collection will be greatly simplified.. Nearly all vending is gone too. He may be leaving a few bucks (gross)on the table but he can run more washes with fewer personnel, resulting in a bigger net.

 

[G WASH]

Hamilton makes a shield that goes over the coin cup on the inside of the changer, the newer changers have this shield. I've sold a few of them, it requires 2 studs on the inside of the changer or you have to drill 2 holes in the front of the changer just above the coin cup.

 

[G WASH]

I have the modern thicker Assembly and flapper. Today i lost 88$ .I have been auditing the cash against the coin meter..that checks out as usual. But i also have been weighing my coin day to the thousands place on brand new digital coin scales. each pound of quarters is 20$ and in that audit both er60s came up short . one uses a XE fully updated the other mars fully updated . So i go to the video where i have a camera flush mount to the wall directly between the changers and with the lens pointed due south so as to see the money etc in each hand and boom there are two more young guys hispanic . as before they arrive together in a nice car. they seem very pleased with them selves they put money in and then the signature move they pull a small devise no bigger than a F.O.B. out of their back right hip pocket switch it from right hand to left and go towards the cup opening with it. looks like they are pressing a button and they are getting coin ..the fool who installed my camera system disreguarded my request to have audio cameras so i have no sound but i do capture the image of some sort of homemade looking devise. Police have a thumb-drive of the entire time they arrive till leaving. THese again are late teens early twenties. and smart enough to never jackpot it just 50-90 dollars a day. I wish now i had my old ROWES back in..hated them but they would never get picked like that. At last the cops finally tell me that 2 others in that area are suffering losses. The other thing i noticed when the guy turns is that his wallet is actually moved to his back left pocket and the small devise is placed alone on the traditional right side.maybe its fragile? If i get a chance i will draw down on one in a suprise ambush..they never come for except when there are many cars and its busy. If hamilton knows about this and has stayed quiet to preserve sales that is criminal. I need to know what the hecks going on. I absolutely believe this is organized crime cartel coming north crap. Te cops even asked me did I want them to remain while I finished the download and they both were hispanic Dallas county sheriffs not the little local barneys.

 

[G WASH]

my wire harnesses are untouched why do the hamilton changers still have that set of old school points inside a clear housing? looks way out of design, what purpose does it serve? seems like they never breech the casing /coin hopper just turn it on