Theft of meter box doors, and looking for advise how to secure them better.

[doublj70]

Hello,
Friday night a guy drilled out the cam locks on my meter box, and stole the whole door. I had one spare and replaced it. Then the same guy came back last night and stole all of them. So I'm basically shut down. I was hoping for advise on how to better secure the doors. The cam locks are LAI I believe. Does anyone know if there is a higher security replacement? I wonder if medeco would be harder to drill? I am also thinking to add a lock bar across the front, to block access to the cam locks. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. The meter boxes are like the one in this pic.
I have cameras, but the guy had a car with no plates and he was wearing a hoodie, so no footage good enough to ID him.

Thanks, John

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Is Medeco harder to drill...I would say no. I've drilled out both. I had those same boxes, and about 5 years ago someone came in and drilled several of them and several Medecos. A lock bar would slow them down, but it's only as good as it's lock. Maybe have a tab welded to your new doors to accept a hockey puck lock, and maybe a lock bar too...just spitballing here. I feel for you.

 

[soapy]

I have slots cut so I can slide a heavy stainless bar over the cam locks and use a large round lock to secure the bar. On some of the boxes I have welded reinforcements on the boxes where the bar goes through. Layered locks is my advise on anything that holds money so it slows the thief down or sends them to a easier targets elsewhere.

 

[MEP001]

I'm surprised they didn't just pry the door open. Cam locks are a joke for security. A lock bar across the top would have slowed them down, but these a-holes can do an unbelievable amount of damage trying to pry things open. I just had to replace two meter doors after someone tried to pry the lock bar out, was successful on one but got no money, but still moved to another bay and destroyed it without even getting in.

 

[tdlconceptsllc]

Y'all scaring the hell out of me I just ordered brand new doors with Bill validators. Can someone post a picture how they have the hockey puck lock on the lock bar.

 

[doublj70]

Thanks for the replies! A friend just sent me this pic of what a friend did. Seems straightforward. I would also love to see pics of anyone that has adapted a puck lock.
Thanks!

 

[Cool Wash]

What if you make token (and CC) only operation? Shouldn’t that eliminate this issue?

 

[Randy]

Why do you think he stole all the doors? If you eliminated the bill validator you probably would have a problem with stealing the doors. Those coin box face plate are simple to get into. I saw a video not too long ago of 3 guys steal all the face plates with validator from a 5 bay car wash in less than 4 minutes. We’ll never put another bill in a coin box, too much of a target. We’ve also been removing the bill validators as they fail.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Thanks for the replies! A friend just sent me this pic of what a friend did. Seems straightforward. I would also love to see pics of anyone that has adapted a puck lock.
Thanks!
View attachment 2329

Here you go. But you need to have a lip that extends out from the wall.

 

[MEP001]

Here you go. But you need to have a lip that extends out from the wall.

That will probably work even better with an added angle bar, which you can get in stainless.

 

[Greg_T]

I've got no advice to offer, but I really feel for you. Hope things get better soon.

 

[Earl Weiss]

If possible the hockey pucks would be placed to cover the Cam Or plug Locks. Also, they are put on with the Keyway on the door side so idiots trying to attack the key slot have less room to work than if the other side is less recessed.

 

[mac]

Well my guess is that whoever stole them is someone in the business and within 30 miles of you. Wait a few weeks and start driving around.

 

[doublj70]

Thanks for the replies! The same guy hit another one of my washes. At least this time he left all but one door and just grabbed the bills. I came up with this crude fix. Hope it deters him. I'm scrambling to retrofit all my locations before he comes back. Drilling stainless is a pain! My arms feel like noodles!

Thanks, John

 

[soapy]

I use this bar with one Big Boy Abus lock. Cam locks are behind the bar.

 

[MEP001]

I use this bar with one Big Boy Abus lock. Cam locks are behind the bar.

What someone did to mine with just the one lock bar:



Took lock and bar, destroyed everything, might as well have taken the door.

 

[soonermajic]

Maybe go to secured $1 coins?

Had to say it.

You guys have some pretty good advice

 

[doublj70]

Thanks again for all the replies. I have all my locations retrofitted with the angle iron across the top with locks, but not before he hit one more of my washes. I know of one other local wash that got hit also. Hopefully the guy will get caught at some point. I have been thinking about a more elegant shield for the cam locks, and will post a pic once I get a prototype made. I am pretty sure he is using a gun powder actuated nail gun to blow out the cam locks. There is a video on youtube showing how easy it is. Thanks youtube!

 

[mjwalsh]

Maybe go to secured $1 coins?

Coach,

Based on experience & my limited observations ... most of the thieves don't believe in keeping their trousers up with belts etc. My thoughts are that at least with coins if they are on foot they will be nicely weighted down. For sure they won't be able to put any of the coins in their pants pockets. I am not mentioning plastic because that tends to be more of a "white collar" area of crime.

 

[MEP001]

Do not use Master or American Lock puck locks, or any other brand that uses the same type of core, to secure cash boxes. They can be opened with a comb pick almost as quickly and easily as with the key. These locks have been fairly secure until now because no one made a tool that was thin enough to work, but they are out there now. Comb picks take advantage of a basic design flaw of these locks that has been known for at least 90 years. Seriously, this could even be corrected for about $1 per lock added manufacturing cost.