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Changer emptied...strung?

motefam

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Both my hamilton changers were emptied...only 3 or 4 quarters left in each hopper. The cameras showed a guy with some sort of black hard object about the size of a slim flashlight. He kept maneuvering the object near the bill acceptor while his buddy took the quarters. I found a charred bill, folded twice, stuck in the validator. Does that sound like a stringing incident?
 

MEP001

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Sounds more like they used a scope to either pull the wires out to manipulate them or ground the white one inside. Two easy cures for this: if it doesn't have one already, put a disconnect on the white wire on the harness like the newer ones have, and put in a GFCI outlet for the changer. Newer ones also have a shroud inside to limit anything getting in through the coin cup.

If they had strung it, they wouldn't have used a folded bill, and they wouldn't have gotten all but a few quarters. It would have left 20 or 30 when the changer shut down for sensing empty.
 

waright

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we have name, address and vehicle description of the guy who strung our changers in northeast iowa. At least 6 different sites 50 miles apart. He is from ohio, so i'm sure he passed thru your area. There is a warrant out for him, but since it so far away, our local pd can't get **** done in ohio.
 

motefam

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Thanks for input...the wires have sheathing and there is no evidence of tampering with wiring, and the service light is still intact. I will try a GFI outlet. desc: 2 white guys 20s, scruff beards, tennis shoes, one heavy the other small build smoker, silver 4-door sedan parked off-site, worked quickly. They hit two of my washes in one hour.
 

MEP001

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If they didn't go through the out-of-service light hole, they went in through the coin cup.

I've never seen what they do, but I've been told that if they're careful they leave no obvious evidence of the wire tampering. Aside from putting a disconnect on the white hopper wire, you can also put zip-ties along the entire harness about an inch apart. The GFCI is meant to trip if they attempt it again.

What kind of validators do you have?
 

motefam

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My Hamiltons got hit...the wires are tightly secured w zip ties and sheathing. I real dont see how they could have accessed the wires. and then there is the folded charred bill?
my other 4 locations all have mars validators and they have never been compromised.
 

waright

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units hit here were hamilton acw's w/hamilton validators, hamilton changer w/ coinco validator, hamilton changers w/hamilton validators

i didn't see the other units that were hit, but mine showed no signs of tampering. my harness is tied and covered, and we have a custom built cover inside the acw protecting the coin cup. they struck here about one month apart.
 

Randy

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If you’re using a Hamilton XE validator because your attempting tokenotes and you think you’re being strung upgrade the software to v3.55 security software. This v3.55 software has a timer built into it that shuts down the validator when it detects a stringing attempt. The timer feature and the validator sensitivity are adjustable in the field with training coupons.

If you’re using a Coinco Mag-50, HVX or even a HV-7 you’re just asking for trouble.
 

motefam

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waright: did the description I posted match the description of the guy and vehicle you saw?
 

99Roadking

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we have name, address and vehicle description of the guy who strung our changers in northeast iowa. At least 6 different sites 50 miles apart. He is from ohio, so i'm sure he passed thru your area. There is a warrant out for him, but since it so far away, our local pd can't get **** done in ohio.
Don't let the PD fool you by saying they wont do anything because they live too far away. The law enforcement around here wouldnt do anything about it if they lived next ddor to the car wash.
 
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