No Quarter: Aussie gang pinched for stealing over $550,000... from parking meters
Ever since the advent of the parking meter, there have been hoods cracking them open and stealing the coins inside. Historically, we're talking about nickels and dimes here, but while those can add up, this is a different ballgame altogether. A gang of criminals in Queensland, Australia, has been arrested for stealing a whopping $800,000 (in Australian dollars, or about $550k in American greenbacks) from local parking meters.
How'd they do it? Details aren't being disclosed while the investigation is still under way, other than to say that the elongated heist lasted for more than two years. The scheme apparently began in January 2007 and ended just last month, siphoning about $8 (again, about $5.50 USD) from some 1,900 parking meters every week. Local officials say they knew something was fishy when a new initiative that saw increased parking meter revenues eventually starting petering out, but the officials are themselves not suspected of involvement in the crime.
[Source: The Sydney Morning Herald | Image: Jack Esten/Getty]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Christian de Saint Preux 4:45PM (4/02/2009)
Not a bad salary.
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Taglane 4:48PM (4/02/2009)
Just gave me an idea....
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Tecmec 4:50PM (4/02/2009)
I love that song!
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sparkster57 6:02PM (4/02/2009)
When I was in the fifth grade my dad had small laundry mat and found out where he hid the keys for all the machines. Every morning I'd get up early and swipe some change. One night at the dinner table he telling my mom about how little change was in the machines the other morning. And that was the last time I pulled that stunt.
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Tony 6:59PM (4/02/2009)
It never fails to amaze me, that even though young children think they are invincible, there are times when that desire to live another day does take over.
Uniqueridez Australia 7:17PM (4/02/2009)
I remember seeing this on the news, and how they did it was too get hold of one meter. They then took that apart and made a master key for it. Quite simple really, being that they ALL run the exact same key.
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Shifty Wainright 10:15PM (4/02/2009)
Nickels and dimes? What city to you live in? In Vancouver a quarter will get you 3 minuets downtown, and they don't take nickels or dimes!
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ehisforadam 8:47AM (4/03/2009)
Perhaps they were inspired by Paul Newman...
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shelly 6:33AM (4/13/2009)
The above thought is smart and doesn’t require any further addition.
It’s perfect thought from my side
Shelly Smith
[url=http://www.fastrealestate.com.au] real estate [/url]
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shelly 6:36AM (4/13/2009)
Hat’s off. Well done, as we know that “hard work always pays off”,
after a long struggle with sincere effort it’s done.
Shelly Smith
real estate
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shelly 6:38AM (4/13/2009)
Nice Thoughts.
real estate
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terry.godfrey 6:20AM (5/01/2009)
How did they do it? They used pipe cutters to snip off the heads of the meters. Get out of your car with some serious plumbing gear, apply, and away you go. How was this stopped? By local government bodies welding rods down the shaft. Seems to do the trick.
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