How to stop Money and Electricity Thefts from Coin Meter by Graham Chilvers

[roadhog1066]

you could just place a stronger magnet on the side of the box,pull out the tray,empty it ,replace it,remove stronger magnet that is holding the reid switch closed and off to the pub with a pocket full of beer tokens EASY

[tq25tn]

@roadhog1066 It would be very tricky to do this and it is unliky to work. Even if you managed it, the meter would be damaged, the outside is recording the electricity used and it would not match the amount of money in the meter. So the Landlord would excatly how much money had been taken 

[TheCarneg]

This is a very interesting idea you have came up with Graham, i like it.

Having landlords metering is a sure way of knowing you wont be paying for power that is stolen.

[neopia9]

You mean electric meters in the UK work like parking meters? Here in the States they just send us a bill at the end of the month.

[tq25tn]

@neopia9 Hi, No we arn't in the stoneage. Very few meters are coin operated. Here you get a bill every three months.

[brownguyrav2007]

personally i dont think an intruder alarm is going to stop that person from stealing the money if they already have access to it.

[tq25tn]

It does stop them. The alarm may operate before the meter is opened. The actual alarm activating stops them trying any more meters. Remeber it will telephone the owner.

[Jackcc5]

i think it's a very good deterrent almost fool proof 95 percent fool proof. but i can see away around it disconnect the siren and use a cell phone jammer to block the system from informing you

[ry4n0007]

@tq25tn

disable the alarm, cut phone line making call to your phone.

[tq25tn]

@ry4n0007 Yes you could. The meter would still be damaged and the outside meter would show how much money you had stolen. There is a limit to how far someone will go to steal £10/30 !!

[roadhog1066]

@tq25tn easy to beat,place stronger magnet on side of meter to keep the switch closed,remove box and money,off over the hill and far far away

[tq25tn]

@roadhog1066 It would be very tricky to do this and it is unlike to work. Even if you managed it, the meter would be damaged, the outside meter is recording the cost of electricity used and it would not match the amount of money in the meter. So the Landlord would exactly how much money had been taken. Do you have a very very powerful magnet, or would have to buy one?

[roadhog1066]

@tq25tn i agree you would notice after the event when the money has gone,no doubt about that,but try it,it will work,the magnet from a radio speaker will be more than strong enough to hold a contact switch closed from about a foot away,we used this trick many times when i served in the intelligence service to go about our "official business" using a directional compass will give the exact location of the magnet holding the contact

[Arwarman]

Intersting stuff. Was just researching on Meters, cause I'm moving into my first house with some friends! And yeah, nice car dude.