Accused parking meter bandits steal $800,000 one gold coin at a time
Arizona Coin Collector
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/qld-news/accused-parking-meter-bandits-steal-800000-one-gold-coin-at-a-time-20090331-9hul.html
Accused parking meter bandits steal $800,000 one gold coin at a time
Marissa Calligeros
March 31, 2009 - 1:08PM
Thieves stole $8 a week from 1900 Brisbane parking
meters, racking up $800,000 in an alleged parking
rip off described by police as "labour intensive".
But Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said today there was
no evidence the alleged crime was an inside
council job.
Two people, believed to be behind the week-by-week
theft of $1 and $2 coins from city parking meters,
were charged this morning after police raided
three residences in Woolloongabba, Tarragindi and
West End.
They were due to face court later today.
"I have no evidence that there is any internal
involvement by council officials," Cr Newman said
at a joint press conference earlier.
Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said it was
likely four more people, currently assisting
police with investigations, would be charged in
relation to the regular theft from 1900 parking
meters, which he described as "labour intensive".
"It was a very clever technique, and certainly
one, which to my knowledge had not been used
before," Mr Atkinson said.
It is alleged the duo and their associates, aged
between 20 and 30, were caught in the act on
video surveillance cameras.
Police believe they pocketed nearly $15,200 per
week by stealing just $8 from each meter they
targeted, among the city's 2600 machines.
Cr Newman said the alleged spree was first
detected by a council manager in August last year,
after security measures were tightened.
"Suddenly we saw an increase in revenue that
lasted for a month or two and then it started to
drop away again and that suggested there was
something going on," Cr Newman said.
It is understood police from the State Crime
Operation Command under Operation Duncan had
monitored the six people allegedly involved in
the elaborate theft since January.
The council has since allocated $12 million to
replace parking meters in Brisbane. It makes
$6.7 million from parking meters each year.
"I can't say to people that we can completely
eliminate people knocking off money from parking
meters, that's a practical reality," Cr
Newman said.
..
Bob
wrote:
> FROM:http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/qld-news/accused-parking-meter-bandit...
I thought parking was expensive in Chicago (Mayor Daley sold the
parking meter revenues for the next 75 YEARS, and rates were increased
100% and more), but apparently in Brisbane meters only gold coins will
work!
(I assume that this is really another misuse of "gold," and that the
$1 and $2 coins are merely gold colored.)
Bob