Re: [Melb] Age: "Dozens charged over train ticket scam"

["John Wayman" <trecker@optusnet.com.au>]

Now if stations were manned around the clock this sort of thing probably
wouldn't happen. Stations are boring places most of the time and playing
around with the Metcard machines is one of the few things you can do. No
wonder we have such inventive thieves. Will we see security guards guarding
the machines again?

Cheers
John Wayman

"Daniel Bowen" <dbowen@#DELETE#custard.net.au> wrote in message
pEbe4.4608$oF2.12004@ozemail.com.au">news:pEbe4.4608$oF2.12004@ozemail.com.au...
> http://www.theage.com.au/breaking/0001/10/A16618-2000Jan10.shtml
>
> Dozens charged over train ticket scam
>
> Source: AAP | Published: Monday January 10, 11:51 AM
>
> Dozens of people have been charged over a ticket machine scam at Melbourne
> train stations, police said today.
>
> Chief Superintendent Ewen Cunningham, from Transit Safety Division, said
> 'small amounts' of money had been taken from the machines by
'manipulation'
> with a bank note.
>
> The note enabled the 'blatant and brazen' offender to get a ticket, some
> change and the original note back, he said.
>
> The machines were shutting down once the manipulation had been recorded
and
> an alarm had been set off inside the machine.
>
> "A substantial number of offenders have been arrested and charged with
> multiple offences of thieving from the ticket machines," Cunningham said.
>
> Details of how to cheat the machines were also believed to be available on
> the Internet, he said.
>
> "As soon as that is identified we will take the necessary steps to close
it
> down," he said.
>
> "There's an identification on the site that suggests that if you send the
> money they will give you the information on how to work this scam."
>
> The matter was being addressed in cooperation with Onelink, which owns the
> machines, and the operators of the trains, Bayside and Hillside.
>
> "The machines will be redesigned so the manipulation cannot take place and
> it will not provide mechanisms by which this sort of theft can take
place,'
> Cunningham said.
>
>
> --
> Daniel Bowen, Melbourne, Australia
> dbowen at custard dot net dot au
>
>