The growth in the number of vending machines and the increase in sales of vended products are having an unfortunate side effect - a growth in vending machine crime. This ranges from the opportunist thief tempted by the goods displayed in a machine, right through to highly organized criminal gangs more interested in the cash takings and equipped with high-powered portable power tools and fast get-away cars.
Two particular forms of crime are giving growing cause for concern, the ease with which both lock-picking tools & instructions and unauthorized duplicate keys for many locks can be purchased via the Internet.
So what can be done to prevent such crimes? Typically, the first step is to look at the vending machine lock itself, as this is the primary level of security. A good vending machine lock will:
Camlock Systems asked its technical design team to develop a lock that meets all these requirements. The result is the 'Bullet' cylinder lock, which has 10 pins and over five million different key combinations. Typical RPT locks have seven pins and a limited number of combinations. In addition, the Bullet has a hardened steel body and core with a spherical profile - from where it takes its name - to prevent drilling. Unprecedented levels of security and key control are achieved through the unique octagonal shaped central lock core and key. The lock is also rear loaded to prevent pulling and has a double pinned assembly to prevent punching. As the Bullet lock complies with NAMA standards, it can be retrofitted to almost every T-Handle in use. Both spring-loaded and deadbolt mechanisms are available.
For additional security, the Bullet lock key numbers are assigned to each customer, which all but eliminates unauthorized key copying.
Superb resistance to picking is also available to bulk vending machine operators with the new BV90 lock. This offers a high security lock with fast, quarter turn unlocking/locking and many other features. The time spent on each route is cut dramatically with the BV90.
