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Gangs fleecing parking meters
ORGANISED gangs have swiped thousands of pounds from on-street pay and display machines, according to a new report.
It has been revealed in a 20-month spell to August last year, 151 pay and display machines around the Bromley borough were targeted by thieves who stole more than £12,200.
Bromley Council was forced to improve security on the machines by welding metal plates to equipment vulnerable to thieves drilling through the lock mechanism.
The repairs and improvements cost £25,500. Portfolio holder for environment and leisure Councillor Colin Smith says the reservoirs of cash in parking meters are tempting for criminals.
He said: "We are facing a battle to make them secure. If we didn't need a single parking meter we wouldn't need to spend money buying them, replacing them and repairing them but that is not going to happen.
"This sort of crime doesn't often get recognised by the general public but it is a London-wide problem."
The council report also states the machines were pulled out of the ground by what police describe as "professional gangs" on seven occasions.
Because of the scale of the problem, the council is looking at rolling out a mobile phone parking system across the borough.
This would see drivers paying for parking using their mobile phones.
Registered motorists would be expected to dial a service provider before leaving their parking location and the time they would be away.
They are then billed on a monthly basis for the number of minutes they have used.
A scheme trialled in Orpington saw 700 people sign up.
The council made £23,500 from the trial, which ran between December 2006 and May this year.
Cllr Smith added: "Not everyone has a mobile phone and not everyone wants to use this service and we are not about to get rid of all pay and display machines. But there are savings we could make."
9:16am Monday 30th June 2008
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CommentPosted by: Mark, Dartford on 10:36am Mon 30 Jun 08
So where is the CCTV?
I thought thousands were spent on a system, that seems to fail EVERY town.
So where is the CCTV?
I thought thousands were spent on a system, that seems to fail EVERY town.
Posted by: Eagles Man, Bromley on 11:39am Mon 30 Jun 08
"So where is the CCTV?
I thought thousands were spent on a system, that seems to fail EVERY town."
Well, let's think...
perhaps the thieves aren't stealing from parking meters in sight of a CCTV camera?
Or are criminals in Dartford thicker than their Bromley counterparts?
"So where is the CCTV?
I thought thousands were spent on a system, that seems to fail EVERY town."
Well, let's think...
perhaps the thieves aren't stealing from parking meters in sight of a CCTV camera?
Or are criminals in Dartford thicker than their Bromley counterparts?
Posted by: j, bromely on 12:14pm Mon 30 Jun 08
Surely this makes no economical sense.
By the time the council have implemented this new scheme at tax payers expence and employed the drongo's to patrol all the hours God sends there can't be much profit in it.
Make it free of charge and encourage people to shop locally instead watching them drive off to Bluewater where they can shop without having to worry about how much time is left on the meter.
Oh yeh, and the shops are classier.
anything for any reason
Surely this makes no economical sense.
By the time the council have implemented this new scheme at tax payers expence and employed the drongo's to patrol all the hours God sends there can't be much profit in it.
Make it free of charge and encourage people to shop locally instead watching them drive off to Bluewater where they can shop without having to worry about how much time is left on the meter.
Oh yeh, and the shops are classier.
anything for any reason
Posted by: Elliott, catford on 12:58pm Mon 30 Jun 08
I agree with j, bromely.. well said !!
I agree with j, bromely.. well said !!
Posted by: Chalie, Bromley on 1:07pm Mon 30 Jun 08
[quote][bold]j[/bold] wrote:
Surely this makes no economical sense.
By the time the council have implemented this new scheme at tax payers expence and employed the drongo\'s to patrol all the hours God sends there can\'t be much profit in it.
Make it free of charge and encourage people to shop locally instead watching them drive off to Bluewater where they can shop without having to worry about how much time is left on the meter.
Oh yeh, and the shops are classier.
anything for any reason [/quote] Slight flaw with that! If you made all the parking spaces FREE - you just would not be able to park anywhere as they would all be full, mainly with commuters cars!
j wrote:
Surely this makes no economical sense.
By the time the council have implemented this new scheme at tax payers expence and employed the drongo\'s to patrol all the hours God sends there can\'t be much profit in it.
Make it free of charge and encourage people to shop locally instead watching them drive off to Bluewater where they can shop without having to worry about how much time is left on the meter.
Oh yeh, and the shops are classier.
anything for any reason
Slight flaw with that! If you made all the parking spaces FREE - you just would not be able to park anywhere as they would all be full, mainly with commuters cars!
Posted by: Dave, Abbey Wood on 2:00pm Mon 30 Jun 08
The councils have been fleecing us for years with parking charges.
Read today that Greenwich are not so bad with parking fines.
[bold]"While 21 councils saw parking fine revenues go up in 2007, nine, including Camden and Lambeth, two of the top three, saw a drop.
Westminster had the highest figure of £41m while Greenwich recorded the lowest at £1.7m."[/bold]
So my council not so bad after all.
The councils have been fleecing us for years with parking charges.
Read today that Greenwich are not so bad with parking fines.
"While 21 councils saw parking fine revenues go up in 2007, nine, including Camden and Lambeth, two of the top three, saw a drop.
Westminster had the highest figure of £41m while Greenwich recorded the lowest at £1.7m."
So my council not so bad after all.
Posted by: j, bromley on 2:32pm Mon 30 Jun 08
[quote][bold]Chalie[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]j[/bold] wrote: Surely this makes no economical sense. By the time the council have implemented this new scheme at tax payers expence and employed the drongo\'s to patrol all the hours God sends there can\'t be much profit in it. Make it free of charge and encourage people to shop locally instead watching them drive off to Bluewater where they can shop without having to worry about how much time is left on the meter. Oh yeh, and the shops are classier. anything for any reason [/quote] Slight flaw with that! If you made all the parking spaces FREE - you just would not be able to park anywhere as they would all be full, mainly with commuters cars! [/quote] Valid point,however there are ways round this. Say for example free parking after 10.30am or maxium stay 3 hours or something similar.
Chalie wrote:
j wrote: Surely this makes no economical sense. By the time the council have implemented this new scheme at tax payers expence and employed the drongo\'s to patrol all the hours God sends there can\'t be much profit in it. Make it free of charge and encourage people to shop locally instead watching them drive off to Bluewater where they can shop without having to worry about how much time is left on the meter. Oh yeh, and the shops are classier. anything for any reason
Slight flaw with that! If you made all the parking spaces FREE - you just would not be able to park anywhere as they would all be full, mainly with commuters cars!
Valid point,however there are ways round this. Say for example free parking after 10.30am or maxium stay 3 hours or something similar.
Posted by: Paula, sidcup on 4:10pm Mon 30 Jun 08
Just thought I would mention it Sidcup Station Car Park has gone up in a year from £3.00 a day to £4.20 as from today!, and the blooming machines didn't work!
Disgusting!
Just thought I would mention it Sidcup Station Car Park has gone up in a year from £3.00 a day to £4.20 as from today!, and the blooming machines didn't work!
Disgusting!
Posted by: GOD, UP ERE on 11:15pm Mon 30 Jun 08
Keep it up gentlemen, Councils call it tax, but newsshopper calls it theft. Nick it all back!!!! And those of you moaning get the bus!!!!!!!!!!!
Keep it up gentlemen, Councils call it tax, but newsshopper calls it theft. Nick it all back!!!! And those of you moaning get the bus!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Paula, sidcup on 10:29am Tue 1 Jul 08
Tried to get a bus once waited 35 minutes for a 51 and that's in the morning, tried again in the evening to test the bus system out again this time waited 40 minutes int he freezing cold for a 51. So back to the car. Tried walking too but took too long as I don't live close enough to the Station.
Tried to get a bus once waited 35 minutes for a 51 and that's in the morning, tried again in the evening to test the bus system out again this time waited 40 minutes int he freezing cold for a 51. So back to the car. Tried walking too but took too long as I don't live close enough to the Station.
Posted by: cupcakes, Beckenham on 8:17pm Tue 1 Jul 08
Organised gangs fleecing people...... This is the council isn't it?
Organised gangs fleecing people...... This is the council isn't it?
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