Be Aware
Important Information for Self Serve Bay Operators.
Check your Security Cameras.
An ACWA Member (who prefers to be unnamed) has become aware that bypassing payment in his self-serve bay units is possible by hammering the selection buttons hard and constantly until it trips the unit and allows access to all options without payment.
The hack has occurred many times and in different bays (so it is not just one unit that has malfunctioned ), and it usually occurs late in the evening when the site is unattended.
The issue was discovered by sheer luck when cameras were being monitored at exactly the same time a young P plater in the self-serve bay was seen hammering the buttons with his fist. Within a minute or two, the perpetrator had gained access to all the bay services. During his time there (around 30 minutes), he went back to the unit several times, hammering the buttons for further time.
As a result of the discovery, overnight footage from the previous few weeks was checked, and it became evident that an alarming number of different people had used the approach to obtain a free wash. The matter has been referred to police.
As a temporary measure, the operator placed a stainless steel bar beside the selection buttons and over the card reader (see photo)
As a further remedy, the operator made adjustments to the position of the relay switch, describing the process as follows:
All the face plates are tight (we have also fitted a rubber seal). The relay switch has been moved from the mount on the box back into the back of the unit, and cable tied to a wiring loom so it can also flex. The modification made to the face plate to protect the selection buttons is a deterrent in itself.