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So, I went toa carwash yesterday and went straight to the coin operated vacuums. They sit directly in front of the actual car wash doors. Me being the curious cat that I am, I started scoping out the place's security. I noticed they used floor safes embedded in concrete as the coin vaults for their car wash timers. They were equipped with medeco cam locks. Nice choice in my opinion. Then I noticed one that seemed a little suspicious to me. The cylinder flap was covering the cylinder and there wwas a water stain coing out of the door. I flipped the clinder cover and noticed... THERE IS NO CYLINDER!!?? How the hell is it locked then?? Hmm.. So I investigated further by grabbing the handle and twisting it. The whole door turned. So I pulled and OH FUCK. I just committed burglary. The door simply doesn't lock. It just simply is. So there was a number on a door there. It said, "We pride ourselves in being the best car wash in town. Call if youneed anything. " I called the guy and told him about the broken door and he got really quiet. He said, "I dont see why it should open?" ?....is he accusing me of something here? He eventually comes down and pulls his ride up next to the safe door. I tell him Im the guy that called and he says, "What do you want?" Pfft, what? Me, "Nothing. Just letting you know so you dont get robbed." He then reveals that the door is very heavy and usually doesnt come off so easily. REVELATION. He knows its broken and it has been for some time now! I may have to sell this guy a new door.

Have not seen one that uses a cam lock to operate the bolts. Thanks for showing us!

Gordon

It sounds like the owner was more irritated that someone discovered his secret than he was thankful that you pointed out a huge hole in his security. I would bet he might be in the market for that door now!

I am always checking out locks and how things are secured when I see them as well. I'm curious and I'm into locks, right? But I've learned that you have to be careful because doing so makes you look suspicious in some peoples eyes. And then when you find something such as you did, there's the dilemma of 'what do I do now?' I think you did the right thing by calling him, even if he didn't seem to take it well.

-M

My conscious is clear. If I hadnt called, I know I would think about it incessantly. Now I think about the guy incessantly and how arrogant he is. Does he have that much money, to not worry about his earnings? I need to get a business license so I can start legitimately selling people their security back.

I wouldn't advise opening unlocked doors that aren't yours. Imagine if the owner had walked up right at that moment...

"Seriously, I wasn't going to take anything. I was just looking!"
"Yeah right buddy."

I would have said, hey I just came to the car wash and your safe door is laying on the ground.. just wanted to let you know, I can wait here and guard all the change until the cops or you arrive. of course if they check for finger prints on the door, yours are already on it at that point.

Its crazy how opportunities arise, I have had 3 opportunities in the last 3 weeks. Over in Turkey the street where I have a place is unoccupied most of the year except for holidays, most of the year at best 6 homes occupied full time.

My next door neighbours house I could hear water trickling into his septic tank which meant either a flexi hose had burst to sink or toilet or the cistern was faulty, didnt know what I should do until I realised he runs direct from mains water (he removed the water storage tank from the roof) I just told another Turkish neighbour who got his water turned off. The Turks dont give a sh.. they would let it run all year and do nothing.

The 2nd house had water coming out the front door and I suspected a fair bit of water damage, I tried to turn off at the mains to at least stop the flooding once the tank emptied but the damn thing was stuck open, I could have got in the house easily as it is the same locks as I have and I done them in a couple of minutes both for the external shutters and the entry door. I resisted and just advised the guy who is in charge of the street (a commitee thing) and left him to it, he may well have had a spare key for the house.

The 3rd was when I returned here my son had lost the keys for his tool box, a wafer lock, 2 minutes and the job is done. I felt good about that because...
A. He would have been livid having had to ask for my help
B. Having done a couple of wafer locks and knowing how easy they are I had the confidence to say yeah just give me a minute and I will open it, such a nice feeling when it happens.

lol.... cool story Sour. Thanks for sharing.

Seems like those bolts would be a little much to throw for just a cam lock.
Apparently it works just fine though. Haven't seen one like it, so it was neat to look.

Perhaps that is why it failed in the first place, Oldfast. Just guessing here, but it would make sense.

Gordon

The water is a very real problem with these lift-out doors. I have a local fast food joint that uses this type system and I have replaced the water-proof cover twice now. Last year the food prep area flooded and the safe quit opening on the 3rd day, due to corrosion setting in. I wound up having to drill for the three locking bolts and that took the best part of 4 hours. Now I have a very expensive boat anchor. I replaced their combo lid with a medeco keyed lid much like in the photograph above. They don't last long if they aren't carefully kept greased, or water gets in them.

I drive by this place occasionally and still think about this safe. I dont know if he fixed it or not. The man was a few cards short of a full deck.

There is little as frustrating as having a genuine concern for someone's security and it turns out they are either oblivious, stupid or too cheap to take it as seriously as you.

Unfortunately you will never convince them something needs to be done until they are taken from. Usually by then their pride won't let them call you to seal the hole in their security.

Yes, I can see it now,
Driving by and cleaning the guy out would actually be helping him, like in the long run, right?

No.

DUUUUUUUUDDDDEE those safes are a bitch or they were to me. This guy wanted me to change the combo on two of those one time and I had all kinds of trouble ...been to long and I was really young but I remember hating them.