QuikVend Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 Got a call that all vendors dread. "Your machine was broken into". Small tire shop that I had a national 146 and a 501e. I haven't completely looked them both over, but the snack machine is toast. They drilled on the lock AND cut a huge hole in the back of the machine as well. Took the whole DBA and smashed the mech to pieces. The 501e had some extensive damage, live display was smashed, t-handle is gone and they somehow got the side panel off(doesn't look like they pryed it off). Destroyed the bill box(rest of DBA is intact) and completely removed the mech. Possibly able to save this one. They did leave my gumball machine, but they also stole all the tools and computers from the shop. I figure they only got about $70 from me, I just wish I had pulled the machines earlier like I was thinking about doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CajunCandy Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 Yes, it sucks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryChris Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 Sorry bud. There are scum out there. I would take them out and never do business there with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuikVend Posted January 19, 2017 Author Share Posted January 19, 2017 Just glad I find the deals I've picked up, paid just under $500 for both. I'd be a bit more devastated had it been some of my nicer equipment. Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lacanteen Posted January 19, 2017 Share Posted January 19, 2017 They did you a favor with the 146. You can now sell it for $60 per ton! Dat's good karma. I only have 4 of those heaps left in my fleet and no 145s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuikVend Posted January 20, 2017 Author Share Posted January 20, 2017 Yea, I've pulled everything from there. It was one of the first accounts I picked up when I started, so I was a bit naive. They did end up paying for themselves though. I have 2-3 other 146's left, so I'll end up stripping the parts and scrapping it along with a few other junkers I've been sitting on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zjtaylor Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 32 minutes ago, QuikVend said: Yea, I've pulled everything from there. It was one of the first accounts I picked up when I started, so I was a bit naive. They did end up paying for themselves though. I have 2-3 other 146's left, so I'll end up stripping the parts and scrapping it along with a few other junkers I've been sitting on. Any tips on avoiding accounts like this? Sounds like it's something about this location you didn't like before you got hit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuikVend Posted January 20, 2017 Author Share Posted January 20, 2017 It was the area it was in. I thought it was far enough away from the rougher area. I saw what looked like evidence of tampering with the lock a few months back, but it didn't look like a big deal then. That along with sales that were starting to decline had me considering pulling the machines. Just waited too long. Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryChris Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 I'm not speaking for quikvend here but I will tell you that you want to avoid slow accounts or accounts in shady circumstances (ie. privately owned shop with 5-10 people all under the age of 25). Any time a vending machine is somehow accessible without employees knowing about it is shady. One local auto shop that I have been trying to cancel for years now (literally can't get the mover to pick it up) is a bad deal. It started off well when the soda machine was in the lobby, but they said it had to be moved to the back due to "remodeling." Since then, sales were cut in half. They asked me to put it outside and I refused because someone could easily drive up, break in, and drive off. Also be weary of places where the "owner" hires his friends. If they break into your machine, he'll treat it like he knows nothing and it's your problem and not his. Basically, practically anytime you have a place with 30+ employees with an actual break room, you shouldn't have to worry about going through what quikvend went through. That won't necessarily stop someone from banging up a snack machine that keeps getting hung up, but it usually prevents people from trying to pry machines open and completely destroy just to steal money. Also, if an account is good enough that it warrants placing good machines, then a break-in shouldn't be that hard of a hit. Sure, any break-in is bad, but if the location makes good profits then there's a good chance that they'll understand that it's not your fault and you can use that opportunity to update equipment or maybe raise prices or whatever. Just don't get low-volume accounts in shady places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngryChris Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 On a side note, have the honor boxes been working out? I've really been hoping you could make some extra money with them. There's no way I could afford the time to service honor boxes now, but the money wasn't bad when I did them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magiccity726 Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 It sucks but we've all been there. I have a hotel in a rough area. They break the glass on the snack machine every year or two. They don't get any money so I guess they do it for chips/candy lol. It does like $500 a week and I can charge $2.25 a bottle so it's worth it to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuikVend Posted January 20, 2017 Author Share Posted January 20, 2017 1 hour ago, AngryChris said: I'm not speaking for quikvend here but I will tell you that you want to avoid slow accounts or accounts in shady circumstances (ie. privately owned shop with 5-10 people all under the age of 25). Any time a vending machine is somehow accessible without employees knowing about it is shady. One local auto shop that I have been trying to cancel for years now (literally can't get the mover to pick it up) is a bad deal. It started off well when the soda machine was in the lobby, but they said it had to be moved to the back due to "remodeling." Since then, sales were cut in half. They asked me to put it outside and I refused because someone could easily drive up, break in, and drive off. Also be weary of places where the "owner" hires his friends. If they break into your machine, he'll treat it like he knows nothing and it's your problem and not his. Basically, practically anytime you have a place with 30+ employees with an actual break room, you shouldn't have to worry about going through what quikvend went through. That won't necessarily stop someone from banging up a snack machine that keeps getting hung up, but it usually prevents people from trying to pry machines open and completely destroy just to steal money. Also, if an account is good enough that it warrants placing good machines, then a break-in shouldn't be that hard of a hit. Sure, any break-in is bad, but if the location makes good profits then there's a good chance that they'll understand that it's not your fault and you can use that opportunity to update equipment or maybe raise prices or whatever. Just don't get low-volume accounts in shady places. This location started off really well, especially for a beginner. It started slowing down 6 months ago, so I was thinking of cancelling. I had the owners other location as well, but pulled out of it as well. All of my remaining locations are secure, at least they seem like they are. 1 hour ago, AngryChris said: On a side note, have the honor boxes been working out? I've really been hoping you could make some extra money with them. There's no way I could afford the time to service honor boxes now, but the money wasn't bad when I did them. I haven't gotten into them yet. My plan was to get them rolled out after the new year. I just bought a large bulk route, so once it's settled in I'll probably move forward with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southeast Treats Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 Sounds like the whole business was burgled and your machines were just part of the overall hit. Sorry to hear about it, It's happened to me as well and it's no fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionvending Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 Sorry to hear about the loss! I know that it is a risk that we all face, but it doesn't make it taste any better. At least you had already made your money back from the machines at that location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZVendor Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 I once had a patio furniture manufacturer with horrible security. They fired a guy and he later broke in and trashed the snack and soda machines with an axe. Destroyed the coin mechs to get the change out. I had just collected the machines that day so all he got was coins from the mechs. What I got was 2 machines for the scrap yard. Luckily they were real old machines before I started getting nice equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuikVend Posted January 20, 2017 Author Share Posted January 20, 2017 19 minutes ago, AZVendor said: I once had a patio furniture manufacturer with horrible security. They fired a guy and he later broke in and trashed the snack and soda machines with an axe. Destroyed the coin mechs to get the change out. I had just collected the machines that day so all he got was coins from the mechs. What I got was 2 machines for the scrap yard. Luckily they were real old machines before I started getting nice equipment. Yea, that's pretty similar. The employees "accidentally" forgot to set the alarm and the same night someone got in and cleaned them out and hit both my machines. They didn't touch my gumball machine, which had $40 in it and left $2 in the soda machine (probably because it looked empty to them, I had emptied it not long ago). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 We had machines in the laundromat of an apartment complex. The machines were broken into then we had the guy on camera doing the break-in. He spent over an hour and a half pop in the locks on the soda in the snack machine and also trying to break into numerous washing machines.Even with the video as well as pictures of the guy's truck nothing ever came of it so we sold the account to another local vendor for next to nothing just to get out of it. It was profitable I just didn't want to deal with it.Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poplady1 Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Just want to mention that unless you signed a contract stating they had no responsibility to your equipment, then the machine was in their care, custody and control which means you can make a claim. It is a standard provision in business insurance policies. Make a police report and before pulling the machines leave them so their insurance can settle with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuikVend Posted January 21, 2017 Author Share Posted January 21, 2017 27 minutes ago, Poplady1 said: Just want to mention that unless you signed a contract stating they had no responsibility to your equipment, then the machine was in their care, custody and control which means you can make a claim. It is a standard provision in business insurance policies. Make a police report and before pulling the machines leave them so their insurance can settle with you. I'll have to keep that in mind in case it ever happens again. Unfortunately, I've already pulled them. I thought I was picking up one damaged machine and one that wasn't touched, but I saw that they were both hit once I got there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poplady1 Posted February 2, 2017 Share Posted February 2, 2017 That is a bummer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuikVend Posted February 2, 2017 Author Share Posted February 2, 2017 2 hours ago, Poplady1 said: That is a bummer. I chalked it up as a life lesson. Vending has been pretty good to me so far, so I won't worry over it too much. On a side note, do you guys work in the SW Ohio/N Kentucky areas? I might have asked before, but my memory fails me at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.