Gangs use vacuums to suck out parking meter cash

Wealthiest councils said to be considering scrapping machines in favour of apps and contactless payments

PARKING gangs that use vacuum cleaners to suck money out of machines are forcing one of UK’S wealthiest councils to consider scrapping cash meters.

Armed with sledgehammers, the organised gangs have stolen £120,000 out of 70 machines in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the past 12 months.

The London council warned that the criminals were smashing the meters open or drilling holes in them before inserting vacuum cleaner hoses to suck the money out. They are also driving vehicles into the machines in an effort to get access to the coins.

The recurring crime has left the council with little choice but to consider ending cash payments for the 700 meters across the borough, which charge from £1.30 to £4.90 per hour.

It is now urging motorists to pay through its app or phone system.

Will Pascall, Kensington and Chelsea council’s lead member for streets, plan- ning and transport, said the gangs’ profits were funding other crimes such as drugs and trafficking in the capital.

He said: “We have gangs stalking the streets and smashing their way into machines to suck the cash out. It is a trend we need to stop and motorists go- ing cashless is one way to tackle this.”

It is understood that the council has reported the incidents to the Met Police but no suspects have been caught because little evidence is left behind.

A recent AA poll of 17,000 drivers found that 70 per cent of people were less likely to use a car park where only phone payments were accepted. Edmund King, the president of the AA, said the proposed switch to cashless machines may have an adverse effect on older drivers. He said: “It is a sad state of affairs when parking meters are being ambushed by criminals armed with sledgehammers and vacuum cleaners. “Whilst there is merit in cashless systems and they are becoming more commonplace, we do still find that some older drivers prefer to pay in cash or with contactless cards.”

In November last year, Tameside council in Manchester introduced 150 cashless bays, which required motorists to call, text or download an app to pay. Locals described the move as “discriminatory” to elderly residents.

Others criticised the damage it could do to local business, with one shop owner saying: “People aren’t going to pop in for a sandwich if they have to get out an app and register their car.”

Jonny Combe, UK chief executive of parking payment firm Paybyphone, which is used by the council, encouraged the move away from cash payments.

He said: “Moving away from coins and relying on a mobile parking payment service is a great way for any council to reduce this type of theft and vandalism.

“Cashless parking also delivers convenience to drivers, as they can start a parking session in a matter of seconds and use their phones to extend the parking from anywhere – even from their smart watch.

“They don’t have to worry about cutting appointments short to rush back to feed a meter.”