For some odd reason I find it very funny. I mean, what happened to the good old days where you smacked the machine in a precise location and at a certain angle. Rites of passage can't keep up with technology.

"Several CIA contractors were kicked out of the agency for stealing more than $3,000 in snacks from vending machines, according to official documents newly obtained by BuzzFeed News.

The thefts took place starting in the fall of 2012 and continued through March 2013, according to a declassified Office of Inspector General report from October 2013. The report is one of hundreds only recently released to BuzzFeed News through a Freedom Of Information Act lawsuit filed in 2015.

The "theft scheme" involved unplugging a cable connecting the machines to an electronic payment system called FreedomPay, and then using "unfunded FreedomPay cards" to buy the snacks at no cost.

After being informed of the thefts, the OIG installed "surveillance cameras at several key vending locations where a high occurrence of thefts were taking place," according to the report..." https://www.buzzfeed.com/jason...9vpb11j3#.oebkzqaaJo

Hack into the machines, don't notice the cameras and leave them undisturbed. Yes, they deserved being kicked out.

quote:

Originally posted by jehzsa:
Hack into the machines, don't notice the cameras and leave them undisturbed.

You can sleep peacefully tonight. The CIA is protecting the country.

Top

Men

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
Top

Men

I wonder how will they explain that in their statement of qualifications.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7xKyR_Z-wk

^^^^^^
Previous Employer: Central Intelligence Agency
Experience: Bypassing electronic security systems.

We had snack machines in the hangar bay when we were in dry dock. I went to get an ice cream cookie and the machine told me to select price. Apparently the guy left it in program mode. I selected 5c and put in a nickel and got my cookie.

That machine was empty in 5 minutes once I told berthing about it.

quote:

^^^^^^

Previous Employer: Central Intelligence Agency
Experience: Bypassing electronic security systems. No experience with video recording devices.

BREAKING NEWS: CNN
Yes, but did they COLLUDE with the Russians?
And was the Trump team involved?
Will this cause a Ho-Ho shortage?

quote:

Will this cause a Ho-Ho shortage?

No-no...

Damn, and to think I thought the penny phone call trick was good........

quote:

Originally posted by jehzsa:
. . .Hack into the machines, don't notice the cameras and leave them undisturbed. Yes, they deserved being kicked out.

They deserve to be "kicked out" because they're damned thieves. The fact that they're stupid is just a manifestation of the correlation between being a thief and being stupid.

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they're damned thieves

Of course. Granted, these were probably tech guys, taking into account the length of time during which they indulged in such delicacies at the same location.

But if they were not tech guys, disregarding the cameras is unforgivable. Dangerous to themselves and others.

I was a manufacturing engineering manager for a firm that manufactured vending machines. To test the security the design group ask if we could test a new security feature to see if it could be broken into in less than hour.

I assigned an engineer from Bakersfield, CA originally to test the security. He had coins and cash emptied in 15 minutes.

True story.

While the tone is to respect the honest vending machines the reality is much different. I've been ripped off so many times that I feel good when someone gets the best of the machines. Once we even had a sign saying "don't kick the machine". Everyone cheated still did. So I propose a compromise. Maybe we should disable any machine that cheats us. Then it would be OK to fire those who cheat the machines.

Long ago we used to eat in a small town over by the Indiana border. It was a Tavern as I understand the term. It had a bar, but eating areas too. For the amusement of children eating with their parents, they even had a "toy crane". One of those evil devices that allowed the folks with too much money to deposit coins and take one grab for a cheap stuffed toy. The bar maid even offered the opinion that she'd never seen the machine give up a toy. But lots of players.

Enter Billy York. He was a big tall drunk guy and sort of a friend. So one day after a meeting we came in. The lot was empty except for Billy's old car. Inside, he was sound asleep down a the end of the bar. He even gave all appearances of being passed out. So 10 or so people came in and the barmaid had her hands full. Of course everyone needed a beer and then she took our food order.

Two women worked the place. Good food, but the barmaid usually went to the kitchen to help. At that instant, Billy sprung from his slumber into a man of action. He lunged toward the machine, and in one smooth motion he grabbed the front corners and tipped the thieving machine on its face. Then he lifted it back up but with the right side first and the left kind of following. It resulted in all the toys piling up above the "door" where the toys came out. Working kind of frantically, he pulled toy after toy out, piling them on the nearest table.

We watched in amusement, kind of awe struck in how efficient he was. Then he took a chair and climbed up on it. With an armload of toys, he placed one on each ceiling fan blade. He moved around the room, getting each of the fans. Maybe 3 of them, 5 blades each. Then giving us all the "shush" sign and smiling, he returned to his place of drunken slumber. Everyone was stunned, but watching.

In a little while the barmaid staarted hauling out our food. It was back in the smoking days and it hadn't taken long to fill the room like a 3 alarm fire. The barmaid stepped over to the switch on the wall. The fans started moving, slowly at first. Then they started to kick into gear and spun. The only thing holding the stuffed toys was gravity. Then the all launched off the blades. Crashing into each other and flying around. The barmaid then screamed "Billy". He was up and out the door, laughing all the way.

Sure, he'd cheated the vending company by stealing some of their toys. But I sure am glad I saw it. I would guess the barmaid gave the toys to the service guy, but I have no way of knowing. It wasn't like stealing them for personal consumption, it was for fun!

Do the people who condone theft from vending machines also condone shoplifting? How about bank robbery? Theft hurts us all.

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people who condone theft from vending machines

Isn't it a bit ironic that they were working for a company that specializes, among other things, in "collecting" information?

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Originally posted by Fredward:
Do the people who condone theft from vending machines also condone shoplifting?

People do.

Someone noticed a Ding Dong deficiency?

quote:

Originally posted by Bigboreshooter:

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Will this cause a Ho-Ho shortage?

No-no...

Is that a "he ho"?