Self Serve Money Container

[Luremaker]

My Kids sell corn and pumpkins roadside and only use a coffee can with a slit cut in the plastic cover. They empty the can a few times a day or after school on school days. They have been using the same can for years. They loose more to people simply taking the produce and not paying than people stealing money. We can only be thankful that most people actually pay, in part, at least.

 

[Western]

I agree with the last 2 post, I think people will steal product before the cash. Stealing cash seems to have a worse stigma attached to it than say stealing veggies and fire wood.

I personally don't think crime is worse now then 100 years ago, we just have more people, so a higher percentage of low life's. In a community that is small is where I think the lowest amount of stealing would be, generally harder to steal when everybody knows everybody.

Of course in "the movies" you always see the guy taking the pie from the window sill and leaving some change.

 

[Mamps]

Thanks a lot for the useful information. The reason for my question is that I have been using the coffee can that was somewhat effective until the decline in the economy. It seems that people will go to extremes...
I do agree that most of the issue is taking product without paying or paying less. However I have had 3 coffee cans stolen in the past year and looking to put a more permanent fixture out.
Thanks again for the great ideas.

 

[tallyho8]

If you just want to keep the honest people honest and don't want all the hard work of keeping away the determined thieves there is a fairly easy way.

Use a 55 gallon drum with the removable top with the bolt-on clamp that holds the top on. Fill the drum 3/4 full with sand and place some paper over the sand to catch the money and let people drop the money in the bung hole.

Few people will take the time and effort to get tools and take the time to remove the top to get the change. A determined thief will steal even your more expensive containers.

 

[forgeblast]

I remember seeing on the news two "ladys" who took all the vegies and money a guy had at a self serve stand. they were laughing and jokeing as they took everything. He had a hidden camera that caught them in the act, and the news ran it for weeks. A trail cam set up where you can get license plate numbers might be a good idea.

 

[rus_geek]

Nearby neighbor sells corn for most of the summer/fall and he uses an ammo box with a slit cut in the top. You can padlock it shut and bolt (inside) to a chain locked to whatever is handy. An RTV in this case, IIRC.

-rus-