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Pepper-spray defence means South Africa robbers face loss of balance at cash machines
Guardian ^ | July 13, 2009 | David Smith

Posted on 07/13/2009 6:13:32 PM PDT by Prodigal Son

Cash machines offer an ever-growing menu of services beyond merely dispensing money. For tampering criminals, this now includes a squirt of pepper spray in the face .

The extreme measure is the latest in South Africa's escalating war against armed robbers who target banks and cash delivery vans. The number of cash machines blown up with explosives has risen from 54 in 2006 to 387 in 2007 and nearly 500 last year.

The technology uses cameras to detect people tampering with the card slots. Another machine then ejects pepper spray to stun the culprit while police response teams race to the scene.

(read more at source)

(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: crime; southafrica

1 posted on 07/13/2009 6:13:32 PM PDT by Prodigal Son
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To: Prodigal Son

“...while police response teams race to the scene...”

I think I’ve found the flaw in their logic. Getting S. African police to even respond should be considered a stroke of good luck.


2 posted on 07/13/2009 6:17:28 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: Prodigal Son

My personal favorite is the propane side-burners on cars as a carjacker defense.


3 posted on 07/13/2009 6:18:11 PM PDT by Pearls Before Swine (Is /sarc really necessary?)
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To: Prodigal Son

Hell, why mess around with pepper spray. Just install a 50 cal machine gun in place of the pepper spray and call a janitorial service after it gets set off.


4 posted on 07/13/2009 6:19:53 PM PDT by Babu
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To: Prodigal Son

Ahh, the post-apartheid utopia where all is peace and love.


5 posted on 07/13/2009 6:21:50 PM PDT by SharpRightTurn (White, black, and red all over--America's affirmative action, metrosexual president.)
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To: SharpRightTurn

USA in 2100.


6 posted on 07/13/2009 6:25:17 PM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets (AGWT is very robust with respect to data. All observations confirm it at the 100% confidence level.)
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets
"USA in 2100."

I have a bad feeling that it will be sooner than that. Much sooner.

Joburg is downright scary. You can't leave your compound to walk your dog. And that was three years ago.

7 posted on 07/13/2009 6:30:44 PM PDT by Miss Behave (OMG, my tagline is stalking me.)
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To: Prodigal Son

“Mandela’s Paradise”


8 posted on 07/13/2009 7:37:56 PM PDT by sheik yerbouty ( Make America and the world a jihad free zone!)
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To: Miss Behave

We’re screwed.


9 posted on 07/15/2009 3:57:28 AM PDT by Lonesome in Massachussets (AGWT is very robust with respect to data. All observations confirm it at the 100% confidence level.)
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