Dispenser Pulsar Tampering Could Cost You Plenty
Plan for the worst and hope for the best. We have all heard that expression before, and it's applicable in nearly every facet of life – and business.
That kind of preventative thinking came to mind over the weekend, following a news story that a New Jersey resident stole over $1,700 in fuel from a station in Delaware.
You can learn more about the incident HERE.
Learning of the theft in Delaware immediately compelled us to reach out to our colleagues at the State Office of Weights & Measures to inquire if similar devices have been found in New Jersey, and what station owners could do to prevent them.
The answer is not entirely simple, but it does hinge on a very basic premise: Get familiar with what the inside of your dispensers look like, then check them often.
The reason for this underscores the fact that those seeking to steal from your business (and your patrons) have become very sophisticated. The tools they use will visually blend into the ordinary mechanisms inside your pumps. This means that the only way you'll notice if something is "wrong" is by visually inspecting your equipment to note when something "looks different" than it previously did.
Pump tampering is not new, and in most past instances, thieves focused on credit card skimmers on the outside of your dispensers. We've all read stories on this phenomenon, here in New Jersey and beyond. Now, bad actors have evolved their techniques and are now using "pulsar manipulation" inside dispensers to steal from their unperceived victims.
Unlike credit card skimmers, which directly steal payment information from your patrons, modified pulsars harm your business directly. This is done by modifying, slowing, or blocking the signal inside the pump. That is, the signal is manipulated in-between the mechanical components and the electronic components. This interferes with the dispenser's ability to compute a sale.
What do tampered pumps look like? They might look very ordinary; unless you know what you're looking for.
Looking at the photos below, you can see:
In Photo 1: A rubber tube was slipped over a piece of the pulsar. This allowed the mechanical part to spin freely but slows down the corresponding gear that is attached to the electronic component. This method is "always on", meaning that every sale is affected; pumping product at an ordinary rate, but slowing the corresponding pump price.
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In Photo 2: A homemade electric device was placed inside the pump. The big "tell" that something was wrong is that the device is placed with a wood base (there should never be something made of wood inside a dispenser cabinet). You can see the tampered, modified pulsar sitting atop the wood base. The device allows the mechanical part to spin freely, and mimics the pulse count to the electronic component of the gas pump. Just as in Photo 1, the physical pumping might be unaffected, but the pump price will climb at a slower rate, permitting the thief to steal product at a fraction of the true sale price. This method can be turned on or off with a remote control (and thus, is obviously more sophisticated than the method used in Photo 1).
In Photo 3: We see a normal, unmodified fuel pulsar and where it is placed within the dispenser cabinet. It should be noted that this looks "normal" for this dispenser, but every specific brand and model has a different internal layout.
The good news is that this form of theft is not as common in New Jersey, though it has become prevalent in southern states over the last year or so. Of those pumps that have been tampered with, most seem to be Gilbarco branded dispensers.
So, what can be done to stop this from happening? Every location is different, but here are three potential solutions to research and investigate:
Strategy 1 - Familiarity and pictures: Looking back at our comment above, you should get familiar with the internal layout of your dispensers. Make sure that you know where the pulsars are, what they look like, and how they are positioned. Then take pictures of the inside of your pumps so you can refer back to them. If you see something inside the pump that looks suspicious, look at the pictures and compare. If all else fails, call an experienced technician to get a professional opinion.
Strategy 2 - Changing OEM dispenser locks: Investigate changing out the standard, OEM pump locks. Thieves need access to the inside of the dispenser in order to modify and tamper with the pulsars. If they cannot get inside, they cannot carry out the theft. Most OEMs outfit their dispensers with standard keys, copies of which can be easily purchased on the internet. In most cases, that is how bad actors get into the dispensers to begin with. Consult a professional about changing the locks and keys, and stop them from gaining access.
Strategy 3 - Metal pulsar bars: Investigate the possibility of installing a metal bar on top of the pulsars so they can’t be tampered with. This is something that should be done with the assistance of an experienced technician.
Have you caught someone tampering with your pump dispensers? Have you implemented one of these possible solutions to guard against potential theft? Let us know so we can share your experiences with other members and help station owners protect their small businesses. As always you can talk to Nick@njgca.org or Joe@njgca.org 732-256-9646
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