People stealing pedestrian crossing controls

[Darren]

The local rag has an unusual story today - apparently people in Tonbridge are removing pelican crossing controls, then (the theory goes) selling them as doorbells on eBay!

The council there says they're "stumped" as to how to stop the thefts...

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/tonbridge/ ... ay-277701/

[traffic-light-man]

I don't think I've heard of this kind of thing before. I've been used to vandalism and anti-vandal measures (see here for a heavy example), but even in those cases the push buttons aren't reinforced as far as I know.

I'm not even sure how you could get around this problem without some sort of cage to wrap around the top of the unit itself, but then no matter what you do I suspect they'll find a way in if they're that determined!

[Nathan_A_RF]

Funnily enough I have a push button unit that I may turn into a doorbell - that I got from eBay!

[jnty]

Clearly wholesale conversion to zebras in the risk areas is the answer! Certainly seems like an option for the pictured crossing (if it's remotely relevant.)

[tom66]

I don't think I've heard of this kind of thing before. I've been used to vandalism and anti-vandal measures (see here for a heavy example), but even in those cases the push buttons aren't reinforced as far as I know.

Wow. How to tell you live in a pleasant area... it's odd though that the signals just down the road have no vandalism protection, is there a good reason this set is specifically protected?

[traffic-light-man]

Wow. How to tell you live in a pleasant area... it's odd though that the signals just down the road have no vandalism protection, is there a good reason this set is specifically protected?

I presume this set was targeted quite heavily at some point, but it's always baffled me why that set you mention around the corner was absolutely fine. The controller cabinet is also worthy of note here too, being locked inside its own cage. Not sure I'd like to be a maintenance engineer working inside that!

This set used to have the same type of mesh cages when it still had Mellors, too, but like the Kirkby example, its twin a matter of metres down the road didn't have cages. All the sites in that area do have tall poles, though.

[swissferry]

I recall hearing 20+ years ago about traffic light bulbs being repeatedly stolen from the road under the railway bridge in Stewarton.