By Patrick Metzger

OK, it’s not exactly Oceans Eleven, but this low-rent scam could cost you a couple of bucks if you use TTC token vending machines. What the vandals do is stick a piece of folded up paper or cardboard in the coin return of the machine, so that when coins are deposited in the upper slot, they get stuck instead of falling through. Later on, the perps come back and pull the paper out with a knife or a wire, and the machine pays off a little tiny jackpot of freed loons and toons. Apart from robbing you of your subway fare, this act of criminal genius damages the token dispensers, which costs everybody money.
Best bet if you’re putting change in one of these machines is to drop your smallest coin in first. If you don’t hear it drop, peer into the bottom slot to see if there’s anything stuck in there (if people are watching when you do this, it can be funny to start talking into it like it’s a telephone). If you see anything, call the number on the machine and the TTC will send someone out to fix it.