Circulating the internet this week is a story that every carwash operator should note.

Magic Wand Car Wash Systems recently installed a car wash for an investor in Frederick, Maryland. Shortly after the system was installed, the owner of the new Magic Wand Car Wash started complaining that he was losing large amounts of money from his carwash coin machines every week. The owner even suggested that Magic Wand employees might be using stolen keys to remove money from the machine. In response Bill Daugherty, owner of Magic Wand, set up hidden surveillance cameras to try to catch the thieves in the act. What they found was quite surprising and is pictured below:

Perched and obviously practiced, the starling digs deep.

No worries — he finds what he’s looking for: three quarters!

It turns out that this little criminal, AKA a starling, works in gangs and is attrcted to shiny objects. The carwash operator reported losing hundreds of dollars to the birds and would some mornings find, literally, dozens of quarters on the ground beside the coin machine.

So this true story seems like proof that a good surveillance system at a carwash can be invaluable. It also goes to show that sometimes it is best to keep an open mind when those quarters go missing!

This story has been confirmed by Urban Legends.