Genius security hack trolls illegal parkers

Hilarious footage shows the clever method a small-business owner used to punish people trying to illegally park in his driveway.

They say a man’s home is his castle, but for Bruce Kerr, that pride and joy comes from his beloved IT store in Rockhampton – a store he’s willing to defend down to the very last hard drive.

For years, the driveway that links Kerr Solutions IT’s car park and Rockhampton’s busy main road was plagued by illegal parkers, including people stopping by to pop into the city’s equally beloved tobacco store, which forms the other half of the narrow passageway.

Satellite imagery shows a car illegally parked in the alleyway between Kerr Solutions and the local tobbaconist. Source: Google

Using an advanced system of piping, sensors, cameras and – of course – a connection to the town’s water supply, Mr Kerr and his colleagues rigged a contraption that sprays a jet of water at any vehicle – or person – loitering in the alleyway.

“I’ve got a good knowledge of plumbing systems, so I put a lot of work into the design,” Mr Kerr said.

“All the techs I work with, they’re all good with programming and converting sensors into water and trigger nozzles and what have you … I guess we’re combining our talents and coming up with a substantial deterrent.”

A Prado driver gets a shock to the system. Picture: Supplied

Prior to building the system, Mr Kerr and his staff would watch on in despair as their driveway – an important lifeline to the building and the people residing within – was clogged up by traffic despite clear signage informing drivers they can’t park there.

A local council worker cops a spray. Picture: Supplied

Mr Kerr told news.com.au that his pleas to authorities would go unanswered.

“For months we were sending license plate numbers and video footage to the police, and that just fell on deaf ears. We tried the council and that fell on deaf ears as well,” he said.

“(Drivers) are creating a danger to themselves and other people because when they park forward in our driveway, they have no alternative but to then reverse into three lanes of traffic.”

Sometimes, it was even the police and council workers themselves who were guilty of taking up the space.

Not even local police can escape the wrath of the security system. Picture: Supplied

Finally, the straw broke the camel’s back and Mr Kerr concluded that enough was enough.

Using his past experiences as a mechanical engineer and a farmer, he developed a simple, yet genius system that worked as both a deterrent and a form of instant, gleefully juvenile punishment.

The system has a dedicated TikTok page called “rockhamptonchaos” and the compilations make for some entertaining viewing.

A scooter rider gets more than he bargained for. Picture: Supplied

While Mr Kerr appreciates the popularity of the makeshift security system, he says that it’s important to remember it exists for practical purposes.

“The fact that most people are keeping away from it is great … I’d encourage other people with similar problems to try the same thing,” Mr Kerr said.

“So many people think they’re the only person on the planet.”

Mr Kerr is tight-lipped on future plans for the system but has hinted at the possibility of more cameras and – wait for it – more spray guns.

He says the new system will allow the staff of his store to “more accurately target open doors and open windows and passages”.

Keep your eyes and ears (but definitely not your windows or doors) open – big things are happening in an IT store’s alleyway in sweet, sunny Rockhampton.

Originally published as Genius security hack trolls illegal parkers