[VoIP] A NYC Payphone Puzzle

[Steph Kerman]

Here are a couple of photos I took this past Sept. 17th.  Perhaps 
someone can explain why people would do this:
http://www.western-electric.com/Telephony/Station.Equip,.Non-Key/Coin/Verizon.NYC.SS/Before.jpg

.... and do it in sufficient numbers for the Byzantine Verizon Behemoth 
to respond with this (the phone immediately to the left):
http://www.western-electric.com/Telephony/Station.Equip,.Non-Key/Coin/Verizon.NYC.SS/After.jpg

Surely a large number of phones must have been vandalized this way long 
before VZ woke up and responded.  Note the thickness of the stainless 
steel and the long weld to the upper housing along the right side.

Interestingly, the first (vandalized) phone is entirely covered with an 
extra SS layer.  The "protected" one is not.  Only the dial and lock are 
protected but with much thicker material.  They both have identical 
vault protection:
http://www.western-electric.com/Telephony/Station.Equip,.Non-Key/Coin/Verizon.NYC.SS/Vault.jpg

Note the restricted coin return opening to hamper the insertion of large 
iron bars to crack the vault open.  In fact, it's even pretty difficult 
to extract your coin with a normal size finger!  And what is that 
rectangular horizontal inset along the bottom of the vault door area?

I have to believe that anyone or group of thugs who invested so much 
effort did it for an immediate monetary reward.  But I don't understand 
how the reward is being reaped.

Any ideas?

Thanks
Steph