I seen the one where they used Q-Tips to fool a coin operated Speed Queen washer, this is why many laundries around here are switching machines to use a credit card slot type mechanism, which you have to purchase and recharge, for now it stops stuff like this kind of theft, but give them time and they'll figure a way to hack these too!
But everyone is correct, theft is theft.....and one can feel better about clean clothes, but if your that down and out, try a little dish soap in a bath tub and put a little muscle into it, hell if you have to get a ROCK, it can be done!