URBANA – A University of Illinois student from Chicago who mistakenly thought a paper clip could buy her more time on a city parking meter has been ordered to appear in court next month.

Urbana police Sgt. Dan Morgan said Nelicia Jones, 21, who listed an address in the 2000 block of North Moreland Boulevard in Champaign, was nabbed after a city parking employee watched her put paper clips in a meter in the 200 block of South Mathews Avenue early Wednesday.

"This is a daily problem that robs the taxpayers of Urbana, but nobody cares so we took it upon ourselves to look into this," said Randy Cox, a 30-year city employee. "If we wrapped a ribbon around these meters and called them art, maybe then we would have some resources."

Cox and co-worker, Jerry Rabbitt, a 29-year city employee, are responsible for making sure parking meters work properly. Both men said they routinely find paper clips jammed into the mechanism on the meter head that records how much time is on a meter or in the money box below the mechanism, if the clip makes its way through the head.

Fixing meters with foreign objects can take anywhere from a half minute to a half hour and can usually be done on the street, Rabbitt said. Aside from the labor to fix the meters, scofflaws are costing the city untold revenue.

The paper clip problem is rampant in the campus area, Rabbitt said, where most meters cost 25 cents for 20 minutes and can be occupied for up to 10 hours. The meter is programmed to recognize the metallic signature of a nickel, dime, quarter or dollar coin. A paper clip or some other metal object causes the meter to register a failure and flashes a symbol for no parking. Someone who parks at a meter that's not working can be ticketed.

About a month ago, parking enforcement employees noticed the same car at or near meters on South Mathews just north of Green in which they found paper clips. They ran the license plate and learned that the car owner, Jones, had recently had a ticket.

Cox said about 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, he donned a yellow rain slicker, picked up a 5-gallon bucket and "a pokey stick," and acted as if he were a UI employee picking up trash. Before he did that, he verified that all the meters were clear.

"I went up on a grassy knoll by the Transportation Building which is slightly elevated which was a great view," Cox said. "She parked right under a street light so it couldn't have been better conditions. She spent too much time at the meter, frankly. She was really, really close in. That made me suspicious."

Cox explained that he's observed people putting coins in meters for years, and they generally stand an arm's length from them when doing so.

"She was right on top scrutinizing the slot and making a lot of motions with her hand," he said.

After she headed to the Illini Union, Cox headed for the meter. He put a dime in and when it didn't fall, he opened it.

"Sure enough, the whole thing was full of paper clips," he said, noting the five clips are now in evidence at the police department.

Cox said Officer Al Johnston went to the Union and spoke to Jones, an employee there. He learned that she put money in the meter but mistakenly believed that when her time ran out, the paper clips would keep it from going to zero.

Johnston issued Jones a city notice to appear for tampering with a parking meter, as opposed to arresting her for a more serious violation of state law like criminal damage to property or theft of services.

Conviction is punishable by a fine of $1 to $750 and possibly restitution for the meter repairs. Jones was ordered to appear in court before a Champaign County judge on Aug. 20.

Rabbitt said the paper clips generally don't ruin a meter, which can cost $220 for a single-head to $300 for a double-headed one.

"It's ruining their ability to accept money," he said. "It's costing the taxpayers a lot of money and aggravation, and it just doesn't need to happen."

And as Rabbitt pointed out, "it's going to cost (Jones) hundreds if the judge sees fit."