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What do I do when people scatter my trash?
Q: What are my options concerning these people who tear through the neighborhood trash cans? I realize that once I put my can at the curb on pick-up day I have legally given up all rights to its contents, but I'm talking about the people who come right up to the side of the house in broad daylight several days before collection. They don't seem to care if we're home or not. I have caught them many times tearing our trash bags open and tossing the contents onto our lawn and driveway. When I confront them they don't even look up but continue to throw trash everywhere and then walk slowly back to their shopping carts. I appreciate their plight but isn't this trespassing and vandalism? I don't want to bother the BPD, and chasing these people down with a water hose just seems so juvenile. It's infuriating and scares our son.
-- Paula Rodenburg
A: People who collect or scatter trash from a resident’s trash container are in violation of Bakersfield Municipal Code 8.32.110(b), Bakersfield police Detective Greg Terry said. A conviction for a first offense is punishable by a fine of not less than $50, a second conviction by a fine of at least $100, and fines of $200 for three or more convictions. As a substitute to a fine, the court could order the person to pick up trash for at least four hours for a first conviction, and at least eight hours for two or more offenses. Anyone doing what Rodenburg describes could also be guilty of littering, Terry said. Police would respond to a call for service for this type of complaint. 8 comments from 6 users
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posted by
motopoet
on Apr 8, 2007 at 12:37 PM
When we first moved here this was a new development, but it's proximity to a Wal-Mart made it fodder for the dumpster divers. Shortly after moving here I saw a guy with a shopping basket on the next street over. I told him if I saw him here again we would have a problem and it wouldnt involve cops. He told me it was a public street. I told him I would mop that public street with his ass should I see him here again. That was five years ago..I havent seen him(or anyone else doing that)since. As my good friend Kenny(a former bouncer)always said, "Violence may not be the answer, but it DOES get peoples attention"! When my current next door neighbors moved in they had left Wal-Mart shopping baskets they used to bring things home out at the curb(and they have two cars). I pushed the cart against their door and left a note on it stating that this was not the ghetto. The next cart I see cart at the crub will end up on top of their unused car..Havent seena shopping cart since! posted by
bakodon
on Apr 8, 2007 at 01:11 PM
Paula, Is that you? Bakodon from SCIF
posted by
bakodon
on Apr 8, 2007 at 01:12 PM
Make John stand by the cans all day and all night
posted by
mattloch
on Apr 8, 2007 at 10:19 PM
Which is why I always separate out my recyclables and place them in a bag on the curb next to the brown cans. It keeps the "divers" out of the cans, and cost less than the blue cans I've heard so much about (but never seen). Plus, I'd rather have the CRV going to people who need it, rather than a government entity I've just paid to haul it off.
posted by
anonymous
on Apr 9, 2007 at 09:06 AM
As Det. Terry says, the police will respond to these types of complaints, however, plan on it being MANY hours after you call. Or the call might be cancelled after a while and no officer will respond at all. These types of calls are VERY low priority. So do what you have to do for yourself to deal with the problem.! The police are not here to solve all our petty problems.
posted by
KATTBC
on Apr 9, 2007 at 03:23 PM
This is a huge problem at the apartments that I live at. We have "regulars" that come everyday and we are talking 5-10 throughout the day. They come early, early and I even had one with a flash light at 1:30 am the other day. That is where I draw the line....they woke me up out of a dead sleep......give me a heart attack, why dont' you? They don't care if I have my garage open or not. There are occasional other ones but I guess my apartments are a gold mine..............just let me sleep!
posted by
anonymous
on Apr 9, 2007 at 05:57 PM
The usual dumpster divers out in the middle of the night are not looking for cans. They are meth. heads looking for mail, papers, canceled checks, ect, so they can commit fraud using the information about you that they find.
posted by
askthecalifornian
on Apr 10, 2007 at 05:09 PM
This came from ronLgagnon@hotmail.com and is posted with his permission:"Regarding the problem of people tear through the neighborhood trash cans...the options are simple..put your trash out of site! Like behihd your fenced back yard or in the garage. Don't leave it out in view of the neigborhood. Stop trashing up the neighborhood!"
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