This is an ongoing situation. I didn't mind that people would go through our recycling bin because I figured they were looking for recyclable cans/plastic etc. My husband has brought up a couple of times how I should not let strangers dig into our recycling/trash bins. He says that maybe they are not looking for recyclables. They may find our private information even though we shred everything and use the information. I thought that was a good point. There have been a couple incidents when my husband came home (different times of the day) and came across people walking down our driveway to look through our recycling/trash bin. Once, the people realized we didn't have anything, they walked away and realized that the car(my husband) pulling into the driveway was the person living in the home. The person walked pretty quickly down the block. My husband got out of his car and yelled "excuse me". The person ignored him a few times...and family turned around. My husband, said that it was illegal to go through someone's bins..especially the bins being on our property still. Now, can someone tell me how do we handle this situation?
I don't know if it is illegal ( I would think yes) but if the bins are on your property then they are considered trespassing and can be cited for that.
I would not like this at all and I would ask someone to leave my property. You don't know what you don't know and with all the identy theft, etc, it would be a major concern for me. I shred everything and anything that has our name on it.
We are fortunate to have a large garage and I store my bins inside the garage until garbage day.
I would assume that it's illegal. You pay to use those bins, they are essentially YOUR property. Your husband is most likely right, they are looking for personal information to use for their own benefit.
I highly recommend shredding all documents that have even the slightest personal information, including your name.
Does this happen often? Get a megaphone and, from a window, tell the people to leave or you will call the police.
We put out stuff on Sunday for Monday pickup. I shred anything that I should be worried about. We know that there are folks that drive through the neighborhood every Sunday in order to see if something is sitting out. I kind of like it because I don't have to pay for the trash people to cart it off. I did that with an old mirror, a standing lamp that I cannot turn the knob to anymore, and my washing machine that broke. There are people who can fix this stuff, and I am so happy for them to get something out of it.
I am not surprised that the guy would not want to talk to you. He doesn't know how people feel about him looking through the trash. I would definitely not put anything in there that you would be worried about. Invest in a shredder.
Dawn
Who "owns" the bins? Here in Chicago, the city does. So as long as the bins are not inside private property (like our garage), it is not a violation of personal rights/property to go through them.
I would suggest that you put them inside your garage until garbage day.
My best advice is to continue to shred everything, just in case. I think it may be illegal to come onto your property but if the trash/recycling is curbside I believe it is not.
Going through trash is one way identity theft happens.
I'm not sure going through trash is illegal.
It might vary depending where you are.
Call your local non emergency police number and ask.
The police might be interested in knowing if identity theft is becoming a problem in your area.
No, the police use that all the time. If it is discarded it is trash and not someones property anymore. If you don't want them going through the trash then by all means keep the cans in the garage until the trash collectors are coming. It used to be one of the kids chores when we had a garage, they got up early and pulled them to the curb, once they were empty the same kids brought them in the garage again.
It's not illegal for anyone to go through any one else's garbage as long as it is not on your personal property...meaning if it's in your garage, in your driveway-not on the sidewalk-etc. (Learned that from one of my criminal justice courses!)
If it's on the sidewalk, that's considered public property and it's fine.
NO, it is not illegal. I have some experience with this, as we have a trash-digger who comes through the neighborhood weekly. Once trash is on the curb, it is no longer considered your personal property. It doesn't matter if you own the bins or the city does. If you don't want people going through your trash (and I don't blame you) keep it on your private property until the truck is coming. But even then, realize that people can do through it in the dump, so a shredder is always a good idea, too.
It depends on the jurisdiction. However, it's never legal to go thru trash bins while they're sitting on private property because it's trespassing. In many jurisdictions it's legal to go thru the bins if they're sitting at the curb.
I might move the bins so that they aren't visible from the street. Other than that there is not much you can do unless you catch them on your property. Then tell them they're trespassing. I wouldn't call the police unless it's the same person who've you've stopped before. Perhaps the word will get around that you're willing to call the police and they'll stop.
Our city trash bins have a hole in the lid so that they can be locked. If this were happening to me I'd probably pad lock the bins. Not because I didn't want them going thru my trash but because I don't want them on my property.
You could also put bottles and cans at the curb so that they could be picked up by whomever without entering your property. My cousin did that for awhile and they always disappeared the same night.
We shred all personal info before we put it in the trash. Since you do too the likelihood of them gaining any useful info is very slim. The likelihood that they're even looking for anything other than useful objects is next to non-existent.
I think it truly depends on what your local laws are on the matter.
Here you can not go onto someones property to dig through bins. If it is out on the curb going to the garage person then there is a ''grey'' area on what is allowed. I think they take it on a case by case basis.
If you live in apt and leave something out by the dumpster it is fair game...
If you find someone digging through any type of trash on your personal property you have grounds to call the Police. Even if it is just garbage. It is your home.
It is to easy for people to get personal information. You never know when you may forget to shred something and it gets out. That is the difference of security and invasion at that point. All it takes is your name and a little bit of personal and your whole life is ruined in the hands of someone looking for trouble.
I would make sure I kept my trash bins behind a gate or in the garage. I know that may mean having to make the space but it is that or having to piece together a stolen life.
It only takes the one wrong person to lose everything.
It is here.. against the law.
Actually I would be surprised if it is against the law anywhere. It is against the law to go through trash for the purpose of obtaining information to commit fraud but you have no idea if that is what they are actually doing.
You have given up possession of the property by placing it in your trash. The trash can tends to be placed at the end of your driveway which also tends to be a easement.
I have never had issues with the trash pirates, if anything I like them because they take my old TVs, bikes and things I don't really want in a landfill but I don't want to pay to get rid of the right way.
They can not go through them while in your driveway. CREEPS. Call the police. The more reports they receive, the more they will watch out for people walking in your neighborhood.
Hmmmm, good question. Even IF it's illegal I bet it's hard as hell to get the cops out there fast enough to take care of things.
I know around here people are looking for soda cans. I purposely seperate the cans and put them out EARLY in the daylight so somone can come take them. There's a lot of people that rely on that stuff and sure, I could cash it in myself but that's okay. I rather help someone out if I can. (No pun intended.)
Check with your city hall (who may refer you elsewhere) to ask specifically. Being that you're in CA I will tell you it varies city to city.
It IS illegal in my city, and I never see anyone doing it. But in the city I moved from just 2 towns over it wasn't illegal (2 years ago so it may have changed) and people went through trash cans all the time, gross.
wouldn't it be trespassing, either way?
I would think that if its at the curb, then no, its not illegal but if its on your property then yes. We have some people that go around the neighborhood and collect stuff to recycle like steel or metal. We tossed out an old sink with the faucet still attached. They took the metal parts and left the sink. My husband just put this heavy chair outside and it was gone the next day because someone came and picked it up. It had a lot of steel in it. They even took an old ironing board. I take our papers up to the school recycle bins.
To the best of my knowledge once you put it out on the curb it's fair game. However, l recommend you contact your city hall to find out if there's any time of ordinance.