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Be alert for (perhaps) suspicious recyclers
A message from the Church Hill Crime Watch:
We have had many reports of persons entering private property without permission. These same people have been trying back and side gates and also doors to homes. They are doing this in the guise or truth of collecting items to recycle. If you leave anything curbside or in the alley that is one thing, however, no one has a right to come on your private property.
Report these people!.. call 911 immediately! We as residents have no way of ascertaining whether these are criminals, spotters or whatever. This is a time for neighbors to work together. We are all going and coming at different hours. If you see these people male or female…first call 911, then call the crime watch at 648-2710 so we can collate information as to where these people are. This is crime prevention, we do not want to be set up for home break-in’s. Your help is needed and appreciated. Thanks….
Drop a line to chcw1986@aol.com to get yourself on the distribution list.
I had a fella go under my tarp covered material pile in my backyard a couple weeks ago. He appearantly didnt see me kneeling down behind my tool shed where I was sorting through some tools at the time. When confronted he said he was looking for scrap metal. Told him I’d spare him some lead if he set foot on my property again.
I’m totally fine with the eutrepenurial scrap metal guys who respectfully source metal from trash and alleys, but covered material piles in private backyards is just straight up theft and probably a step away from escalating to B&E.
This was afternoon on a workday, south of broad.
Not this past Saturday, but the one before, I saw a guy with an old model white Ford pickup in the alley behind Cedar Street Baptist off M St. He was looking through the church’s dumpster at about 10 at night. I called the non emergency number and the dispatcher said she would send someone out.
Just so everyone knows: Upon talking to an officer about it a few days later, I was told it could take up to 30 MINUTES for an officer to respond to a non emergency call on a busy night. Maybe 911 would be a better way to go, but I hate to divert resources away from serious crimes when someone is (probably) just dumpster diving. Still, if it’s sketch (regardless of motive), I say you call it in!
^^Hey man I know that guy your referring to.. that was low of you to call the police on him man
Every house we work on in Church Hill we have people that want to come “dumpster dive” through our dumpsters…. we always tell them NO but who knows what happens when we are not around.
Glad everyone is on a vigilant lookout.
Jim
Friend (#3): It was not “low” of Observer to call the police at all. What was this guy dumpster diving for at 10pm? I, for one, appreciate Observer looking out for his/her neighbors and calling the police. Better safe than sorry…
I have No Trespassing signs up and I call 911 when anyone tries to come through our yard – stranger and “helpful/incredibly nosy and annoying neighbor” alike. No Trespassing signs means you posted that no one was able to enter the area and the person, if caught, can face charges.
http://virginiacriminallawyers.vatrafficlaw.com/pages/trespass.html
They’re less than a buck at Loews. I have extras.
Friend,
*You* may know the guy, but *I* don’t. He was on private property, had no business being there, and it was late at night. As someone that lives in the area, I called the police. If you want to let him dumpster dive at your place, go for it, but please respect my right to feel safe and not have trespassers on my property.
I have seen the gentleman in the old white ford ranger pickup in the westhampton (grove/libbie) section of town. He slices open trash bags and looks for cans. It seems he hits all the alleys in the city and is generally harmless. I see no reason why someone shouldn’t call the police if he is seen, he wont be arrested and it lets him know he is being watched. Last time I saw him in out alley he asked me for a beer to drink and then I reminded him he was driving.
They aren’t “dumpster divers,” they are “treasure hunters.”
Yeah, well there was also the guy driving around awhile back taking all the bags of paper recycling and driving off. Identity theft waiting to happen…
two months ago ,three people a woman and two men loaded up a pile of scrap metal i had been amassing for a trip to the recycler. despite the no tresspassing signs and the neighbors queries they decamped ….filled up. i got a description ,chased em down and with a good bit of cursing and yelling made em return the scrap. of course my horrible attitude was mentioned but as i am not unaware i am an asshole i didnt let it get in the way of my desired goal. a couple of days later other pickers got my stash. lesson? i dunno but i hate to block up a court docket over such trifling shit. any good suggestions that wont leave me in a legal pickle?
I have two dogs and when I pick up after them I turn the bag upside down and sprinkle the poo in my trash can. No one seems to mess with my trash. I guess they learned their lesson the hard way. I also occasionally glue a quater to the sidewalk. It seems to keep those type of people entertained for a while.
@jdm – Gross. Does your can stink as a result of this tactic?
Crooks “recycling” stolen items in Church Hill for cash (nbc12)
http://www.nbc12.com/Global/story.asp?S=13442141
http://www.wric.com/global/Category.asp?c=190525&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=5254668&flvUri=&partnerclipid=
channel 8’s story based off this posting
Buddy-you da man!!
“Showtime!”
Post #12- I like your tactic. Keep up the good work! Who cares if it makes the can stink. It’s trash and some trash smells worse than dog poo.