SUSPICIOUS

[woodpecker]

I live in Snyder Township. Wednesday morning I watched the garbage truck man open my neighbor's garbage bags and sort through the garbage. He went through three bags and then the driver took all of the garbage up into the compartment. I thought this was VERY STRANGE! I called the company of the garbage truck only to be assured by Miss Congenuality that that was not suspicious that some times garbage workers go through your trash if they think you are stealing garbage services. With identify fraud on the rise and dumpster diving being a source, I wrote a letter to "my favorite" garbage hauler to advise him that I witnessed this activity. I am planning on video taping this activity next week if I see it again. So folks, open your eyes....look around...see if my garbage man is your garbage man.....report suspicious activity. No one should be going through your garbage! Also, shred your junk mail. The number one way to get some one else's information is by sifting through their garbage. HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[oddfellow73]

icky! that is gross. why would someone go through garbage? you would think a garbageman is close enough to it by having to handle the bags to begin with. why would he go through it? sounds like he was looking for illegal contraband (drugs, guns, stolen merchandise) that were left in one of the bags for him. he couldn't find it so he brought the bags up into the cab of the truck to look at his leisure. very gross and weird. and most likely illegal.

[Bill Latchford]

I can understand to a point that if someone has only ever put one bag out for years and now there is three or four, they might want to see if maybe someone else is coming by and dropping off their trash. In Tyrone Borough that is something they look for since people have to use the trash hauler that the Borough picks for it's contract. What happens is that people that don't have to have a hauler in other areas, like Synder Township, would actually bring their trash in and disperse a bag here a bag there over the citizens of Tyrone on trash pickup days. As you can see there you would have free trash hauling as long as you didn't get caught. But my guess is that it would be a pretty steep fine if caught for stealing services like that. So I don't blame them for checking the bags once in a while to protect their investment. The hauling apparatus is not cheap so why give it away if you can help it.

[Something to say]

Bill Latchford says,
"I can understand to a point that if someone has only ever put one bag out for years and now there is three or four, they might want to see if maybe someone else is coming by and dropping off their trash."
I'm thinking that is the most absurd conclusion I have ever heard. I may only put one bag of trash out weekly, but .... on occasion.......have more trash than normal. Company. Spring Cleaning. If I paid attention to my neighbor's trash on a regular basis and saw that on any given week they put out much more trash than usual... my first conclusion would probably be... WOW...now that's what I call pitchin!!

I agree with Woodpecker, garbage men have no business going thru someone else's bagged trash. It seems like an invasion of privacy for one, and it's certainly unsanitary. There could be blood contaminants, dirty needles, or dirty diapers. If a town is suspecting people dumping they should come up with a plan.... a checklist...something...but going thru another's trash is gross and invasive. ( Taking the bags into the cab also seems a bit odd to me...I'd say something is fishy there for sure )

Also... going thru trash to get evidence of someone else's garbage being there is ridiculous. What if I'm visiting an out of town relative/friend and clean my car while I'm there... come upon some old mail that I've stuck above the visor, and pitch it in my relative/friend's trash. ( AND YES, sometimes I could fill two kitchen bags with my car's garbage...lol ) The garbage man goes thru the bag and sees someone else's mail other than the residents.........am I going to have to have my day in court??? Rubbish.

Maybe the garbage man needs a good dose of sickening. Reaching down into a bag of vomit might cure his idle curiosity.

[80cobra]

Once you put your trash out on the street corner it becomes public domain , anyone can go through it. Why do you think the police dont have to have a search warrant to go through your trash if they think you are commiting a crime. The safest way to protect yourself is sred or burn your sensative documents.

[banksy]

WE have a dumpster diver out where I live that drives around every week on garbage night in his truck and looks for bikes, grills, and various things to take from the curb.

[Bill Latchford]

I made a couple phone calls and it is true they can go through your trash to find out if someone other than the owner of the account is using the hauler's services, without paying for it. It is "Theft of Services" which is against the law. I also shred...nothing is yours once it hits the curb side.

[woodpecker]

Thanks for all the comments....enjoyed them. I just wanted to clarify further. The garbage man stood in the back of the truck and opened the bags and dumped the garbage into the back of the truck. Then he sorted through the garbage; looking at papers. After looking through garbage he threw what he was looking at back into the back of the garbage truck and the driver turned on the machine and the garbage was then put into the truck's storage unit. I called it a compartment earlier; I was referring to the truck's storage unit. Yep, I know it might be legal for them to sort through your garbage but it was the strangest incident I've ever witnessed. Well, if my neighbor is being watched or not, at least the supervisor of the hauler will know by the letter I sent to him today. Can never be too careful.

[Something to say]

I, too, shred any paper with my personal info. I wasn't arguing the legality of going thru trash, I was looking at it from an ethical standpoint. We put our bags to the curb so it is easily collected, but I certainly don't like the idea of anyone rooting through my bagged trash. If I place property out for collection such as an old chair, end table etc... That is considered abandoned property and if a dump diver wants to take it for his own personal use....more power to him. But I also buy black garbage bags to dispose of my personal garbage... if I didn't care if people saw what I was disposing... I would buy transparent bags.....lol. I believe police can search garbage without warrants? and that's understandable....but other than that... it feels like an invasion.

[80cobra]

Its not but maybe it should be, just remember big brother is whatching you. lol

[Something to say]

hahahaaa Cobra....if he's watching me....he must be bored to death!!!!!!!! I'm afraid to jaywalk...lol

[cruiser1]

Maybe he was looking for something to eat.

[kilnoperator]

While browsing through past threads I came upon this discussion concerning rooting through ones trash and was reminded of something told to me a a young man." Weirdos come in all shapes and sizes." I guess I can now add trash rooters to my list of weirdos. We have none in my neighborhood, I hope!