[BamaGirl]

I was outside about 30 minutes ago and watched as a small red truck with a camper bed came by taking some of my neighbors garbage that was put out on the street. I called Community Watch and reported it and they seemed surprised to hear this. Seems like I read something about this before on TOTV. Is this a common occurrence?

[dbussone]

Could you tell what they were taking?

[jimnc]

I live in Sanibel also and am aware that people take items from trash that has been placed at the street. One thing they are looking for is metal, which can be sold for scrap.

[Happinow]

Once it's on the curb, it's trash and it's common for people to riffle through the garbage for stuff they can use. People use to do the same back where I came from. Please be sure to shred your mail so as not to make it easy for identity theft.

[BamaGirl]

I saw them take a couple bags of garbage and I am not sure if there were some other items as well. My husband thinks they could be taking the recycling items to sell.

[Bogie Shooter]

Its called "street shopping" and it's legal.
And they are not thieves!

[Sandtrap328]

Shred your personal identification mail, set the trash outdoors, and let it go.

I remember one similar thread on here and one poster was so irate saying that his trash was his property until it was put into the trash truck he contracted with his money.

If someone wants my shredded trash, more power to them.

[KeepingItReal]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Its called "street shopping" and it's legal.
And they are not thieves!

Totally not so, the only one authorized to take it is those you have contracted with to remove it.

This statement only applies where trash is put in a dumpster or common area with others trash as in an apartment complex or where your trash is put in cans etc. along with others.

Don't understand at all why people lay down and roll over and say there is nothing wrong with stranger coming to your property and rifling through your trash. Once they have gone through it most likely it will end up dumped somewhere more than likely illegal like the side of a road.

[Sandtrap328]

Originally Posted by KeepingItReal

Totally not so, the only one authorized to take it is those you have contracted with to remove it.

This statement only applies where trash is put in a common area with others trash as in an apartment complex or where your trash is put in cans etc. along with others.

Don't understand at all why people lay down and roll over and say there is nothing wrong with stranger coming to your property and rifling through your trash. Once they have gone through it most likely it will end up dumped somewhere more than likely illegal like the side of a road.

Well, I guess we found that poster on the similar thread!

Trash at the end of your driveway is abandoned property. Anyone can take it. If you have different information regarding trash in Florida, please cite the foundation.

[KeepingItReal]

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

Well, I guess we found that poster on the similar thread!

For one thing, I put my trash at the very end of my driveway. If someone steps a foot or two onto my driveway; why would that bother me? If they went through the trash and strew it over my driveway and yard, I would care. If they were to take it away, it is off my hands.

If it were to bother someone enough, they could always wait until early morning and toss the trash onto the truck themself.

The actual taking of the trash is only a minor part of the problem........

Guess you would like your trash thrown out on the side of a road when they are finished with it since it is off your hands and of course we can expect that they will dispose of it properly.. No I am not that poster not that it even matters but I do agree with the position. It would be very ridiculous to think otherwise. We don't need bands of unknown people rambling up and down our streets casing out homes while pretending to be checking out the garbage. Since some seem to think it is Ok at what hours would it not be OK or would it be allowed all night? Maybe a couple of them will break into the home or the home next door while others are outside pretending to be in the garbage while keeping a lookout.

But then if we want to act like helpless victims, that is what we will become.

State of Florida v. Schultz, 388 So.2d 1326, 1330 (Fla.Dist.Ct.App. 1980) (Anstead, J., dissenting)

In my view, a homeowner, upon placing items in a closed garbage container and placing the container in a position on his property where the container can be conveniently removed by authorized trash collectors, is entitled to reasonably expect that the container and the trash therein will be removed from his property only by those authorized to do so, and that such trash will be disposed of in the manner provided by ordinance or private contract. By sealing the containers in a secure manner and placing the containers on his own property, the owner has done everything within his own means to insure the privacy of the contents thereof, short of delivering the containers to a central disposal site himself.
State of Florida v. Schultz, 388 So.2d 1326, 1330 (Fla.Dist.Ct.App. 1980) (Anstead, J., dissenting)

[jblum315]

I don't know what the expectation is here but in Brooklyn, NY, people furnish their entire apartments with discarded furniture, appliances, etc.
The quoted "legalese" is one judge's dissenting opinion, not an ordinance.

[dave from deland]

Could be undercover cops looking for evidence of a crime(s).

[Deseylou]

If I leave sofa at the end of my driveway,I feel it's fair game
If my trash is sealed, then it's mine until the trash men pick it up
Just my feelings

[redwitch]

The US Supreme Court has ruled there is no expectation of privacy for garbage left at the curb, whether in a plastic bag or in a garbage can due to the fact that said trash can be opened by animals, scavengers and the like. Greenwood v. State of California Therefore, whether we like it or not, people can and do pick up trash in the hopes of finding recycling items and, sadly, documents to be used for identity theft.

If you use a standard shredder, the best thing you can do is put half of a document out for recycling one week and save the second half for the following. Best is to get a diamond cut shredder.

[blueash]

The US Supreme Court has ruled that you have no expectation of privacy for your trash, whether sealed in an opaque bag or exposed. As mentioned the long citation above was from the loosing side of a case in Florida

California v. Greenwood - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edit Sorry Redwitch I was composing while you were posting, see we found the same court decision, end edit

To conflate someone trying to make a few bucks trash diving with suspecting them of casing your house or neighborhood for home invasions... And to suggest that those of us who don't get angry at those whose lives are at a point where this activity is used to get by " would like your trash thrown out on the side of a road when they are finished with it " .. really?