Sourcing Brew Gear On Hard Rubbish Day Is Theft?

[HoppingMad]

I'm sure plenty of us have done it.

You drive down the road and then something catches your eye. It's hard rubbish day and there's some nice stuff someone has put on their nature strip. It might be a motor from a washer to power a mill, a computer fan for a stir-plate build, an old fridge or esky, or just a block of wood or metal.

According to this article taking this stuff - what others throw away is effectively stealing from council! I almost fell over when I read this. :blink:

Arrested for removing Hard Rubbish - HeraldSun Article

Hopper.

 

[barls]

i got told i was stealing from the navy when i use to take the empty water drums, i turn around and told them i was saving the navy money by recycling it for them.

 

[DU99]

if i find something i need,i go into the house it's front of and ask first...

 

[Bizier]

That is absolutely preposterous.

When I put unwanted items out, I will include a sign stating if it is working, and whether there are any faults, fully expecting someone to make use of the item.

 

[manticle]

I've known collecting from hard rubbish collections is technically illegal for some time.

Ridiculous and a good way of adding to landfill rather than encouraging genuine recycling. I'll still grab something if I can use it and expect others to do the same from my pile.

 

[praxis178]

And well it might be, but I still hold that one mans trash is another treasure, and UNTIL the council picks it up it's abandoned goods, so as long as make a reasonable attempt to locate the owner (knock on the front door and ask) I'm ok with picking it up, because then the onus is on council to PROVE that it was their stuff and not the original owner's to give away.

I know that seems a bit contradictory, but that's my stand and I sticking to it!

Thomas.

I'm sure plenty of us have done it.

You drive down the road and then something catches your eye. It's hard rubbish day and there's some nice stuff someone has put on their nature strip. It might be a motor from a washer to power a mill, a computer fan for a stir-plate build, an old fridge or esky, or just a block of wood or metal.

According to this article taking this stuff - what others throw away is effectively stealing from council! I almost fell over when I read this. :blink:

Arrested for removing Hard Rubbish - HeraldSun Article

Hopper.

 

[jwsparkes]

I assume it's because the council effectively profits from teh pick up. They take all the recycable material and sell it themselves for scrap.

I see guys with trucks / trailers picking up all the steel around the traps. I assume they then take it to the scrap yard for considereable profit.

That said, I pick up stuff myself from time to time, old printers and computers for the electronics. Fridges, scrap iron for backyard stuff (brew stand). Similar to above, I always ask the property owner before removing any material.

 

[Strange Brew]

This is why people don't respect the police.

 

[jwsparkes]

Exactly what I was going to say.

Growing up in Melbourne, seem typical of Victorian police. I don't think much of the commity has respect for police in this day and age. You certainly can't rely on them to the right thing!

I was traveling in traffic at the speed limit (90) last week and soon found myself being tailgated by a truck. It was bad weather so I couldn't make out the interior of the cab, but I reckon he was within 15ft of my tail as I'm in a van and I couldn't see he's headlights he was so close. When I came to my exit, he passed and to my dis-belief it was a big police truck (I assume an RBT station). As they passed, the passenger side officer (uniform and all) gave me the "wanker" signal. We'll, he's the copper! not me. Hahah.

 

[hsb]

I wish the Council would "technically" look after "their land" outside my house by maintaining the grass, cleaning up fallen branches and so on.

The people the police should target are the "professionals" going round in trucks with torches piling it high, what I would call 'rag and bone' men but the Council would call 'gangs of professional thieves targetting important Council property."

 

[amiddler]

The coppa that did this needs to get a grip or get his hand off it.

If I was raking some leaves on the verge, left the rake out there to put leaves in the bin and didn't pick the rake up for an hour or so, does that mean the rake now belongs to the shire?

My opinion is that all the stuff on the verge still belongs to the house owner until it is picked up and if he or she still wants it they can go back out and bring it back inside. The unwritten rule in my neighbourhood, as Thomas J wrote, is to knock on the door and ask to make sure they no longer want there rubbish.

Drew

 

[RobW]

"Hard rubbish became council property once it was put on a nature strip, which are technically council-owned land."

Grammar aside, does this mean if I park my car on the nature strip it becomes council property?

Mind you it's a good incentive not to pickup after the dog

 

[Steve@PMF82]

The coppa that did this needs to get a grip or get his hand off it.

If I was raking some leaves on the verge, left the rake out there to put leaves in the bin and didn't pick the rake up for an hour or so, does that mean the rake now belongs to the shire?

My opinion is that all the stuff on the verge still belongs to the house owner until it is picked up and if he or she still wants it they can go back out and bring it back inside. The unwritten rule in my neighbourhood, as Thomas J wrote, is to knock on the door and ask to make sure they no longer want there rubbish.

Drew

Yeah this is along the lines of what i was thinking..
So you change your mind and decide you want to keep that old fridge you put out...
I would like to see that hold up in court - stealing your own property back from the council land

I also echo the comments on i wish they would take care of their land better as well, its only their land when it suits them
apparently.

Its so petty its beyond belief.

 

[Malted]

Grammar aside, does this mean if I park my car on the nature strip it becomes council property?

Nah it means you can be issued an expiation notice (you get booked).
"Offence: stop on a path, dividing strip or nature strip in Contravention of Section 197(1) Australian Road Rules"

I got done recently in SA, bloody $58, mongrels. I am seeking a 'review' of the notice. If I fail it will cost $58 + $30 + $2.50, if they don't send it straight to court...

 

[Maheel]

it's a wonder they didn't shoot him 1st being in Victoria

i scored my last few BBQ's off the kerb then freecycled them when i moved states etc

 

[benno1973]

I always put things on the verge with a sign saying whether they work or not, and I'm happy when someone makes use of something I don't need any more. I also slow down as I drive around the neighbourhood on hard rubbish day to check out if there's anything worthy to be salvaged.

Despite this, the article mentions that the guy was picked up just after midnight. I'd be a little annoyed at someone taking things off my verge at midnight, and probably more annoyed if they knocked on my door to ask me first!

 

[Nevalicious]

Absolute garbage...

 

[argon]

as bullshit as this article is, i'm always much happier when someone local pickups anything from the hard rubbish pile.

Also i doubt the police are behind the sudden interest in the matter. More the councils putting pressure on the police to intervene. I'm sure most coppers couldn't give a shit if someone takes a busted tv off the verge on hard rubbish day.

 

[petesbrew]

Well, I'll look around for a cop car next time I see something good left out.

I have no problems with scrounging, but some people make a right mess of it, like the guy who stripped an old air conditioner out front of my place for the good bits. There were nuts, bolts & washers everywhere when I came home.

 

[DU99]

But who mow's the grass on the nature strip..It's the council's when it suit's them