Binman just stole from me!!

gaz wac

At home at the mo and was looking out of window with baby in arms. Its recycling bin day and saw the following....bin man comes over to my bin, opens bin and looks in, see's somthing he likes and takes it out !! reads it and puts it in his pocket !!! im fuming :mad: rang the head office and am waiting for the manager to call me back!!

If he is willing to do this right outside my house, i can only imagine what they are doing back at he depot !!

Whats your views on this? as I said, waiting for manager to call me back.

who the fug

The binman is recyling books you threw out, and you get the hump

Tabnabs

Was it something with personal details on it or was it like a magazine or a book etc.?

amcalester

You threw it in the recycling bin and got annoyed when he recycled something in it.

What was it? Unless it was a bank statement or similar then what's the problem.

Also, I'd imagine that if its in the bin and on the street then its up for grabs.

stiffler123

Can you be more specific on what he took? If it's a bill or credit card receipt, then there is something very wrong. But if it's "To Kill A Mocking Bird" or something, what harm? He probably just wants something to read on his lunch break.

johndaman66

I'd be somewhat annoyed at this too. Magazines or newspapers may not bother me too much but having said that it cannot be condoned either. What if there were personal letters/ bank statements/ payslips in among them...where do you draw the line too like?

DHYNZY

Always shred/tear up whatever has your name on it. Especially bank statements and the like... because you never know who could see them.

But yes, I am curious as to what the head office makes of this. Taking something directly out of a bin outside someones house HAS to be against protocol!!

Mr. Presentable

Why do you care what happens to your rubbish - you had thrown it out! - so long as it doesn't end up illegally dumped? You declared you had no further use for it.

"Stole from me"! Take that to Court and you will find yourself on the receiving of a ticking off.

dudara

He's hardly stealing from you if you've thrown it out.

Any idea what it was?

gaz wac

so its ok if he takes a bank statment ?? his job is to collect my bin and put it in the van so it can be taken away to be recycled !! , not go throught it, see what he likes and then take it !!

i dont know what excatly it was but thats not my point !!

loyatemu

if you're putting your bankstatements in your recycling bin without shredding them first, you're an idiot.

monkeypants

Not seeing a problem here. I'm not a lawyer, but you've probably surrendered the item by leaving it at the end of your driveway. Items with personal details such as bank and credit card statements, utility bills, etc. should always be shredded before dumping. Let us know what the company office comes back with.

If you seen the chap do it, why didn't you just go out and ask him what he was doing?

Dymo

gaz wac wrote: »

so its ok if he takes a bank statment ??

So he took a bank statement on you, did he or are you just making that bit up. If your so worried why did you put it in your bin?.

nicndec

loyatemu wrote: »

if you're putting your bankstatements in your recycling bin without shredding them first, you're an idiot.

FACT - Actually if you are putting your bank statements in your recycling can you post your address on the forum, I'm sure there's plenty that could really utilise this type of info in the run up to Christmas.

"Stole" from you

TheVoodoo

Hmmm, if you think he 'stole' from you, at what point do you stop owning the item you put in the bin.
Surely, if he stole from you by taking an item from your bin, he must have robbed everything else that was in the same bin when his truck came along to empty it? Or is there a difference in how something is removed from a bin that determines whether or not its stolen?

ILA

johndaman66 wrote: »

I'd be somewhat annoyed at this too. Magazines or newspapers may not bother me too much but having said that it cannot be condoned either. What if there were personal letters/ bank statements/ payslips in among them...where do you draw the line too like?

No person with an ounce of sense would place items like that in any type of recycling bin. Best practice is to shred them before disposal or else you're taking huge risks for nothing.

What item did he "steal"? Obviously if it's in a bin, owned by the company, you've relinquished ownership of that item in the interest of desposing of it.

Note: You didn't succeed in wasting my time, if you're trolling, as trying to burn time in college, so all these delightful threads just increase my post could and keep the clock ticking!

Motley Crue

A lot of people tend to get upset about something like this, but let's be fair, as long as you are careful and not throwing out sensitive information then why are you upset that a bin man took a magazine or book from your bin. If you're throwing something out, is it not assumed that you no longer want it?

And remember, Garbology is an academic field of study and the most world recognized scholars hold it in high regard

ejmaztec

The Binman's probably collecting evidence for the CIA, and Gaz Wac will soon be heading for Gitmo.

28064212

It depends entirely on what you're paying your collection company for. Are you paying them to take away your rubbish and ensure it's not illegally disposed of? Or are you paying them to protect your rubbish and make sure it's not used in an improper way? If it's the former, you have no recourse whatsoever. In the latter case, you may be able to make some headway. You'll have to check the terms and conditions of your contract with your collection company. There's a reason mass amounts of money are spent on shredding and incinerating sensitive documents.

Also, while you might not have any comeback if you're not paying the company to protect your rubbish, the guy could still be breaking the terms of his employment

irishejit

Jeez can't believe this!!!

As said before you didn't want it so whats the problem with someone else taking it?

TBH your bank statement argument is ridiculous, personally I wouldn't even put shredded details in the bin, all of mine goes on the fire.

What I think you've done here is make an enemy of your binman. Whats gonna happen now say if you've put an incorrect item in your recycling bin by accident. There's some hope of getting it lifted now when usually they'd turn a wee blind eye

andyeire

He would have had to look in the bin before he took it make sure it is recyclable stuff. He probably saw a magazine to read on his break and took it. Any personal stuff you would have shredded wouldn't you?

Ringing HO to report him is ott.

whippet

gaz wac wrote: »

If he is willing to do this right outside my house, i can only imagine what they are doing back at he depot !!

.

If he is doing it in broad daylight I wouldn't be too worried, it's the heads who creep around at night looking for something specific in your recycling bin i'd be worried about.

If you are putting paper in your green bin that may have confidential info on them the bin man is the least of your worries

Ash.J.Williams

Recycling centres go through your rubbish back at base don't they? To seperate the stuff, and some of it ends up in their homes...i know a guy that got at least two tv's, a stereo or two and more!

gaz wac

it was not a bank statment...i shread all my stuff in work. but could one slip in by mistake !!! no, everyone's perfect !!

so by putting somthing in the bin and putting it at the end of my drive way, it is no longer mine !!! thats a joke, if i put a bag of rotting meat in my bin, they wouldnt be long knocking on the door to take it back, should i tell them thats its no longer mine cos i done the above?

i dont agree with it and if it is their policy that staff can go through my stuff before they recycle it, ill just change supppliers.

Ill wait for then to contact me

ppink

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

Recycling centres go through your rubbish back at base don't they? To seperate the stuff, and some of it ends up in their homes...i know a guy that got at least two tv's, a stereo or two and more!

this is what I always assumed! I would never put anything remotely personal into a bin without shredding.

Wolfe Tone

gaz wac wrote: »

it was not a bank statment...i shread all my stuff in work. but could one slip in by mistake !!! no, everyone's perfect !!

so by putting somthing in the bin and putting it at the end of my drive way, it is no longer mine !!! thats a joke, if i put a bag of rotting meat in my bin, they wouldnt be long knocking on the door to take it back, should i tell them thats its no longer mine cos i done the above?

i dont agree with it and if it is their policy that staff can go through my stuff before they recycle it, ill just change supppliers.

Ill wait for then to contact me

You do know how recycling works yeah?

ppink

gaz wac wrote: »

it was not a bank statment...i shread all my stuff in work. but could one slip in by mistake !!! no, everyone's perfect !!

so by putting somthing in the bin and putting it at the end of my drive way, it is no longer mine !!! thats a joke, if i put a bag of rotting meat in my bin, they wouldnt be long knocking on the door to take it back, should i tell them thats its no longer mine cos i done the above?

i dont agree with it and if it is their policy that staff can go through my stuff before they recycle it, ill just change supppliers.

Ill wait for then to contact me

How will they separate it for the relative recyling places then if they dont go through it?

28064212

gaz wac wrote: »

i dont agree with it and if it is their policy that staff can go through my stuff before they recycle it, ill just change supppliers.

Ill wait for then to contact me

Do, if it's an issue for you. But if it is their policy, you agreed to it when you signed up, so there's not much point getting annoyed at them now

Jumbo156

gaz wac wrote: »

it was not a bank statment...i shread all my stuff in work. but could one slip in by mistake !!! no, everyone's perfect !!

so by putting somthing in the bin and putting it at the end of my drive way, it is no longer mine !!! thats a joke, if i put a bag of rotting meat in my bin, they wouldnt be long knocking on the door to take it back, should i tell them thats its no longer mine cos i done the above?

i dont agree with it and if it is their policy that staff can go through my stuff before they recycle it, ill just change supppliers.

Ill wait for then to contact me

Talk about making a mountain out of a mole hill.
OP you have far too much time on your hands and I am glad I don't live beside you.
God knows what you would do if my little fella kicked his ball into your garden.
The bin man was looking for something to read on his break most probably.
But, you go ahead and make sure his bosses give him a good ticking off.
Actually, insist that they sack him....jebus :mad:

bladespin

Not sure on the law here but in the UK bin raiding is a popular and very legal past time, once you put the bin out you're giving whatever's inside to whoever want's it.

ILA

gaz wac wrote: »

it was not a bank statment...i shread all my stuff in work. but could one slip in by mistake !!! no, everyone's perfect !!

so by putting somthing in the bin and putting it at the end of my drive way, it is no longer mine !!! thats a joke, if i put a bag of rotting meat in my bin, they wouldnt be long knocking on the door to take it back, should i tell them thats its no longer mine cos i done the above?

i dont agree with it and if it is their policy that staff can go through my stuff before they recycle it, ill just change supppliers.

Ill wait for then to contact me

You just sound like you're whinging for nothing. That's the last thing we need.

Are you a forty watt lightbulb by any chance?

D1976

gaz wac wrote: »

it was not a bank statment...i shread all my stuff in work. but could one slip in by mistake !!! no, everyone's perfect !!

so by putting somthing in the bin and putting it at the end of my drive way, it is no longer mine !!! thats a joke, if i put a bag of rotting meat in my bin, they wouldnt be long knocking on the door to take it back, should i tell them thats its no longer mine cos i done the above?

i dont agree with it and if it is their policy that staff can go through my stuff before they recycle it, ill just change supppliers.

Ill wait for then to contact me

Why don't you ring Joe Duffy, they love useless stories like this?

gaz wac

as in paper, plastic, steel etc yea...not as in " here is the paper pile, lads go ahead and see if anyone threw out a statment in error...!! in the paper pile we have...10 shopping lists..2 mags...BINGO..we got a statment...here give it to me, Frank got the last two" !!! :rolleyes:

gaz wac

ILA wrote: »

That's the last thing we need.

why what do we need ??

dilallio

You are probably now better off if you change suppliers.

That binman or his coworkers will now examine your bins every week, and if one item is in the wrong bin, they will refuse to collect them.

They will be completely right to do this, but now they will have every incentive to check your bins thoroughly.

Good luck!

Ash.J.Williams

it's a F**KING BIN!!!

Jumbo156

gaz wac wrote: »

it was not a bank statment...i shread all my stuff in work.

Do your bosses now that you use their machines for your own personal use.

ejmaztec

It's best not to throw anything out, just keep everything, and also make certain that you're not attached to a main sewage system, or someone further down the pipe will steal that as well. Trust no-one.:eek:

dudara

gaz wac wrote: »

i dont agree with it and if it is their policy that staff can go through my stuff before they recycle it, ill just change supppliers.

What do you think they do with it when it gets to their facility? They go through there sorting out the various materials. A lot of that sorting is done by hand.

Either way, someone will go through that recycling.

28064212

gaz wac wrote: »

as in paper, plastic, steel etc yea...not as in " here is the paper pile, lads go ahead and see if anyone threw out a statment in error...!! in the paper pile we have...10 shopping lists..2 mags...BINGO..we got a statment...here give it to me, Frank got the last two" !!! :rolleyes:

Replace "statement" with "magazine". Is it ok then? Reading someone else's thrown-out statements is not illegal. Identity fraud is, but that's an entirely separate issue.

If you don't want anyone to access your rubbish, then pay a company a fee to take it and dispose of it in accordance with your wishes. But don't bitch about them doing something that is perfectly legal and that you agreed to when you signed up to them (assuming your collection agency has not committed to protect your rubbish from employees)

dudara

All posters - take it easy on the smart comments. I won't look kindly on any more smart-arsery

dudara

Wolfe Tone

Very bad idea to piss off the binmen.

monkeypants

gaz wac wrote: »

so by putting somthing in the bin and putting it at the end of my drive way, it is no longer mine

As far as I know, yes, that's exactly how it works. If it wasn't, then every bin taken away by every binman ever would be a crime.

gaz wac wrote: »

if i put a bag of rotting meat in my bin

They don't recycle meat into brand new animals.

rameire

what a load of rubbish.


anyway, you are throwing it out to recycle.
the bin man is recycling by reusing.
if you have a problem with your bin man dont put your stuff out.

what happens when you are not looking out the window at your bin?
could other people be taking stuff from your bin.

the other option is to get rid of the bin and bring your paper to the local recycling centre.
but that will be looked through when they are sorting the stuff at the recyling centre.

siobhan.murphy

gaz wac wrote: »

so its ok if he takes a bank statment ?? his job is to collect my bin and put it in the van so it can be taken away to be recycled !! , not go throught it, see what he likes and then take it !!

i dont know what excatly it was but thats not my point !!

you are supposed to shred everything with personal details

Jumbo156

Sorry Dudara Mea Culpa

But some people just get my blood boiling
Point taken

thebullkf

gaz wac wrote: »

it was not a bank statment...i shread all my stuff in work. but could one slip in by mistake !!! no, everyone's perfect !!

so by putting somthing in the bin and putting it at the end of my drive way, it is no longer mine !!! thats a joke, if i put a bag of rotting meat in my bin, they wouldnt be long knocking on the door to take it back, should i tell them thats its no longer mine cos i done the above?

i dont agree with it and if it is their policy that staff can go through my stuff before they recycle it, ill just change supppliers.

Ill wait for then to contact me

Binman just stole from me!!
At home at the mo and was looking out of window with baby in arms. Its recycling bin day and saw the following....bin man comes over to my bin, opens bin and looks in, see's somthing he likes and takes it out !! reads it and puts it in his pocket !!! im fuming rang the head office and am waiting for the manager to call me back!!

If he is willing to do this right outside my house, i can only imagine what they are doing back at he depot !!

Whats your views on this? as I said, waiting for manager to call me back.

you sound like a neighbour from hell.

bad enough unemployment as it is and you try and get someone sacked:rolleyes:

does your boss know you're using his facilities to shred your personal stuff??

ffs - you've little to be doing if thats what you're moaning about

dudara

thebullkf Did you read my warning at all? I will not kindly on future posts of this kind.

dudara

bobbytables

Hey OP I understand your frustration in all of this, and to be fair, you're right nobody is perfect. Every one of us will put things out in our bins on auto pilot sometimes and not really consider the consequences in advance. This is because we have certain default expectations regarding the risks of doing so. E.g. having someone root through your bin is something that you probably didn't expect when you placed it in a physically less restrictive environment (i.e. outside your house).

In terms of it being rude that someone would root through your rubbish right in front of you, I agree it is. However from a security perspective, it's just another point of failure that you need to be aware of. I have an academic background in security and I assure you I am just as likely as you or the next person to have vulnerabilities also. We are human, we make mistakes, sh1t happens (we're exploited in someway) and we deal with it (we react to the situation). At best we try to learn from our mistakes and we move on. The trick is not to waste too much time at the disbelief/injustice phase.

Awareness is always key, but we can only be aware or conscious of so much at a given time. One day I might be completely focused on what is going in to my rubbish bin. Another day I might be completely distracted by something else while I throw things away. I'm still the guy that will find his TV remote in the fridge or scrape left-over food in to the bin and then throw the plate in after it .

We can't be 100% secure, and we can't afford to be 100% paranoid, because we have lives to live. We are all vulnerable in some way(s), some more than others at every given moment. No point beating yourself up over it or taking abuse from someone else. It will happen them too, but just in different ways.

thebullkf

i did.

i don't feel my comments were smart arsey at all. i said what i believed, i'm not the only one that thinks so either.
i make no apologies for pointing out peoples stupid posts/actions that could result in someone losing their job.
i don't agree with anyof what the OPsaid and i asked a qusestion thats not been answered-

i believe my post to be valid.Do you disagree?

krudler

gaz wac wrote: »

so its ok if he takes a bank statment ?? his job is to collect my bin and put it in the van so it can be taken away to be recycled !! , not go throught it, see what he likes and then take it !!

i dont know what excatly it was but thats not my point !!

Why the hysterics then? could have been a pizza box with a coupon on it or something for all you know, who cares? if you dont throw anything with personal details on it in the recycle bin then so what? The guy probably spotted something he had use for which you clearly didnt since you threw it away and kept it, big frickin deal, it was going to be recycled anyway.