Taking materials from a skip on private property
Discussion
I haven't nicked anything.
I have a skip on the drive and heard something unusual at 7.00am to find a scruffy white van parked across my drive and 2 blokes just helping themselves to the scrap steel in the skip.
No knock on the door asking if okay, etc. I challenged them and they basically just shrugged their shoulders at me, they either couldn't speak english or chose not to but understood exactly what I was saying.
They feigned ignorance and drove off with what they took, which was part of a cut up trailer. I noted the van reg which comes back as not a valid plate, I'm more irritated at their self-entitled attitude to it than I am about the metal they took but they are obviously up to no good due to the duff registration plate on the van.
No doubt they are currently ripping some cables or rails out of the rail network as we speak.
I have a skip on the drive and heard something unusual at 7.00am to find a scruffy white van parked across my drive and 2 blokes just helping themselves to the scrap steel in the skip.
No knock on the door asking if okay, etc. I challenged them and they basically just shrugged their shoulders at me, they either couldn't speak english or chose not to but understood exactly what I was saying.
They feigned ignorance and drove off with what they took, which was part of a cut up trailer. I noted the van reg which comes back as not a valid plate, I'm more irritated at their self-entitled attitude to it than I am about the metal they took but they are obviously up to no good due to the duff registration plate on the van.
No doubt they are currently ripping some cables or rails out of the rail network as we speak.
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 20th May 20:08
SiH said:
Canon_Fodder said:
...and does it make any difference if the skip is on the road?
No, because it's still not your property. That would be like taking something out of a convertible car with the roof down. You don't live in London, do you OP.
Part of everyday life here, anything metal you don't want, leave it out front, it will be gone within the hour.
Essentially the Wombles go around and collect metal to then sell.
Only once did someone knock on the door to ask, otherwise just leave them to it.
They know where you live, so not worth the aggro to piss them off. They'll be gone in a few minutes, best to leave the metal stuff either on the floor by the skip or in a place (in the skip) that will allow them easy access.
Part of everyday life here, anything metal you don't want, leave it out front, it will be gone within the hour.
Essentially the Wombles go around and collect metal to then sell.
Only once did someone knock on the door to ask, otherwise just leave them to it.
They know where you live, so not worth the aggro to piss them off. They'll be gone in a few minutes, best to leave the metal stuff either on the floor by the skip or in a place (in the skip) that will allow them easy access.
East European gangs mostly.
We have them up North as well.
My old washing machine went within 24 hours - which was as expected.
What I didn't expect was the cheeky chappie opening a parcel that had been left by a courier on my doorstep.
Can't remember what was in it, but he didn't take it (probably some Ebay tat).
Not at all bothered about the CCTV cameras.
I suspect that most of these hard working additions to our society spend 50% of their time in prison and the other 50% thieving.
We have them up North as well.
My old washing machine went within 24 hours - which was as expected.
What I didn't expect was the cheeky chappie opening a parcel that had been left by a courier on my doorstep.
Can't remember what was in it, but he didn't take it (probably some Ebay tat).
Not at all bothered about the CCTV cameras.
I suspect that most of these hard working additions to our society spend 50% of their time in prison and the other 50% thieving.
I had a skip on my drive during the lockdown, filling it with assorted crap but also some steel & computer parts plus broken garden machinery. Out of the 5 people who came & took things (including a very nice pair of Polish chaps), all bar 1 rang the bell & asked politely if they could have a rummage first. The only person who just came & took something was a lady in her 70's on foot (so obviously local) who had a good rummage & helped herself to a fairly large bit of wooden sheet. I was sitting in my office watching her do it & when I opened the window & asked if she thought theft was somehow ok, her face was a picture 
The complete opposite of what I was expecting basically!
The complete opposite of what I was expecting basically!
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