Ok to dumpster dive?

[clockify]

Theres a Radioshack near me I would like to dumpster dive, but there is a sign that says "any illegal action such as dumping, etc... Violators will be prosecuted" and a sign that says "Camera operate in this area"

I live in california.

Is it ok to dumpster dive it?

 

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[Helix]

I personally don't dumpster dive but there is a good info book out there about that. Called Dumpster Diving the Advance Course.

 

[LM]

Garbage placed at the 'public curtilage' (the sidewalk, the roadside right-of-way, etc) is fair game for anyone including the police, private investigators, etc.

Most dumpsters are on private property (for example, a strip mall parking lot) which changes things up.
If the dumpster is anywhere in the proximity of a No Trespassing sign, assume its covered. Otherwise, barring a specific statute, you're regulated by your areas ingress/egress laws.

If there isn't a No Tresspassing/Posted sign, then theoretically you should be good but just be aware that certain behaviors that are 'theoretically legal' are inherently agitating, so the next time you go wandering around a public park with an AR15 strapped to your back in an "open carry" state, don't be surprised what comes next. Likewise, police officers are supposed to respond to suspicious behaviors, human beings in dumpsters is odd to say the least. They'll usually tell you to leave but if you're a dick, don't be surprised if you get arrested on a 'discretionary charge'.

Likewise, don't lament this in the context of dumpster diving.
People get the laws and governments they deserve. The United States has empowered the police with these powers, so don't cry when they use them in marginal situations unless you've been actively and substantively protesting these laws all along.

I point this out knowing that TomInCA will be along shortly with a bunch of blowhard, ignorant 'layman legal theory' but TomInCA isn't going to be the one posting your bond or paying your lawyer, so just bear in mind that consequences of reality trumps the non-existant protections offered by impotent, internet legal theorizing.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

great intro !

.... I point this out knowing that TomInCA will be along shortly with a bunch of blowhard, ignorant 'layman legal theory' but TomInCA isn't going to be the one posting your bond or paying your lawyer, so just bear in mind that consequences of reality trumps the non-existent protections offered by impotent, internet legal theorizing.

Hey LM, thanx for the great introduction. I'm flattered Do you know what I do for a living? I own a street sweeper company. And while we only do large scale construction and municipal size work now, yet in the past did a LOT of shopping centers. You know, the night-time little vacuum trucks that run around all the shopping centers, strip malls, etc.... And because of that (having also to clean the alleys, truck ramps, etc... ) we had "carte blanche" to all the dumpsters in town. They were where we had to dump the contents of our sweepers afterall. And where we put the garbage bags from the sidewalk trash cans, etc... So I became an expert in dumpster diving. And dealing with paper work issues, became versed in shopping centers, management co's, tennants, etc.... So I am NOT un-versed in commenting on this question

Now of course, our access (legitimacy in being around dumpsters) is not the same as "Joe Blow" snooping around. But ....none-the-less, the background affords me a good look at the issue.

Yes shopping centers are "private property". And as such, they even have little signs at the entrances (which no one ever reads) saying something to the effect of "private property. Permission to pass revokable by owner" , etc.. Yet despite being "private property", ....... last I looked ....... there was no shortage of people simply helping themselves. In fact, I bet even LM has gone on to a shopping center in the past week, without having "asked" (gasp). Not sure who posted his bond, or paid for his lawyer.

So here's the deal: if someone came out of the back door of the Radio shack and said "scram", then yes: that becomes an issue of "revoked by owner". Then yes, if you persisted, they could call the cops, and then yes, you'd be in legal trouble. But so long as you obliged and left, well then .... ok.

Not sure about other places in the USA, but where I'm at, people looking for moving boxes will ROUTINELY go to store dumpsters. And the stores actually welcome that (and will, in fact, set them out their back doors un-crushed HOPING that people come take them), because it decreases their amount of trash/space in their dumpsters. I'm not trying to say that stores welcome dumpster divers who take an hour to snoop through all the entire dumpster, because of course that a) merely conjures up images of debri left all around the sides of the dumpster, and b ) conjurs up images of someone getting hurt.

The stores actually throw a lot of darned good stuff out! I used to make a substantial side income dumpster diving, by collecting all sorts of cast-offs, and .... 1x p/month going to the flea market You know, crazy things like the drug store chain would have a big dollar day sale, and .... at the end of the day, pitch all the cosmetics and stuff that didn't get sold. Or the samplers that didn't get passed out, and so forth. Or cases and cases of cigarrettes that passed their expiration, yet are still perfectly good. Or product packaging that got damaged, yet the product inside is still good, etc....

 

[cudamark]

I would add that if a business doesn't want you in their dumpster, they can get one with a lock bar to prevent diving. It doesn't cost them any more. When I had my business, I had to have one like that. Not to keep people from taking things, it was to keep people from filling it with THEIR junk. (and in some cases hazardous materials). Dumpster fees are not cheap these days so most businesses don't care if you take stuff but using it as your personal dump IS considered theft.

 

[NHBandit]

It sounds like that sign is intended for people using their dumpster to put trash in, not take it out. Dumpsters are normally rented and then a fee is paid to empty it. So it stands to reason they don't want people adding to it but should care if you remove things from it. We just had an incident here in Greene County Tennessee a week or so ago where a guy was sleeping in a dumpster and got dumped into the packer truck and could have been killed if the truck driver hadn't heard him yelling.

 

[outdoorfunblonde]

It sounds like that sign is intended for people using their dumpster to put trash in, not take it out. Dumpsters are normally rented and then a fee is paid to empty it. So it stands to reason they don't want people adding to it but should care if you remove things from it. We just had an incident here in Greene County Tennessee a week or so ago where a guy was sleeping in a dumpster and got dumped into the packer truck and could have been killed if the truck driver hadn't heard him yelling.

Yeah, same here. Most businesses have bars across the top to keep from others' dumping, but I know nobody cares about someone taking stuff out. That to me is just common sense. And, of course it would be in a dumpster divers best interest NOT to leave a mess surrounding the dumpster! LOL

 

[Jakiee]

Hey LM, thanx for the great introduction. I'm flattered Do you know what I do for a living? I own a street sweeper company. And while we only do large scale construction and municipal size work now, yet in the past did a LOT of shopping centers. You know, the night-time little vacuum trucks that run around all the shopping centers, strip malls, etc.... And because of that (having also to clean the alleys, truck ramps, etc... ) we had "carte blanche" to all the dumpsters in town. They were where we had to dump the contents of our sweepers afterall. And where we put the garbage bags from the sidewalk trash cans, etc... So I became an expert in dumpster diving. And dealing with paper work issues, became versed in shopping centers, management co's, tennants, etc.... So I am NOT un-versed in commenting on this question

Now of course, our access (legitimacy in being around dumpsters) is not the same as "Joe Blow" snooping around. But ....none-the-less, the background affords me a good look at the issue.

Yes shopping centers are "private property". And as such, they even have little signs at the entrances (which no one ever reads) saying something to the effect of "private property. Permission to pass revokable by owner" , etc.. Yet despite being "private property", ....... last I looked ....... there was no shortage of people simply helping themselves. In fact, I bet even LM has gone on to a shopping center in the past week, without having "asked" (gasp). Not sure who posted his bond, or paid for his lawyer.

So here's the deal: if someone came out of the back door of the Radio shack and said "scram", then yes: that becomes an issue of "revoked by owner". Then yes, if you persisted, they could call the cops, and then yes, you'd be in legal trouble. But so long as you obliged and left, well then .... ok.

Not sure about other places in the USA, but where I'm at, people looking for moving boxes will ROUTINELY go to store dumpsters. And the stores actually welcome that (and will, in fact, set them out their back doors un-crushed HOPING that people come take them), because it decreases their amount of trash/space in their dumpsters. I'm not trying to say that stores welcome dumpster divers who take an hour to snoop through all the entire dumpster, because of course that a) merely conjures up images of debri left all around the sides of the dumpster, and b ) conjurs up images of someone getting hurt.

The stores actually throw a lot of darned good stuff out! I used to make a substantial side income dumpster diving, by collecting all sorts of cast-offs, and .... 1x p/month going to the flea market You know, crazy things like the drug store chain would have a big dollar day sale, and .... at the end of the day, pitch all the cosmetics and stuff that didn't get sold. Or the samplers that didn't get passed out, and so forth. Or cases and cases of cigarrettes that passed their expiration, yet are still perfectly good. Or product packaging that got damaged, yet the product inside is still good, etc....

My first time going dumster divinng and wondering if you have any tips or suggestions of stores that are really good. I am too from the salinas area

 

[Tom_in_CA]

You are in Salinas now you mean ? My company stopped doing shopping centers, and focus-instead of construction oriented street-sweepers (paving, industrial, etc....). So I've lost-track of where the better dumpsters/stores are. And some might now be locked (to stop persons from coming to dump their trash in there, NOT to prohibit taking things out per se).

The one I always used to do best at, as the one in back of Alvin Square in north Salinas, behind that variety store (not the grocery store). They would routinely throw out anything for the slightest scratch, or packages that got dented, etc....

 

[Auba14]

A couple of years ago I had to put a new roof on my house. Rented one of those big dumpsters with an open top for all of the old roofing/construction material. Be darned if about everyday I would find somebody threw their crap in it. Carpet, old TV's, which the waste hauler would not take, so I was stuck with that, car parts, etc.........The nerve of some people makes me wonder some times. Doing some more work on the old homestead again, got another dumpster, can't wait to see what my idiot neighbors toss in it this time. Probably should see if my Nephew will let me borrow his 150 lbs Rottweiler to stand guard............?

 

[cudamark]

Set up a video camera to see who doing it.

 

[KaitoNation]

Some places like office max make staff break expensive items before throwing them out so people won't take them. Also petsmart and petco have had some of the most disgusting dumpsters I have ever seen. Literally made me throw up.

I have found neat stuff like pogo sticks and giant piñatas at toy stores and party store locations. I think edible food is the easiest thing to find at grocery store dumpsters.

A lot of places donate all of their old merchandise and most of the places that have good stuff seem to lock up their dumpsters these days.

 

[Honest Samuel]

Try to get permission, if not, forget about it.