Careful where you recycle!

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wafflycat

New Member
If you're in Wales, you may end up being arrested if you attempt to recycle!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/7413434.stm

"An environmental campaigner has been arrested for taking four plastic chairs from a recycling centre.

Genny Bove, 46, from Wrexham, said the chairs were dumped in a general rubbish skip and were due to go to a landfill site rather than being recycled.
She is on bail, but called it a "waste of police time and resources".
Wrexham Council said "rooting through skips" was dangerous and banned, but it would not press charges. North Wales Police confirmed it was investigating. In a statement sent to police, Ms Bove admitted taking the four garden chairs on 2 May from the Brymbo Household Recycling Centre at Lodge in Wrexham."

Sometimes I shake my head in disbelief at what the boys in blue will arrest folk for these days. The cynic in me says that's an easy arrest to keep meeting some target or other..
 
Sadly if we receive a complaint we are duty bound to investigate even though commonsense says it might be a waste of time and money!

In this case the the Council as the aggrieved party appear to have no interest in supporting any action however someone must have reported it to the police in the first place. If I was dealing with it I'd get a quick statement from the council declining to support any action and file the crime report pdq.

The cynic in me thinks the Council did originally report her to the police but that the ensuing (adverse) publicity has caused them to have a touch of the seconds..
 
OP
OP
wafflycat

wafflycat

New Member
Hmm.. when I worked for plod, it was drummed into me that plod had a *discretion* as to whether something was actioned... that just because someone thought a crime was being committed, it was not automatic that it was followed up - basically plod could use commonsense. Perhaps that has gone out of the window *again*
 
Over the last 22 years of my service 'discretion' has been gradually eroded by the cult of getting detections. If a 'crime' is reported it has to be investigated and writing it off is not easy, as for the crime recording process don't get me started..
 

Blue

Legendary Member
Location
N Ireland
My LA have been prosecuting people for this sort of thing for years. They do it to discourage general scavenging which is unsafe and a nuisance. A case like this proves the worthy exception to a rule and the need for discretion.
 

domtyler

Über Member
Rooting in skips is extremely dangerous, this person must be a bit of a loony to even contemplate it. I would not be at all surprised to learn that she was a regular little nuisance and general trouble maker.
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
It's only dangerous if you don't take care. If the chairs were virtually on top, it wouldn't be in the slightest bit dangerous to hoik them out. I got a very nice sprung leather bike saddle out of a skip once, gave it a polish, sold it to a mate for a tenner.

Skip diving should be encouraged (at the individuals own risk). Too many people throw away perfectly good stuff.

In this case, I can believe the police were under pressure to act, and I too yearn for the days of a little discretion....
 
It's the CPS who decide on prosecution, I merely collect the evidence....
 

hubgearfreak

Über Member
Blue said:
general scavenging which is unsafe

domtyler said:
Rooting in skips is extremely dangerous

we really must live in a "nanny state" if getting some chairs put of a skip is considered hazardous. i reckon i could do it drunk and in the dark, 100s of times and come to no harm

i especially like doms character assassination deduced from a few sentences - i seriously hope that you never get asked for jury service

domtyler said:
this person must be a bit of a loony to even contemplate it. I would not be at all surprised to learn that she was a regular little nuisance and general trouble maker.
 

Fnaar

Smutmaster General
Location
Thumberland
A few years ago, we were having lots of extra peeps for Xmas dinner (yes... it's May, but my avatar is festive for some reason)....
At my local dump/"recycling facility" they have a lorry container where good stuff goes (bikes, record players, vinyl etc...) Not sure what happens to it all, but I was able to purloin 4 wooden chairs (legs chewed by a dog, seemingly) and use them for Xmas period, then brought them back after! However, nowadays they won't let you take anything from it (and won't accept bribes either... I tried once, the bloke got a bit shirty:o), but I did get some very nice old soul records from it once!
 

domtyler

Über Member
Arch said:
It's only dangerous if you don't take care. If the chairs were virtually on top, it wouldn't be in the slightest bit dangerous to hoik them out. I got a very nice sprung leather bike saddle out of a skip once, gave it a polish, sold it to a mate for a tenner.

Skip diving should be encouraged (at the individuals own risk). Too many people throw away perfectly good stuff.

In this case, I can believe the police were under pressure to act, and I too yearn for the days of a little discretion....

A bit like swimming in shark infested waters then! ;)

Seriously, going anywhere near these skips is hazardous, but to actually enter one is pure madness and for you to positively recomend this activity to people is downright irresponsible. I wont even begin to list the dangers of engaging in this type of thing.
 

domtyler

Über Member
hubgearfreak said:
we really must live in a "nanny state" if getting some chairs put of a skip is considered hazardous. i reckon i could do it drunk and in the dark, 100s of times and come to no harm

i especially like doms character assassination deduced from a few sentences - i seriously hope that you never get asked for jury service

Ahem, you are aware that I am a high court judge, no? ;)
 
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