NYC Man Fined $2,000 For Taking Discarded Garbage

[thundley4]

City Sending Message To Anyone Slowing Recycling Machine

It's something nearly everyone's been tempted to do at least once. You see someone else's throwaways on street and think -- that would look nice in my place.

But as CBS 2 HD found out taking it could end up costing you big-time.

"As far as I knew it was a piece of garbage sitting on the curb," Paul Lawrence said.

But what Lawrence didn't know when he decided to pick up a discarded air conditioner sitting on the sidewalk in Middle Village, Queens is that once trash hits the curb, it's technically city property.

And he was breaking the law.

"There was a lady here. I asked the lady can I take the air conditioner. She said go ahead take it. It's garbage," Lawrence said.

But not only was he fined $2,000 by a sanitation officer who watched him do it, the car he was driving was impounded.

And its owner -- Lawrence's Aunt, 73-year-old Margaret Colavita, was also slapped with a $2,000 fine.

"I said what is this and she said well we have to serve you with this. You're the owner of the car and it says I gave him permission," Colavita said.

Department of Sanitation officials said it's not always illegal to pick up something from the street. It's only when you're driving a vehicle that the law gets triggered.

WCBSTV

That last line makes it sound like impounding vehicles for profit is the goal of this law. 

There are 4 dumpsters scattered around where I work and every weekend I see dumpster divers picking through them. The company did put up "No Trespassing" and some other warning on the dumpsters, but it was to protect themselves from  being sued.

[JohnnyReb]

My county has that type law....but the fines aren't that heavy and they don't take your car/truck.....yet.

Did you know that if you throw your airconditioner away at the dump....no problem. But if you want to salvage the steel, aluminum, copper and sell it, you have to have a signed statement that the refrigerant was properly removed and secured by a licensed AC maintenance professional.

[PatriotGame]

The DUmmy****tards in New Yuk voted the DUmmy****tards that enacted these laws into office.
The DUmmy****tards DESERVE this and more.

[Thor]

This is beyond ridiculous. I would suggest that the city be counter-sued as there probably aren't any signs informing people not to remove any garbage from the street side. I imagine how they get away with their Gestapo style tactics is because the average citizen can't afford a lawyer to counter-sue or fight the ticket.

[rich_t]

The city's response would be "ignorance of the law is no excuse".

Pretty stupid for fining someone for reducing landfill junk.