Dumpster divers being cited by Unified Police


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TAYLORSVILLE — Dumpster divers in Taylorsville are getting a surprise citation of theft as the city and police crack down on an activity officials say is not only stealing, but a safety issue.

Once a year, residents in Salt Lake County wake up to dumpsters outside their homes for the annual Wasatch Front Waste and Recycling District Clean-up Program. Along with those dumpsters come scavengers, looking mostly for scrap metal, officials say.

For the first time in the city, extra law enforcement officers are patrolling the areas around dumpsters. Unified Police Department said it had issued seven theft citations in less than 10 hours on Thursday. Every time a scavenger is caught, they face a $300 to $500 fine.

Dumpster diving, the city said, is a safety issue, as well as a misdemeanor crime.

"We see people put their kids in to try and items get out of the dumpster. It's not safe. It's a liability issue for the district," said Taylorsville spokeswoman Aimee Newton.

Neighbors are also worried stolen scrap metal could affect dump fees. The landfill makes money off the material, and sending less to the landfill from the dumpsters could mean a bigger bill for residents.

Scavenging, Newton said, also puts residents on edge.

"We get multiple complaints where people call and say, ‘We have strangers waiting and it's making us uncomfortable,' " she said.

Robin is one of those neighbors, and she's worried scavengers' eyes could move beyond the dumpster.

"They're scoping out the neighborhood for what else is available," she said.

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