I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you haven't seen a person, it's more than likely an animal. Raccoons are fairly strong and can knock over garbage cans quite easily.

You probably shouldn't leave hypodermic needles, condoms, tampons and pornography at the top of your trash though. I'd imagine it would only entice a sick individual to rummage through it.

Also, telling people not go through your trash, accomplishes the opposite desired result. If it is only animals at the moment, rest assured, if you leave a sign that says "DON'T GO THROUGH MY TRASH"'; you will have people going through it!

Leave some food out and see if the person keeps going through your garbage.




Something packaged perhaps, then you wont be attracting animals hehe.


[edit on 14-6-2008 by seenitall]

Haha go out with a baseball bat and have a look who it is. Don't necessarily confront them, just have a look. Then if it's a person and they look like they could threaten you, run back inside and call the cops.

do you own a home or rent an apartment? are they walking up your driveway in the cover of night or are they rooting through trash you have at the road for pickup? is the person focusing on your trash ONLY? these are questions you should no the answer to because they all have an impact on the outcome of what this person is doing. could be harmless, could be malicious.

Originally posted by EverythingYouDespise
There's somebody rummaging through the garbage bin outside my home in the middle of the night. This person does this almost every night. I don't think I have anything to hide, but could someone be trying to dig up dirt on me or steal my identity? Is it even legal for this person to be doing this or are my hands tied?

Does anyone else have a similar experience?

It's probably an animal, like a fox for example.

I wouldn't worry about it unless you have very private information such as bank account information or if you've thrown out empty bottles of lube or broken s3x toys, etc.

Don't throw out anything that might indicate you are doing illegal things in your house, such like growing pot, making bombs, etc. You should be fine!

Just take a close look at the rummager. Does he or she seem like they might be homeless? A neighbour? A man in black rummaging through your stuff because of you posting naughty stuff on ATS?

I wouldnt be worried about it as long as they dont bother you or come near your house or anything. It may be worth calling someone over, Im pretty sure its illegal ?

Yes, it could be a government conspiracy.

Or it could just be a raccoon.

My mother recently bought a shredder because of identity theft. Once you throw something away it is not your property any more. She now destroys/shreds papers and will keep it in the house until trash day. She still throws out kitchen refuse! LOL

[edit on 6/14/2008 by kidflash2008]

It's not illegal as long as the trash is on public property i.e. the curb. If the bins are on private property then it IS illegal. There are a lot of people who do this sort of thing, I have seen some pretty cool stuff come from garbage bins, dumpsters etc.... T.V.s, clothes, toys, books, all kinds of things. I used to "dive" the dumpsters of local book stores for magazines and paperbacks, all the store does is tear off the cover to receive credit from the distributer and throw the book away! Our land fills are full of things like this. I believe we in America need better recycling program to deal with usable "trash".

I don't know where you live , but I would almost bet they are rummaging for food, or as others have said looking for something to sell. Call the cops and if it is a person looking for food would you ask yourself are you willing to help. This may sound niave but if I was hungry I would probably do whatever I had to to find food. I don't know, just be smart about it.

An ATS member gave the obvious answers, whichare;

Originally posted by DaleGribble
could be anything from:

1) identy theft.
2) private investigator.
3) a homless person looking for food.

what i say is there are persons rummaging through your trash at night, because there are way-too-many people in- (at least the free world) -
we will have people whose lives are not revolved around the day-night cycle and might be occupied with any of the posters 3 listed occupations.


the best one can do is 'filter' your trash... shred & burn those documents that can be pieced back together and make known your credit card numbers, SS#, AnyThing sensitive.... if you don't know whats 'sensitive' -> then hire a security person that will instruct you.

next off, put a bunch of false leads or bogus 'clues' in your trash for them to pick-over ---and develop a really screwed up vision & depiction of 'Your World'... it will be an absurd analysis that the proscution will present with all the false info & leads your letting them 'find' in your trash.

ain't no reason to get excited --- just play the fools & have fun 'BS'ing 'Da Man...

know what i mean?

Woa! did you say you leave Glass and Hypodermic needles on top of your trash to discourage them? I bet the garbage men love you!
Suprised they havent left a notice to you regarding the unsafe condition of your garbage!

It's your trash bin and ON your property it's yours to do what you please.

Put a windup clock and tape to 3 (fake) sticks of TNT to it.

tick tick tick....
BLAMMMMIE