How to keep bums out of my yard...

[sillysod]

Okay so I have a lock-up beside my garage where I keep my lawnmower, my son's "parts quad" and all my empties.

I have had someone go through there about a month ago and make a giant fucking mess in the alley behind my house by spreading my empties all over the place. I had about 5 big clear bags of empties in there and someone jumped the fence and basically threw them all over the fence into the alley.

I'm guessing they didn't have a truck because they left a lot of bottles (broken ones too) everywhere. Easily another $100 of empties strewn all over everywhere.

Now I've been taking my empties in whenever the bag gets full, but to me that is not worth my time going every couple weeks for $20 or $30. Last night I put a full bag of empties in the lockup and got home to find this:

http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b421/sillysod/20130917_195011_resized_zps870e564b.jpg

Now I think I have really 3 options.

1) Build a roof on the lock-up

2) Razor blades, drywall screws or something similar on the inside lip of the fence (liability issues? will I get some junkie come up and smash the windows out on my house?)

3) Forget the couple hundred bucks every few months and throw the empties in the blue bin.

I will not put them in the yard or garage. I don't like having anything in the yard that doesn't belong there (chairs, firepit etc.) and the garage is the same. The entire reason I built this was so that I didn't have to keep the quad, mower etc in the garage.


Any other ideas?

Here is a picture from the alley.

http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b421/sillysod/DSCF8212.jpg

[Sugarphreak]

...

[My_name_is_Rob]

Why are they going through it in the first place? Just to make a mess? Seems strange, but almost like activities that racoon's would do.

[heavyfuel]

Ya why would bums leave bottles behind? Did anything else go missing? Maybe it's a chupacabra or the monkey man.

[Kloubek]

I bet it is the same ass who got in there before.

I'm not sure someone would insist on breaking in if you put a roof on it. That'd be my vote.

[sillysod]

I'm guessing they are on a bike or have a shopping cart or something. I would usually leave them until I had a good $200.00 worth before bothering to go to the depot.

They take whatever they can and just make a mess with the rest.

Sugarphreak you're probably right in this scenario.

[ddduke]

Why don't you put up a super bright motion activated light? Most petty crooks will get scared by this and if you're up it will likely get your attention.

I put one at my front door where I park my motorcycle, not only does it give me some piece of mind but it's also super handy at night time.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by sillysod

Sugarphreak you're probably right in this scenario.

Then you'll have bums dumping the bluecart in your alley to get the empties.

Just keep collecting 'em, but take them in every couple of bags, instead of waiting to have $200 worth.

[BokCh0y]

I've seen a bunch of bums around deep SE Calgary (Mckenzie, Douglasdale, Quarry Park, Mckenzie Towne, Preswick, New Brighton). One guy in particular - tall, skinny aboriginal guy on a bike regularly. He rides around the whole area on his bike with bags and bags of cans tossed over his shoulder or just rides with one arm, other one hold a bunch of bags of cans. I know he's gone through my garbage before and has been in my yard. My blue recycling bin was open and garbage all over the place. Gate to the back yard was wide open twice. He went through my boys civic parts too and made a fucking mess of everything. I have a little dog, so I'm always worried he'll leave the gate open and she'll run off and get hurt. I've resorted to locking both gates, even though very inconvenient. I've called 311 and CPS, they said can't do nothing unless they physically arrive and see him in my yard. Then they can lay trespassing charges or something.

I keep all the goddamn cans in the basement now btw. Less bs hassle of keeping them outside and dealing with the bum. I hope that if he can't find shit, he'll stop coming around and messing with my stuff.

Not really sure what else I can do but run him over :dunno:

[CanmoreOrLess]

You have a big-assed garage, put your stuff in there and not somewhere the homies can get at. As for booby trapping the current shed.... you really want to piss off a bunch of mentalist bottle collectors? You'll pay 10x over for doing anything aggressive, these guys have nothing to lose and all the free time in the world. First thing I can think of is to lay out a couple of handfuls of drywall nails in the pathway of your garaged vehicles.... you get the idea.... you'll lose a meaningless war. Out of sight, out of mind, get your stuff into the garage.

I set all my bottles out beside the recycle bin, no issues at all and collected daily by the bottle collectors.

[sillysod]

I have crazy bright lights everywhere. My house is lit-up all night long (pot lights in soffits and motion lights on garage).

For all I know these guys are coming in the middle of the day. The lights do not help.

I hate going to the bottle depot. It smells, there is a line up of fellow Durty Durty Southerners and everything is sticky. Something I won't waste an hour every third Saturday for only $25.00. You do have a point though about them going crazy in the blue bins. :(

[sillysod]

Good point Canmorite, gonna pass on the razor blades tactic.

I will throw them in the trash before I ever have stinky cans in my garage. I walk around in slippers in it.... in fact I'm typing from my garage now. I built a nice big shed for the bicycles and lawn furniture and I won't even consider putting them in there.

I mean I even have red safety chains on my bins so they don't blow away. I am full retard with needing everything to have a place. The place for my empties is in my lock-up never in the garage, yard or shed.

[roll_over]

I think is full OCD not retard, can you rinse your bottles so they dont smell

[GTS Jeff]

Squirt something like ketchup or honey all over the empties. That way they're still returnable (I don't really know, I use the blue bins myself) but when the pickers come, they leave in a sticky situation.

[firebane]

I heard about a lady with an issue like this and she got fed up. So for awhile she starting dumping cat litter and dog shit into the bags and after awhile she they gave up.

[BokCh0y]

Originally posted by GTS Jeff
Squirt something like ketchup or honey all over the empties. That way they're still returnable (I don't really know, I use the blue bins myself) but when the pickers come, they leave in a sticky situation.

Mother fucker....welcome back Jeff.

[revelations]

Motion sensing water spray .......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGh5aE5VGoI

[sillysod]

I am not going to dump cat shit into the empties I plan on taking to the bottle depot. Sandeep behind the counter already doesn't like whitey, me spreading out a bag of beer cans and dog shit in front of him isn't going to win me any brownie points.

[ipeefreely]

Originally posted by sillysod
I am not going to dump cat shit into the empties I plan on taking to the bottle depot. Sandeep behind the counter already doesn't like whitey, me spreading out a bag of beer cans and dog shit in front of him isn't going to win me any brownie points.
:rofl: :rofl:

Why don't you give your local Scout group (or local kids group) a call... I'm sure they would be happy to come by and pick up your bottles weekly, probably at an arranged time too!

At work we have a school group pickup our empty once a month on Wednesday... :thumbsup:

[speedog]

Originally posted by sillysod
Good point Canmorite, gonna pass on the razor blades tactic.

I will throw them in the trash before I ever have stinky cans in my garage. I walk around in slippers in it.... in fact I'm typing from my garage now. I built a nice big shed for the bicycles and lawn furniture and I won't even consider putting them in there.

I mean I even have red safety chains on my bins so they don't blow away. I am full retard with needing everything to have a place. The place for my empties is in my lock-up never in the garage, yard or shed.
First world problems for sure.

[Tik-Tok]

Put a hinged roof on it, with a switch. When the roof gets opened, it sets off an air horn, lol.

[ercchry]

probably too late now since i'd bet its a "regular" bum doing it... but yeah, wouldnt hurt to put up one of these signs

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_r8O-bvp3zYU/SbgIW_nXRWI/AAAAAAAAARI/WA-umn4Hb9A/s320/Beware%20of%20Dog.jpg

[Anomaly]

Remington 870 :poosie:

[osspasha]

Motion sensor with a very bright light, will scare anyone away, and u can even catch them in act

[yellowsnow]

Bums usually come during the day. I work from home, and see at least 2 bums walking down our alleys every day looking through blue bins.

[bspot]

I wish we'd scrap the deposit system. Now that we have blue bins it's unecessary. No more incentives for bums to wander alleys.

I built a bin in my garage to hold the empties so that I'm not putting them in the blue bin and basically supporting someone's drug habit. Total pain in the ass.

[speedog]

Originally posted by bspot
I wish we'd scrap the deposit system. Now that we have blue bins it's unecessary. No more incentives for bums to wander alleys.

I built a bin in my garage to hold the empties so that I'm not putting them in the blue bin and basically supporting someone's drug habit. Total pain in the ass.
Just because Calgary has blue bins doesn't mean that the deposit system should be scrapped as there's probably lots of communities and rural areas that don't have recycling programs in place.

Also, one just can't assume that the people collecting containers out of the blue bins are just fueling their drug habits - some of the people I've seen cruising our alley appear to be the type that might be supplementing an income more than a drug habit.

[woodywoodford]

Why not just lock them inside the garage?

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by speedog

Just because Calgary has blue bins doesn't mean that the deposit system should be scrapped as there's probably lots of communities and rural areas that don't have recycling programs in place.


Condo buildings for one.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok


Condo buildings for one.

...because they have bins for recycle :nut:

[bubbley]

At least they left some bottles to recycle to make some extra cash!

[Ven]

Do you fill the bag with bottles in your house and then when the bag is full place it in the lock-up? Or does the bag start empty in your lock up and you add bottles to it there?

[bjstare]

Originally posted by sillysod
....
isn't going to win me any brownie points. http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w220/Davis_Andrews/what-you-did-there-i-see-it.jpg

[sillysod]

Originally posted by speedog

Just because Calgary has blue bins doesn't mean that the deposit system should be scrapped as there's probably lots of communities and rural areas that don't have recycling programs in place.

Also, one just can't assume that the people collecting containers out of the blue bins are just fueling their drug habits - some of the people I've seen cruising our alley appear to be the type that might be supplementing an income more than a drug habit.

Whoever it is they throw the bottles everywhere. Last time there was broken glass all over my apron. I don't care if it's for drugs or just for fun this person has no regard for anything but getting as many empties into his shopping cart as possible.


Originally posted by Ven
Do you fill the bag with bottles in your house and then when the bag is full place it in the lock-up? Or does the bag start empty in your lock up and you add bottles to it there?

No I have a sealed garbage can in my garage that gets filled up over the period of a couple weeks. When it's full I pull the bag and put it in the lock-up. I keep doing this until the lock-up is full and then my son and I go to the bottle depot. The cash gets deposited 50/50 between him and his little brother in their bank accounts.

[austic]

step 1 install security camera

Step 2
Do This (http://youtu.be/DBA7OaUT6_w)

[bignerd]

barb/razor wire across the top?

[sillysod]

^^
http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/list/000/199/896/2jfg08h.gif

[fiveowed]

I am in New Brighton, I work at 5:00am and almost every second day I see a couple of people on bicycles going through peoples trash taking bottles, would be surprised if its the same people

[botox]

Like others said, just put a roof over it and lock it up. They will simply just go to the next house. Glass bottles are heavy and big so not worth it for them to take. A few aluminum cans crushed down flat is just a fraction of the weight and size of a glass bottle and is worth more. Makes a huge difference when they are lugging around a bag all day.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by austic

Step 2
Do This (http://youtu.be/DBA7OaUT6_w)

Teach your kids bullets are fun noisemakers?

[DENZILDON]

Sillysod, are you in prestwick?

[sillysod]

Elgin :)

[Kloubek]

Originally posted by ercchry
probably too late now since i'd bet its a "regular" bum doing it... but yeah, wouldnt hurt to put up one of these signs

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_r8O-bvp3zYU/SbgIW_nXRWI/AAAAAAAAARI/WA-umn4Hb9A/s320/Beware%20of%20Dog.jpg

...and you think the bums are going to be fooled into thinking there is a guard dog stuffed into a 4X4 fenced area? Not to mention the fact they just need to peer in the top and see there is nothing but the cans they seek....

I must say, however- that's a mean looking dog.

I think something like this, if any sign, would be more effective:

http://static.emedco.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/Mining--Quarrying-Signs---Heavy-Duty-79838-ba.jpg

[ercchry]

Originally posted by Kloubek


...and you think the bums are going to be fooled into thinking there is a guard dog stuffed into a 4X4 fenced area? Not to mention the fact they just need to peer in the top and see there is nothing but the cans they seek....

the thread says "how to keep bums out of my yard"

not "how do i keep bums from looking over my fence"

but yes, some people are scared shitless of large dogs and will just move on

[Kloubek]

I'm guessing you read the thread title, and didn't look at the pictures?

[ercchry]

you mean the photos with the 6ft fence and the shelf? where i would guess the bottles would be out of site on the bottom of it? those photos?

you got some serious arms on ya if you are reaching those from the ally

[Kloubek]

Well, they're getting to them somehow, and from the looks of the 1st photo, the storage area is completely enclosed on 3 sides - leaving the only opening the gate as seen in exhibit #2. Hence, they don't appear to need to get through the yard to get to the stuff inside, and I'm sure whoever is ripping off the cans knows this as well.

[ercchry]

now you are just guess at shit. my recommendation wasnt based on guessing at shit. it was based off what he asked. are we really this bored today?

[sillysod]

http://media1.giphy.com/media/b1tFj4x3BN3hK/original.gif

It's a lock-up, should have not said yard I suppose.

It is fenced in on 3 sides with a gate on the fourth. only way in is through the alley gate.


Anyways going to build a roof for it this weekend and put on a heavier locking system so Tonto gives up and goes elsewhere.


Originally posted by BokCh0y
One guy in particular - tall, skinny aboriginal guy on a bike regularly. He rides around the whole area on his bike with bags and bags of cans tossed over his shoulder or just rides with one arm, other one hold a bunch of bags of cans. I know he's gone through my garbage before and has been in my yard. My blue recycling bin was open and garbage all over the place. Gate to the back yard was wide open twice. He went through my boys civic parts too and made a fucking mess of everything.

After talking to my wife last night she and her girlfriend saw this gentleman riding his bike down our alley with bags of empties. She said he seemed "creepy" :rofl:

[Kloubek]

Exactly.

...though it technically still is your yard... :)

[bourge73]

None of the bottle takers in my hood are bums
They are none other than damn old Chinese people lol

[Squishy]

Originally posted by sillysod
Elgin :)
What makes you so special that you get a paved back alley! the hell!!!!

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by Squishy

What makes you so special that you get a paved back alley! the hell!!!!

You have to get a petition with your neighbors to get alleys paved, and be willing to pay the exorbitant cost that the city puts on paving. We had one a few years back, 93% of the owners along the alley signed it.

Then the cost came out, and another petition went around to stop the paving. They fucking stopped it by one vote... my in-laws vote. I'll never forgive them, especially since they KNEW they were moving. :banghead:

[sillysod]

^^ Yup. my neighbor went around and got everyone to sign.

We were the first one done in our area, now all the alleys are paved in the house areas, the duplexes alleys though are so bad you almost have to get out and lock the hubs to park in the back.

[sillysod]

There we go....

http://i1042.photobucket.com/albums/b421/sillysod/20130920_194337_zpsa627b364.jpg

[89s1]

Originally posted by bourge73
None of the bottle takers in my hood are bums
They are none other than damn old Chinese people lol

We might be neighbors :nut:

[roll_over]

That gate have a lock on it?

[dubhead]

Originally posted by ercchry
probably too late now since i'd bet its a "regular" bum doing it... but yeah, wouldnt hurt to put up one of these signs

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_r8O-bvp3zYU/SbgIW_nXRWI/AAAAAAAAARI/WA-umn4Hb9A/s320/Beware%20of%20Dog.jpg

People can get past past a dog, but nobody fucks with a lion.

[sillysod]

Originally posted by roll_over
That gate have a lock on it?

sure does.

been full of clear bags of bottles now since Friday and they are still there. No signs of trying to smash the locks off either.

Guess we will have to wait and see I guess.

[heavyfuel]

http://i478.photobucket.com/albums/rr150/2500calgary/TRE-13540_300_zpsac951c1e.gif (http://s478.photobucket.com/user/2500calgary/media/TRE-13540_300_zpsac951c1e.gif.html)