This morning I went to my car wash and when I opened my dumpster to my surprise the dumpster is overflowing with household garbage, 13 HUGE bags of it. I pulled the bags out so I?d have a place to dump my own garbage cans. I put on my rubber gloves and ripped into the bags. After I opened all but the last one I thought that I wasn?t going to hit the mother lode and find any mail. When I opened the last bag low and behold there it was MAIL lots of it. It looks like my fine new friends have just moved here from Utah. I called my favorite Policewoman and she went out to their new house and gave them an invitation to a party at the courthouse, a citation for ?Theft of services? It?s a mandatory court appearance and up to a $500 fine. Now here?s my question. How much restitution should I ask for? Opening one?s garbage bags is not what I call enjoyable. My new friends from Utah are shocked that they would get a ticket for this, they said it is OK in Utah to do this. Their garbage has already been hauled away so they can?t come get it
What?s Fair and Just Restitution
- Thread starter Randy
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bighead
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Have them give you $80 for your time. And also have them make up a couple of posters about their experience with some pictures to post on your dumpster. It gives you some money for your time and some help deterring future offenders.
frside1
New member
i think i would leave off the money and have them make the posters and possibly send them a free coupon. they will tell all what happened and you might end up the bad guy. that way you might get a new customer and they might keep their mouth shut about what they did.
raisetheprice
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They knew what they were doing and didn't think they'd get caught. Get all you can get. Your time is what they wasted. I don't know about you, but that's the most valuable thing that I have.
soapy
Senior Member
I think a little community service would not be too much to ask for. By that I mean they should have to sweep your lot with a broom once per bag of garbage. It would be at the times you request of course.
We've had similar problems with illegal use of our dumpster to the point like you where we cannot even get our own garbage in the dumpster which is 6 cu. yds. First of all do you have any signs stating that the dumpster is only for use by your business? If not add them. It won't stop them but at least it puts them on notice.
Our solution to illegal dumping was to put locks on the dumpster. We take the lock off the top on Tuesday morning and put it back on when it is emptied. Thisis byfar the most effective method of stopping it.
If people still leave their garbage next to the dumpster and you get a name off it, you can have them cited not only for theft of services but littering as well. You could also sue them in civil court. I'm sure this is not the only instance of this. Make an example out of them.
This crock about it being legal in Utah is B.S. Its your dempster, you pay for it
Our solution to illegal dumping was to put locks on the dumpster. We take the lock off the top on Tuesday morning and put it back on when it is emptied. Thisis byfar the most effective method of stopping it.
If people still leave their garbage next to the dumpster and you get a name off it, you can have them cited not only for theft of services but littering as well. You could also sue them in civil court. I'm sure this is not the only instance of this. Make an example out of them.
This crock about it being legal in Utah is B.S. Its your dempster, you pay for it
You might as well get all you can get because you’ve already lost them as a future customer.
Although I don’t agree with what they have done, I think I would have showed up at their door, informed them that what they did was illegal and that you’re not pressing charges this time. I would have handed them a couple coupons and asked them to come back and give our car wash a try (and leave their garbage at home this time… a little humor goes a long way).
I would have used this as an opportunity to gain a new customer.
Although I don’t agree with what they have done, I think I would have showed up at their door, informed them that what they did was illegal and that you’re not pressing charges this time. I would have handed them a couple coupons and asked them to come back and give our car wash a try (and leave their garbage at home this time… a little humor goes a long way).
I would have used this as an opportunity to gain a new customer.
bighead
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At the risk of starting a huge discussion.....
I don't think you want these people as your customers. I believe its been stated on this forum before that 10% of your customers create 90% of your work. This is probably one of those cases. If they are inconsiderate enough to leave 13... yes that's 13 garbage bags full of waste in Randy's dumpster, then they are probably the type that are too cheap to pay for their own garbage service at their home. That means they are probably the type that make a living getting something for nothing. And who really wants those type of people as customers? (Invariably someone down this thread will say "I do" and as far as I?m concerned you can have them) I'll stick with the 90% of folks who like paying for my $9 wash, and work my a$$ off to make sure THEY are happy.
An old timer told me one time that "its the people who you make the most off of who are happiest with the work you do for them".... and those are the people I look for as customers.
I don't think you want these people as your customers. I believe its been stated on this forum before that 10% of your customers create 90% of your work. This is probably one of those cases. If they are inconsiderate enough to leave 13... yes that's 13 garbage bags full of waste in Randy's dumpster, then they are probably the type that are too cheap to pay for their own garbage service at their home. That means they are probably the type that make a living getting something for nothing. And who really wants those type of people as customers? (Invariably someone down this thread will say "I do" and as far as I?m concerned you can have them) I'll stick with the 90% of folks who like paying for my $9 wash, and work my a$$ off to make sure THEY are happy.
An old timer told me one time that "its the people who you make the most off of who are happiest with the work you do for them".... and those are the people I look for as customers.
I agree with Bighead.
Why try to make such inconsiderate people customers? My grandfather, who always owned his own business, always used to tell me to watch what people do, not what they say they will do. These people have already proven they wanted to get around disposing of their trash properly by loading it on someone else. If you are so desperate for customers like this I think you need to find something else to do. Try rewarding customers for positive behavior not something like this.
Get much out of them as possible and move on. Maybe you will teach them that they can't get away with something like this. Rewarding them with free washes might encourage them to pull something like this on someone else.
Why try to make such inconsiderate people customers? My grandfather, who always owned his own business, always used to tell me to watch what people do, not what they say they will do. These people have already proven they wanted to get around disposing of their trash properly by loading it on someone else. If you are so desperate for customers like this I think you need to find something else to do. Try rewarding customers for positive behavior not something like this.
Get much out of them as possible and move on. Maybe you will teach them that they can't get away with something like this. Rewarding them with free washes might encourage them to pull something like this on someone else.
Waxman
Super Moderator
Hey, being in business is tough! We all have to make our own rules and enforce them at our locations and focus on the good customers. Your good customers don't want to see trash dumpers, either! It sends the wrong message and brings your operation down a notch, I think.
Focus on the good ones. What I'd do; ask my dumpster guy how much to charge them for the illegal dumping, and tell them if they do not pay that's fine; the police report will immediately follow.
Focus on the good ones. What I'd do; ask my dumpster guy how much to charge them for the illegal dumping, and tell them if they do not pay that's fine; the police report will immediately follow.
This guy is illegally dumping trash, stereotyping him as a ?bad car wash customer? is not a good idea. This guy could be a car enthusiast who keeps his cars clean weekly. You?ve now just sent him running to your competitor down the street.
Yeah, I?d be mad as hell if I found that garbage in my dumpster, but personally I?d rather embarrass him enough to not do it again and then gain him as a customer.
To each his own.
Yeah, I?d be mad as hell if I found that garbage in my dumpster, but personally I?d rather embarrass him enough to not do it again and then gain him as a customer.
To each his own.
First of all I doubt if it is legal in Utah or anywhere. How can the government say it is OK for someone to dump their garbage in your drop box.
If the law says you are entitled to $500 then make them pay, that is the problem in our society today. People violate the law and there are no consequences.
My partner in the carwash used to own a grocery store and if he caught a shoplifter he would call the police immediately and hold the person in the store, even if it meant locking the door of the store.
The law states that if you catch a shoplifter you are entitled to $250.
He would make adults pay it. If it were children he would make their parents come down to the store and discuss it with them. If the parents were concerned about the theft and reasonable he would forgo the $250 and make the kid come down to the store and do work like sweeping the lot, picking up paper, etc until the debt was repaid.
If the parents were jerks about it, he would make them pay.
Needless to say shoplifting at his convenience store was substantially reduced.
Consequences is what it is all about.
Charge them the $500.
Regards
Bud Abraham
If the law says you are entitled to $500 then make them pay, that is the problem in our society today. People violate the law and there are no consequences.
My partner in the carwash used to own a grocery store and if he caught a shoplifter he would call the police immediately and hold the person in the store, even if it meant locking the door of the store.
The law states that if you catch a shoplifter you are entitled to $250.
He would make adults pay it. If it were children he would make their parents come down to the store and discuss it with them. If the parents were concerned about the theft and reasonable he would forgo the $250 and make the kid come down to the store and do work like sweeping the lot, picking up paper, etc until the debt was repaid.
If the parents were jerks about it, he would make them pay.
Needless to say shoplifting at his convenience store was substantially reduced.
Consequences is what it is all about.
Charge them the $500.
Regards
Bud Abraham
Kate Carr
Administrator
I like the idea of trying to make customers out of any situation -- but I think anyone who is caught dumping trash in this manner (knowing the owner of the business has sorted through their garbage) would probably be too embarassed to show up at the wash as a customer. Just my two cents.
Andy, once you actually operate a car wash for awhile, you'll understand that some customers are more trouble and expense than they are worth.
That very well could be true.
Here?s an update on my Trash dumper. The story continues. My policewoman stopped by on Saturday and she filled me in on more of the story. It seems that this couple are both in the Army. Her husband is in Afghanistan with the Special Forces. She has the attitude that since they are in the Army they can do pretty much what ever they want to do, I guess they must have special privileges. Anyway she was appalled to think that someone would dig into her garbage and call the police. She admitted that she put the 13 bags of garbage into my dumpster, she still thinks it?s OK. She has already been to court once to be formally charged, given her rights and asked if she?d like to have legal counsel or if she could afford legal counsel. She has 2 more court appearances before this is all over.
On a side note: when the Policewoman went out to there single wide trailer at 05:30 there was another solider there. When the policewoman asked if his name was so and so, he replied No I?m just here helping out. I wonder what he?s helping her out with at 5:30 in the morning?
On a side note: when the Policewoman went out to there single wide trailer at 05:30 there was another solider there. When the policewoman asked if his name was so and so, he replied No I?m just here helping out. I wonder what he?s helping her out with at 5:30 in the morning?
Ben's Car Wash
Conveyor & self service
Boy do I want to reply to that with a statement about why we need to be so careful about sending our kids away to war! Sure hope they debrief her husband well before he comes home! Next time... you'll find her body in your dumpster.
PaulLovesJamie
rural 5 bay SS
Randy, Thank you for taking this person to court.
A few years ago I personally caught a guy breaking into my 5 col tree vendor - "apprehended" him and called 911, they took him to the station. Turns out he was in the navy, home on leave. His commander called me at home and asked me to drop the charges since he was a good guy "fighting for his country." The short version of my reply: "He came to my business with the intent to steal. He destroyed equipment. He stole from me. He did not offer restitution, apology, or remorse. He is a criminal, he can plead his case in court and in church." FYI, since the military was involved the DA offered a plea bargain, he accepted.
A few years ago I personally caught a guy breaking into my 5 col tree vendor - "apprehended" him and called 911, they took him to the station. Turns out he was in the navy, home on leave. His commander called me at home and asked me to drop the charges since he was a good guy "fighting for his country." The short version of my reply: "He came to my business with the intent to steal. He destroyed equipment. He stole from me. He did not offer restitution, apology, or remorse. He is a criminal, he can plead his case in court and in church." FYI, since the military was involved the DA offered a plea bargain, he accepted.
Here?s a update on this incident.
She had her final court date and the Judge wasn?t kind to her. Since she had an attitude he threw the book at her. A $500 fine and $126.50 restitution to the car wash, which she paid to the court. Now she?s in trouble with the Army, she missed her deployment because of these court dates.
I got another one just yesterday for the same thing. Bagged Household garbage.
She had her final court date and the Judge wasn?t kind to her. Since she had an attitude he threw the book at her. A $500 fine and $126.50 restitution to the car wash, which she paid to the court. Now she?s in trouble with the Army, she missed her deployment because of these court dates.
I got another one just yesterday for the same thing. Bagged Household garbage.
