Plastic Trash Can Thefts

[denduke]

They are at it again. The knuckleheads took about 4 of our small plastic trash cans recently. These were old with weak bottoms too. They left a new one that I just purchased a few days ago. Any suggestions rather than chaining them all up? Maybe bring the news ones in at night? Thanks!

 

[rzeavy]

We made a few holes about 6" off the bottom so they can't use them to store liquid.

 

[copperglobe]

I've had the same problem. Couple weeks ago I showed up at the wash and one can was missing. Went back to the video and did a search. Come to find out I caught the guy. He came in, emptied the can in the dumpster and washed it out. He then turned it upside down and used it as a stool to wash off the top of his van. After he was done, put it in the back of the van and drove away. Sad thing is....he's a good friend of mine (or was I guess).

 

[MEP001]

I've been using the 44-gallon Rubbermaid Brute cans for 8 years - I'm surprised I've only had two stolen the whole time. If it were any worse I'd definitely chain them down. Customers will sometimes take them out of the receptacles to clean out their cars or trucks and leave them out, then someone else will fill the receptacle with trash. If that happened once or twice a week I'd chain them down just to stop that.

 

[Reds]

I use the cast concrete trash containers like you see at a fast food restaurant. They aren't cheap, but they are durable.

 

[soapy]

I always take a big sharpie and write my name on them in several places with permanent ink. I have even gone so far as to brand my carwash name on them with a electric branding iron. I have custom made stainless steel garbage can containers with provisions for a lid lock but have not had to lock them in yet.

 

[ted mcmeekin]

We use cut down 30 gal soap drums with 35 gal liners inside our islands with ss covers.. They don't steal drums but do steal the bungies we use to hold liner. They also like cones for some strange reason.

Ted

 

[JustClean]

I always take a big sharpie and write my name on them in several places with permanent ink. I have even gone so far as to brand my carwash name on them with a electric branding iron. I have custom made stainless steel garbage can containers with provisions for a lid lock but have not had to lock them in yet.

Once I saw a nice engraving on a TV at a repairshop: "This TV was stolen at Coconut Camping Ground"

 

[Jeff_L]

For those of you who have marked your cans in one way or another ever had them stolen? If so, ever had them returned?

I would think people wouldn't pay attention to the "property of..." since there are so many things you can buy that say that. Also, that person could always just say "yeah, the wash owner sold it to me". I wouldn't think many people would take it beyond that.

However, if putting you name on the can some way acts as a deterrent, then that would make sense. Haven't had a problem with anyone stealing any of my stinky trash cans yet!

 

[cleaning up mud]

Ive never had a trash can stollen, but we have had the catch buckets in our vacuums stolen mulitple times! When people will steal dirt, you know they will steal anything!!!!!!