Shread your docs - Paper recycling bags are been rifled through at night

[olly]

I saw a couple of guys on Underhill Road at about midnight last night, also in high visibility jackets, carrying torches. They had screeched to a halt in their small white van - it had an emergency light on the top and some sort of logo on the side. They seemed to be rummaging around the bins. As suddenly as they arrived, they jumped in their van and drove off at speed.

[intexasatthe moment]

bobski's right - put on hi vis jackets and you get away with anything

Let's hope the police take initial report seriously .

Love idea of weekly bonfire on Goose Green ,bit of ging gang goolie goolie watcha ,few organic burgers ...

[Nero]

I saw a similar pair about two weeks ago, on the corner of Dunstan's and Goodrich Roads at about 2330. They had hi-vis vests on, and torches, and what I thought were those distance-measuring apparatus that look like a big pair of compasses.

[ianr]

Presumably no-one's asked Southwark.

[DirtyBox]

Can I just ask what info is of use for identity theft? Obviously bank account numbers etc. But is name and address a problem - surely someone could find that info in lots of other ways?

All they need is a name and address, there have been a spate of identity thefts in Sydenham recently where someone opens an account with an online retailer (in my case Very.co.uk) and orders mobile phones/tvs/etc - it seems that many of these online retailers don't need any proof of address or bother doing a credit check before sending out high value items.

[Sue]

DirtyBox Wrote:

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> All they need is a name and address,

xxxxxxx

They can get those off the electoral register, why would they bother going through recycling bags at dead of night?

[ShinyShiny]

Just a heads up that I found someones loan agreement complete with address, phone number, email address and repayment details outside my house on east dulwich rd this evening. Thinking it had come from our paper recycling bags I picked it up to discover it had travelled from The Gardens. I've shredded it for you now.

[Sue]

You could have had a whole new identity :))

[DirtyBox]

DirtyBox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> All they need is a name and address,

xxxxxxx

They can get those off the electoral register, why would they bother going through recycling bags at dead of night?

They don't need to but the question was what can they do with a name and address

[Queen of Dulwich]

I take everything with my address on, or receipts with my credit card number to my workplace, where we have a secure bin for destroying confidential papers.

Pssst, don't tell the office manager :))

[Sue]

Wouldn't it be less trouble to buy a shredder? :)

[teetmouther]

IDENTITY THIEVES OR SUPER-INTELLIGENT FOXES?????/

[TJ]

bins partially emptied outside our house last night.

I think the mound of stinking nappies along with them deterred them.

I'm selling well filled nappies by the kilo should anyone be interested.

[sally676]

I heard a rumour Southwark are checking peoples recycling habits as they are looking in to fining people for putting the wrong stuff in bags and bin. And they also want to bring in a 9 bin recycling system.

[ianr]

As posted by James Barber at http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,336529,467901#msg-467901 [typos corrected]

"I did check some weeks ago with officers about people in yellow hi vis waste coats checking rubbish in the middle of the night. Categorically told not council officers. I then referred the matter to our local East Dulwich Police Safer Neighbourhood Team. IF you have more instances please report it to them."

[bonniebird]

We live in Forest Hill and aren't allowed to put shredded paper in our recycle bins(td) anyone know why that would be?

[cmck83]

It can't be recycled because the shredded fibres are too short or something like that.

[DJKillaQueen]

Bonniebird, I'm in Peckham Rye ward and have recycling collected weekly in bags. As long as shredded paper is in a seperate bag it IS collected. Shredded paper can be recycled but obviuosly if it's mixed up with other recycled items it's a pain to seperate, hence the seperate bagging. So I'm wondering if the issue is mixing it with other items in the same bin. Try maybe asking for some recycle bags from the council and see if they can be taken somewhere or better still collected as ours are.

[ruffers]

Guessing a bit but it might be the Forest Hill issue is you have one recycling bag or box I think? In Southwark we have a paper one and a separate glass and plastics. No problem here about putting shredded in with other paper but I can imagine it would contaminate the others too much in one bag.

[bonniebird]

Thanks all, yes we do have a green recycling wheelie bin and it all go's in the same bin, thanks for your suggestions, I am a stickler for recycling;-)

[WickedStepmother]

A little old lady who lived alongside my parents years ago used to religiously tear her name and address off every document that she put in the rubbish (pre-recycling days) or later the paper recycling bag. As a result, my mum began doing the same and, albeit rather self-consciously, eventually so did I.

And now I feel really quite smug about it. ;-)

But I do have a question...

Can anyone suggest a ID-theft-proof useful end for a couple of carrier-bagfulls of small squares of paper with my name and address on them?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Burn them.

[languagelounger]

There were people wearing jackets with high visibility bands going into front gardens in Nunhead in the middle of the night a few months ago. They said they Thames Water staff and they were checking all the drains - they were indeed opening those little drain covers. They were using long thin metal sticks with little hooks on the end to do this and I wonder if these are what the first poster may have perceived as "pincer sticks"?

They had a marked van and ID and I spoke to a supervisor who said that doing this in the small hours of the morning was standard practice - though he offered no reason why. My guess is that they must sometimes have had to move bins to get to the drain covers and might have knocked a few over or disturbed rubbish bags.

I have subsequently had long hours while stuck in jams on key London roads, eg Camberwell New Road, Old Kent Road, Long Lane, to ponder the question of why, if they can find staff to work at night roaming about people's gardens, they are still claiming it is impossible to carry on with road works outside the hours of 08:00 to 16:00?

[Karrie]

[Deleted] Safety reasons

[James Barber]

Hi languagelounger,

I recall reading how water people can hear water leaks through a tube funnel thing. I'd guess middle of the night would be the best itme to do this.

Regards james.