Rubbish sorter

Saw a young man going through the rubbish bags this morning, he was on the pavement riding a bike, with two dogs tied together, he had short dark hair.. I shouted at him as he went to go into another doorway , he looked at me completely unfazed, then rode off, he had pieces of paper in his hand.... the street looks a mess, the rubbish should have been collected yesterday, but due to the holidays the collection dates must be altered.

So if you have not got a shredder get one, I think I saw this lad last year at 3 in the morning doing the same thing, possibly for i.d. fraud etc. A shop assistant from the garage told me he does the same thing to their rubbish...I won't pay by card any more there!

Apart from the street now littered with various household waste, I dont like my discarded unmentionables blowing from the lamp-post...still it could have been worse....I could have thrown me merkins away!

p.s. should I phone the police or would it just be wasting their time?

yes phone the police. that way, they will have knowledge of the sighting, if in the future someone nearby contacts them to say they think they have been the victim of identity fraud. get the garage to phone the police with details as well.

it doesn't help that southwark haven't collected the rubbish for weeks either.

There's loads on the pavement around Borough at the moment, and the bin store in our block has bin bags up to the ceiling. I phoned yesterday to complain, hopefully they'll get back to normal now Christmas is over...

they did arrive to pick up our rubbish - but only lifted half of it (too much work to lift the rest i suppose)

I've seen someone that fits that description in Pearman Street too.

I couldnt agree more with Jan the Old one. Buy a shredder NOW. Use it for anything at all that has identifying details on it - even documents with just your name and address can be used. Tell your friends and nieghbours.

Its a sad reflection on changes in society. You know how people used to say 'we could leave our doors unlocked and no-one would rob us'. In a few years time, we'll be saying 'you remember how you used to be able to just leave your rubbish outside, without having to shred it?'

And not just receipts and bills, but also those offers you get through the post for a credit card or a loan

I always send those back, ripped into pieces, in the reply paid envelopes. I include coupons/leaflets for cheap pizza, and curry house/Chinese take away menus.

I find it annoying when shops print my full card number and expirey date on my receipt. Also shops where assistants don't bother checking the signature - had this recently in B&Q on Old Kent Road so now know where to go if I steal someones cards! (Not that I would, of course).

My daughter told me that HairExpress at surrey docks do the same thing, still it's a nice trustworthy area to lose your till receipt! ( print all details i mean)

FYI
This is now happening in the Swan Street area - binliner contents strewn all over Avon Place twice recently
Caught a guy going through a wheelie bin he had (quietly) dragged up the road - he ran off when I turned on the light and opened the window