Garbage collectors are useful in picking up unwanted waste but sometimes they stretch their roles beyond expectations and take away valuable possessions.
Barry and Susie Cort, a couple in Dade City, Florida, were furious when they saw their furniture being pulled into the truck for dumping. The mix-up happened when the couple had their front porch furniture and window screens in the front yard while they had their home pressure washed.
In poor timing, when workers were behind the house, a garbage truck came to their door. A surveillance camera revealed the trash collectors walking into their yard, picking up the furniture and popping them into the back of a truck.
It was four pieces of outdoor furniture, including “a glass-top table, two antique rocking chairs and three window screens.”
They spared the mat for the guests. “All they left was the welcome mat,” Susie said. A welcome mat is useful while they sit on the ground outside without the outdoor furniture.
The Corts contacted the Waste Connections of East Pasco and expressed their frustrations to customer service. They were questioned if they had a bulk item pickup request. “I said, ‘No, this isn’t trash. If it were trash it would be sitting next to my trash can,'” Susie said. “And when did the trash company start picking up a whole yard full of furniture?”
After a few attempts to get assistance, the company sent over a worker to look into the concern for a possible fix. However, the worker was useless with no immediate fix. “He laughed at us and didn’t offer anything to make this right,” Susie said.
The Corts reached out to Pasco County Sheriff’s Office but this is a civil matter. Investigator Shannon Behnken reached out to Waste Connections for more details on the case. The total cost to replace everything is $915. Investigator Shannon Behnken sent invoices for each item to Waste Connections.
A spokesperson said this was an error that happens occasionally. He added that “it’s the right thing to do” to cover these missing costs and make amends.
The garbage collectors will hopefully think twice before dumping.