The Good, the Bad and the Wheelie Ugly

The Good, the Bad and the Wheelie Ugly: Strange but True Wheelie Bin Crime

When you think of crime involving wheelie bins, you probably think of them being stolen or set on fire, right? Well the following stories have appeared in the news in the last few weeks, and they might just change your mind!  From being used as transport for stolen items to fending off a robber, wheelie bins have been used in some crazy crimes!

Don’t know the combination? I’ll just take the safe

Police in Melbourne, Australia are searching for a thief who stole a safe from a restaurant last month. He broke into the restaurant in the early hours of the morning and loaded the safe into a wheelie bin before wheeling it away! Police have released CCTV in the hope that someone will recognise the man in question.

No house number on my bin, just #Trump

Police in Totnes, Devon are investigating numerous incidents of vandalism after the recent US presidential election. Election fever seems to have spread across the pond as the words ‘TRUMP’ and ‘#TRUMP’ were written and sprayed onto cars and wheelie bins in the town. The matter is considered anti-social behaviour and an appeal has been launched to track down those who are responsible.

Don’t need a trolley for looting, I’ll just use a bin

Police in Ottawa in Canada are appealing for information on a man they suspect has been involved in several gas station robberies during the month of October. He used a wheelie bin to transport his stolen loot, which was mostly cigarettes and cash.

Not exactly a clean fight

A wheelie bin was used as a weapon in a brawl outside of an Australian nightclub. A fight erupted when a group of men left the club, and one man had a wheelie bin thrown at his head while he lay on the ground. A passer-by came to help him and the group of men fled as the police arrived on the scene.

Ever been hit by a girl with a bin lid?

A shop worker in Hull used a bin lid to fend off a would-be thief. The thief was a former boxer who targeted the Boots store to feed his heroin addiction. When he went to grab the till, the shop worker raised the bin lid above his head and pretended she was going to hit him. Four members of staff plus a male passer-by wrestled him to the ground and took him to a back room until the police arrived. The would-be thief was arrested and later admitted attempted robbery.