Cockburn bin-nicking rampage

by Farlina Zailanni

May 2, 2008

RESIDENTS have been shocked by a recent wheely-bin stealing rampage, a Cockburn Council official says.

Over 30 bins were reported missing in the Jandakot and South Lakes areas in the fortnight ending April 14.

Council spokeswoman Larissa Boyanich said residents had witnessed vehicles driving close to the curb to grab bins, then speeding away with the bins dragged behind. Some bins have been found broken, and some turned up far away from the area they were stolen from.

“This is a first for us,” Ms Boyanich said. “Bins have disappeared before but never this many all at once.

“[The perpetrators] were on a rampage. Most residents were just shocked. It was so unexpected.”

Glen Iris resident, Fatimah Sain, realised her bin was missing during the late night of April 7. She first heard a loud bang outside her home and decided to find the cause.

She discovered her bin was missing and the opposite neighbour’s toppled over with its contents on the road.

“I couldn’t believe it at first,” Ms Sain said. “Why would anyone want to steal my smelly rubbish bin?

“It may be a minor incident but I do feel less safe here. They might come back and steal other things.”

Ms Boyanich said the matter had been reported to authorities, and plans for speed bumps were on the way. She said the best antidote to the wheely-bin affair was to “prevent hoons from speeding” and behaving destructively.

“Of course we don’t like it to be stolen,” she said. “It costs us a fortune to replace the missing bins.”

All stolen bins will be replaced free of charge by Cockburn Council, upon lodgement of a request form. For more details, go to www.cockburn.wa.gov.au.