HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) — ‘Who would do that?’ That’s the question residents and city officials in Hopewell are asking after a slew of recent trash bin thefts.
“The frequency here is much greater,” Hopewell Assistant City Manager Charlie Danes explained. “It’s happening two or three times as frequently as in other localities.”
While officials search for clues, many renters are left paying for replacements. Homeowners are supplied new bins free of charge.
“They cost about $60 a piece and that is about $6,000 in theft a year in trash containers,” Danes said.
“I think it’s a disgrace to go around the city stealing trash cans,” Hopewell resident Sandra Prosser said. “It is disgusting. Why would you do that?”
Next week, city officials are offering a new proposal that would grant one free trash bin to both homeowners and renters every five years. Before the five year mark, residents would have to pay $58.
Officials say residents should mark their bins with their name and address to help prevent these thefts.
