Yes plead not guilty to it all. The officer may not show up to court after how he acted and how he didn't cite you at the time. You need to question him on that.@@weirdbeard8898
You need to get a lawyer to represent you and get those fines dismissed and that cop reprimanded. Getting fines dismissed will pay for lawyer ( or most of it)
I think my first move would be to go to the company who was using that dumpster and ask them if there was anything wrong with what you were doing as far as they were concerned and if they said they welcome it because of like what you said, have them sign a paper to that effect and take it to the court
@user-kk4xg7fb7h I disagree. It's permission. Although I don't regard what this gentleman has done as theft, or as being in any way a crime, there is precedent. If I steal an item, and the owner then tells the cops they'd like me to have it, the crime is erased. I also am concerned at this judgement, if he goes to court and the court rules against him, will set a bad precedent. Recycling is an imperative on our fragile planet, and anything that we can do to reuse energy and mineral rich materials is necessary and noble in itself. Landfill is an environmental abomination.
this is not a criminal matter, it is a civil matter which means he pays a fine. Civil matters are handled differently than criminal. He doesn't get a public defender. He needs a lawyer.
A police officer wrote the citations so it is indeed a criminal case! A speeding ticket is a criminal offence. I agree he needs a lawyer but he said he's broke lawyers have to be paid! @@Dave-ty2qp
I know you work very hard for everything you have and for them to find you for just trying to make a living in a little extra cash around Christmas is really really silly like you said and if you were to start the weird beard scrapping channel I would definitely watch that I think you do amazing work you do honest work and I love your content
The police search through trash regularly while searching for evidence in a case; once trash is put out in a public area (not in a garage, behind a gate, etc.) it becomes fair game. Federal law enforcement has used this tactic for years while trying to break up organized crime groups (as an example). Get a public defender before you do ANYTHING else! Great channel, great content, and I amongst the thousands of subscribers will be here anxiously awaiting your next post.
@@corona22707 WRONG! ANYTHING YOU THROW IN THE GARBAGE IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! PERIOD! MY GOD LEARN THE LAW BEFORE YOU SPEAK ON SOMETHING YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!
DONT PAY ANYTHING! Demand a formal complaint, this creates more paperwork for them and a lot of times they never follow through and you get off the hook! It's worth a shot. Keep up cycling and scraping, it's NOT a crime and it just better for everyone!
Please please, for me, you, and all the other curb shoppers here in the greater OKC area, take this to court and fight it. If you don’t win, sue. This could be setting a negative precedent for the rest of the officers in this area if they get away with it. If you need legal help I have a couple law firms I could recommend but you might get further if you reach out to an organization like Institute For Justice.
From a legal point of view this is a very grey area. Technically you cannot remove any item that does not belong to you without the owners permission (regardless of if it is in a dumpster or on the street). That is the law. So unless you can get the owners permission regarding the items you were caught removing, then in the eyes of the law ...you stole them. It doesn't matter if you think they are rubbish...unless you get the owners permission to take them it is considered theft. Sorry but that is the legal definition we are bound by in court.
@@weirdbeard8898 Too bad you didn't think to make a video recording, as the cop pulled in. Right now I would call the local media, radio, tv - this is a political issue, really - 'are we hitting on recycling?'. I once moved a bunch of long metal bars from the road, back when I drove a cab, night shift. Some drunks had placed them across the street! The next day an officer called me asking 'were you stealing last night?'. I filled him in and the 'case' disappeared.. 100% support The Völve
Aw man, this is heartbreaking. I hope you can resolve this and fight it without paying those fines. You're a good, honest, hard working man and this isn't right. Hopefully a judge can see you were doing no wrong and throw this all out. Best of luck!!
@@weirdbeard8898hopefully you don't tell the judge off if he says something you disagree with... Do everything in your power not to lose your cool in that courtroom.
If the police can legally get evidence against somebody in their trash, then you can also take what you want from the trash I believe the Supreme Court has ruled on this.
They can not lawfully take anything out of the trash until the container is moved to a public right-of-way or outside the curtilage of the property. A trash container next to a house or in a driveway is no different than what’s inside the house and would require permission or a warrant to retrieve it.
Go get pictures of that location before they contact the property owners and put up no trespassing signs. Happened to me. Cover your backside my friend.
There is an attorney on TH-cam called civil rights attorney. I think he is from Virginia but he often will hook people up with legal help. Your rights were definitely violated. Please don't just leave this go.
@@jorgeb9715jay Leto is the singer/actor from 30 seconds to Mars. Steve lehto is the “lemon lawyer” from Michigan. The civil right attorney is different person altogether.
@@mexicanspec That's not what bail is. What's happening here is stacking - he got tickets for what the officer is claiming are civil violations, and is being charged with what the county district attorney claims are criminal violations, all stemming from the same incident. If found guilty in a trial, he could receive additional fines as part of the sentence, but the tickets and the criminal charges are technically two separate matters. Bail is entirely a different matter, its intended as collateral to ensure that someone charged with a crime shows up in court, its held in an escrow account and returned to whoever paid it at the end of the trial, regardless of the outcome of the trial itself
That is semantics. They are charging him money so he shows up in court to fight the tickets. it is the same end result. Mike said this is a criminal matter.@@11sfr
Mike, I’m going to say this as a friend… you have to keep the temper in check. It has gotten you in trouble before, and you usually see it after the Red tint fades away…. Even when you’re 100% right sometimes the juice is not worth the squeeze… my old boss used to tell me “water off a ducks back”… deep breaths.. you got this ! Nothing but love for all you do, and scraping is awesome would love to see more !!
Mike, brother...we are ALL here for you. Through thick and thin man. We ALL have your back. We know you did nothing wrong, and i can promise you i would have snapped too if anyone including an officer called me a thief. I have no history either. But i dont stand for people talking shit to me and belittling me. And i dont stand for it to happen to others that i care about. Love and prayers from my family to you and yours.
Retired police officer in Texas just read the Oklahoma trespass law and from what I understood it has to be posted if there was a sign then there is a violation
Mike, I'd certainly talk to an attorney or two. They will probably give you a free consultation to go over your case and options. Certainly worth it IMO. Good luck man!
Mike go to the ones who rented the dumpster and get a letter giving you permission to get scrap from there dumpster and take it to court with you, it's not trespassing if you have permission👍👍
I’ve spent a lot of time digging I’m dumpsters and made sure to teach my boys that there is no shame in picking up things that other people throw away. I have found serious treasure through the years
Though not in your judicial circuit, South Carolina has a case (State v. Tindall) that prohibits any enforcement action after being released by law enforcement. In this case, the officer sent you on your way, then sent you tickets. It's considered a 4th Amendment violation. Most judicial circuits will honor, or at least consider, the precedence set by other court jurisdictions. You may be able to use that as a pretrial motion to dismiss. Also, look up the exact laws that are on the tickets and research the elements of those crimes to see which elements you did/did not violate. If not all elements of those laws were violated, then again, you can motion to dismiss. If nothing else, request a jury trial and plead your case. Most cases in which jury trials are requested end up getting dismissed due to the officers not wanting to bother with them and the court docket backlog. Do NOT pay those tickets.
Go to the company that owned the dumpster, and see if they think you are harming them by taking junk from their dumpster? See if they will give you permission to take things.
My grandad scrapped for years after he retired. It is amazing the things people will throw away because they don't want to deal with it. If it was too big for him to throw on the truck he would call me and buy me breakfast. I enjoyed my Saturday mornings with him driving around town grabbing what he called free money. Enjoy the channel WB!
I wasn't aware of your capability to get angry. 😮 you're always so even tempered. This too shall pass. We're all behind you. At least 99.9997% of us. Best wishes, we miss you. 🤗
I’m from Chickasha, Oklahoma. Glad to see another okie! I was always told, once they throw it in the trash, they no longer want it and it’s free game. Hints the phrase, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure… I had a friend that drove a trash truck. He would see things in the dumpster and he would keep it. Pretty much doing the exact same thing
I really hope you keep us updated on how all of that goes on. Good luck! Been in your shoes and I know it can drive someone like me and you insane. I had cops calling me a car thief and a scoundrel when I was younger. The biggest "crime" I committed was me stealing a dry half eaten piece of bread when I was six years old.
I'm pretty sure it's illegal for them to write you a ticket after you were "released from the scene" of the not crime. I feel your pain. 2 years agio I was hauling junk cars to the crusher 20 miles away. I made 100 trips before the policy police OCC Officer shut me down. I waited a week, changed pickups and hauled 30 more loads.
I’d fight t too ! The one thing you can’t do is argue back at the officer. Your not gonna win ! Be sure and ask the judge about the guy writing you up after you left the scene. Whatever you do don’t fuss at the judge he can hold you in comtempt and lock your but up. Good luck !11
We do this here in Illinois. Dumpster dive, trash pick, drive around on city clean ups, auction hauls etc. Laws clearly say as soon as its set on the curb its public domain. Soon as it hits the dumpster its public domain as long as there are no no trespassing signs anything considered as trash is public domain. However there are dumpsters labeled metal. I was told the ones labeled metal are usually recycling companies. Dont know for sure if you can pull things out of those but to be on the safe side i never have. These same laws apply in most states and theres even a bunch of youtube channels that are all about scraping and trash picking. Ive been told to leave a couple of times, never had the police involved. I dont see any reason why you should have to go to court or pay fines unless you pulled metal from a recycling dumpster.
Fight it. Not sure about your area, but in my area, once the stuff hits the trash and is waiting for disposal it becomes public property. In some areas the roll offs are off limits due to insurance issues (Can't get into it to retrieve anything). So call the roll off companies and see if there are any regulations with it.
That is terrible I will say I appreciate you do clean up after looking through a bin Where I work there is recycle and garbage bins and I dont mind really if someone gats a box oe cans or whatver It is annoying though to arrive and there is a mess that they left
I’ll definitely be callin this department tomorrow an telling them off ! We gotta stand up when cops do wrong like this if not then nothing ever changes
I do the same thing you do! People throw away the nicest stuff! I have about 5 pressure washers! People don't bleed out the water in the winter and the pumps freeze and bust which makes the motor seem to be stuck. Take the pump off and the motor runs perfect! Just needs a new pump!
good comment (it does offset the rising cost of living)although i dont scrap i personally like when people go through my dumpster at work and get anything out that can be used,better than a landfill.
WB, don’t stop what your doing. It always seems that when your doing right that people want to mess with you!….You have a really good channel don’t stop!👍🏿🤷🏿♂️😂
Boy I narrowly missed a big mess by taking from the dump here in NC! I seen ppl take stuff left and right but I guess I wasn’t in the chosen few and got hit with 8 misdemeanors and a felony. Luckily I just ended up with fines.
But if you happened to get a cut or pinched finger at the dump you could have demanded to go to the hospital, get a lawyer, and claim that the dump/town didn't protect you from getting hurt and now you want $500,000 for pain and suffering. Could have hit the lottery bro.
I would fight it first. You need to get yourself a good lawyer. Most lawyers will work on comversion, and if you're fighting it. And you've got a lawyer you won't have to pay anything up front
My mom works at a university in the grounds department. Many times she has called me and said, you won't believe what they are throwing away. college campus dumpsters are a really hot ticket for anyone looking to get into the game. Good stuff is everywhere if you just look.
Hey Tecumseh, Oklahoma here!! Howdy nieghbor! That sucks man i do the same thing in the Shawnee, Tecumseh area!! Never have i heard a cop doin something like this! Your right there is always that one guy!! I just built a 62 on a 14 chassis! I like your channel man! Keep on Keepin on brother it will all work out in the end!
According to Oklahoma law, the state has no restrictions on dumpster diving. In fact, you can even break into a business with an open dumpster right outside its door-as long as you're not trespassing. Although dumpster diving in Oklahoma is legal , it's essential to be aware of some restrictions.
I have worked for private security at construction sites and the biggest issue we had with prowlers is the illegal dumpers. People who use construction sites to dump their garbage.
That sucks bro I believe the owner or renter of the trash container would have to press charges against you, I would push for trial. Even if you can't beat the charge they usually offer a plea agreement with lower fine fee's and possibly no mark on your criminal record
Check if the police officer was wearing a body camera that recorded the incident. If you can get video footage of the event, it might help you prove that the officer escalated the event. Fight it!
You're working hard keep at it. People don't realize how much is wasted in remodeling and new construction. Ever wonder how some contractors have such nice homes. They get paid well and leftover materials.
I find it that it's such a coincidence, all over the country we see people getting tickets left and right as soon as the Christmas months approach makes you wonder if they have some sort of quota
I am with you WB. Somethings just don't make any sense. You always get that one person with authority that gets ticked off and they throw the book at you. I call BS. I think scrapping is legitimate when done properly and has a good impact on the environment. It is fun and things do not go to waste.
I would fight em pal. That cop isn't gonna want his time wasted having to go to court. Like a wise man once told me, When you are in the right you are right. Don't let them make you feel like you did anything wrong. Take it to trial if need be. It won't get any higher than what you are already being coerced onto paying. The Dirty cop has an ego. The worst type of police. Cheers
Sorry to hear this Mike, not sure what the laws are being in the UK. But it definitely sounds like the officer has let his ego get the better of him! Maybe getting a local news channel or media etc involved, might force them to reconsider?
Unless the was a complaint called in on you this officer overreached his authority! If this dumpster was on private property he has no authority to cite you for any offense! It’s no different than the police using the trash you throw out against you in a criminal investigation!
So sorry this happened to you. We love your videos. And am looking forward to mire of them. Whether it's car flipping, auto restoration, collision repair or scratch dent; It's all great content. I also watch a lot of dumpster diving videos as well. Dumspter Diving Momma of 2, Curbside Junkies, Grab it Fast, Fortune Finders, Volt Diving and Repurposful among others. You all are saving items from the land fill, repurposing them, helping others, and earning an honest living. Don't stop scrapping! If it's trash it's fair game! And if you started a metal scrapping channel I'd watch it as well! Try to obtain legal counsel and fight those tickets! Just don't Willy Nilly give the court system $832! Best of luck to you! And 🤗hugs from Georgia.
man people here in Houston Texas make a damn good living doing nothing but scrapping and the TH-cam content they post. make a channel I'll sub to it and watch it.
Better yet man, just start putting up some scrapping videos on this main channel. You've got the following here and the people that like that will watch and people that just want the car stuff can ignore it till it's a car video. At least that way you can get a feel for how the videos do from your audience. I'll definitely watch them.
I do know that in some provinces in Canada, the garbage in any can or dumpster technically belongs to the owner of the bins. Not sure if that may be the case there. But from Newfoundland Canada, I say you should fight this tooth and nail. You are not in the wrong. You have my support. Take care sir, and will be waiting patiently for an update and a new video. Put some stacks on that beautiful truck.
Correct in my city in Ontario a "Can" lady would come around and ask for your empty pop cans. You had to leave them on the porch as once they hit the curb they belonged to the contracted Trash Hauler. Similar but different in Mike's case BUT will be up to the laws in his state? Crazy but I betcha maybe his sharing of his displeasure to the police officer got him the tickets?
Yes sir I will agree my boss gets a huge payout from scrap, 10 mechanic bays and 8 tire, alignment and more mechanical bays in a second building. It piles up quickly
Adding my $.02, scrapping from bins might be theft if the disposal site separates items to recycle . The landfills in my area have inmates to separate recycling for profit(just like you are doing). If they own the bin you are in and taking from, then you are on their property, even if it's on a public street. In a way, you are taking their profit before they get it. BUT I think for that charge to stick and for law enforcement to even care now, they had to have received a complaint from the landfill that profits are down, keep the scrappers out now. You know what I mean! Don't give in, fight it as sincerely as you explained it to us. What was ok last year, is the crime of the century now. Speaking of the crime of the century, what's this horse shit about not making videos? Make more! Double down on those fucks and make vids of you hauln n selln that stuff. Money from scrap and money from vids, yard gets cleaned, and you close the chapter on the scrapping life of the old days. Make the transition brother, youtube is the future you want anyway. You didn't build nothin in this vid and I watched the shit out of it 😂 keep us coming back for shop clean ups and exploring those piles, share you thoughts on the stuff you see and do. Make and post the vids, we will watch! 👊
Your correct as long as it's not posted no trespassing and the dumpsters aren't locked and not behind a locked gate it's legal to dumpster dive as it's called I've done it my fiance and children help we haven't ever had anything said to us sounds like the officer was on a power trip which unfortunately alot of officers now days are like that
There all bad! When the so called good ones don't stand up to the bad ones they are actually worse! And don't give me the they're just doing their job excuse!
Cops these days are nothing but crime farmers. I have three ex-cops on my street, alone, that all got out because they didn't want to be a part of the syndicate.
Actually, there are good cops who speak up when another officer is doing something wrong. They get fired and blacklisted, or worse. Just look up what happens to police whistleblowers. I don't think police are bad people, or that they have bad intentions. This is just what happens when you give any group of people too much power.
Are you 100% sure everything in these dumpsters is going to landfill? Every dumpster company I know of have a depot and sort their bins before taking loads to landfill. Construction companies may love you making extra room for them but the dumpster company may not enjoy you taking from their side hustle.
If you take this to court, just simply ask them who is the "damaged party" in this case. The "city" cannot be the damaged party. It has to be the property owner that claims trespass or damage. Best wishes Mike.
Sorry to hear about your troubles Mike. I'm all for watching you do some scrapping but I'm thinking it might be a good idea to strap a GoPro to your chest to make sure your butt is ALWAYS covered. Don't let this bring you down. You're a good man and I know you'll find good from this unnecessary situation. Sending positive vibes your way. Cheers from New Brunswick, Canada.
Glad to hear your fighting it, its BS IMO that you have to pay upfront, IDK if thats normal as like you Ive never had any run ins with johnny law, as for the scrap channel, i would DEFINITELY watch! THANK YOU FOR EVERY THING YOU DO!
Two things to consider. 1) A site need not be posted IF there is a trespass order in place. Generally, though, such an order has a copy presented to the person banned from entry and another filed with the jurisdiction. 2) A way around the possibility of being accused of theft or trespassing would be to sit down on your computer and draw up a document for signature of site superintendents granting you express permission to enter their site and remove scrap material. Just be sure to keep a copy of each in your truck in case you are confronted and a second copy to the site super for his files in case he is asked. It's an added expense for paper and toner/ink cartridge but, in the long-run, it could be cheap insurance.
Ha! Interesting story! We have a county transfer station. Years ago I asked the ladies who work it, if I could occasionally look in the scrap metal bin for things like bikes or small engines. They were totally ok with it. Then, one day, a new worker just came out and started screaming at me and told me I was stealing their dump material. I tried to explain that other employees said I could. I dunno… it’s a stupid world when people start freaking out over trash….
I had a worker at the dump get all bent out of shape for grabbing some empty five gallon buckets. And the new rule at the dump--you have to wear a hard hat and safety vest when unloading.
Fight it man. Don’t admit to anything criminal. You don’t have a record and don’t need one. You’re a good guy and don’t let anyone say you’re not. Especially without a record I’m sure you can beat it. Good luck man
Look bro, so I'm two days late on this. Let me tell you I work for a trash company here in Southwest Missouri. Now I don't know the laws in Oklahoma or the city ordinances of Norman Oklahoma. Where I live the laws are clear that if it is in the trash it is fair game. Whether it is a residential poly cart or a dumpster or roll off container. If it is the same where you are then the law should be on your side. Check city ordinances bro. They could differ. Love your channel.
Dumpster diving is technically legal in all 50 states. In 1988, the Supreme Court ruled in State of California v. Greenwood that searching trash is legal as long as it does not conflict with any city, county, or state ordinances.
I love scrapping, Ive supported myself for years on scrapping alone! Somedays You hit big jackpots somedays not so much but if your not affraid of work you can make good money! Its incredabile The things that people throw away! Its hard to resist those dumpster score! I leave it better than i find it also!
You can only be trespassed by the homeowner or business owner of that particular property, police officers can not trespass you or even solicit the property owner to trespass you. Some officers here in OK take their "authority" to far and actually break the law themselves. Consult with an attorney if you have time butdo whatever you can to fight the fines/crime. Hang in there 🙂👍
Garbage and refuse is generally considered public domain Witness police searching trash without a warrant. Especially if the dumpster is on public property as you described. And yes , I am a lawyer, although not from Oklahoma. Ask the court if you can be permitted to plead not guilty without posting the amount of the fines. If a lawyer pleads for you, I'm sure you won't need to post the fines. Of course, the lawyer will be expensive. I wish I were there to help!
Plead not guilty for sure...do not pay them yet and definitely plead non-guilty. My guess is that worst case, you'll get a reduction in the fines. If you want to get creative, see if you could convince whomever ordered the dumpster to sign a letter stating that he authorizes you to take what you want from it. That would be a great one to present to the judge/magistrate.
Hope you the best with this situation. Get a public defender. My dad did something very similar and told the cop to talk to the owners of the business he was at and the owners had his back that the police officer left him only. Good luck
Been gone awhile but man, that truck in the orange/white! Reminds me of the one from Twilight. I never got the "stealing" from the TRASH. I worked at McDs WAAAY back in the day and one kid grabbed a Double Quarter out of the trash after it was made wrong and tossed.. The manager yelled at him for "stealing". His response was classic. Still eating it, he yelled back "it's still STEAMING!" lol Good luck to you Beard.
Do not, under any circumstances, plead guilty to any of this. Take it to court and let the office answer for his actions.
All 6 of them lol
Yes plead not guilty to it all. The officer may not show up to court after how he acted and how he didn't cite you at the time. You need to question him on that.@@weirdbeard8898
Good luck, man. I have been to Norman, OK. We also visited Lake Thunderbird. I was 10 years old when we were there in 1978.
You need to get a lawyer to represent you and get those fines dismissed and that cop reprimanded. Getting fines dismissed will pay for lawyer ( or most of it)
@weirdbeard8898 take it to court if he doesn't show up it gets kicked.
I think my first move would be to go to the company who was using that dumpster and ask them if there was anything wrong with what you were doing as far as they were concerned and if they said they welcome it because of like what you said, have them sign a paper to that effect and take it to the court
Agree with this 1000%.
I concur also.
That will have zero effect on the courts, they don't care
@user-kk4xg7fb7h I disagree. It's permission.
Although I don't regard what this gentleman has done as theft, or as being in any way a crime, there is precedent.
If I steal an item, and the owner then tells the cops they'd like me to have it, the crime is erased.
I also am concerned at this judgement, if he goes to court and the court rules against him, will set a bad precedent.
Recycling is an imperative on our fragile planet, and anything that we can do to reuse energy and mineral rich materials is necessary and noble in itself.
Landfill is an environmental abomination.
Won't be admissible. Just get the name of the person giving you permission and subpoena them to testify in court or at deposition.
Do not go down to court and pay anything on this without a public defender who knows the law!!!
No public defender. Get the advice of an experienced mouthpiece.
this is not a criminal matter, it is a civil matter which means he pays a fine. Civil matters are handled differently than criminal. He doesn't get a public defender. He needs a lawyer.
A police officer wrote the citations so it is indeed a criminal case! A speeding ticket is a criminal offence. I agree he needs a lawyer but he said he's broke lawyers have to be paid! @@Dave-ty2qp
Isn't it Norman OK that's giving Travis Heinz crap also?
I know you work very hard for everything you have and for them to find you for just trying to make a living in a little extra cash around Christmas is really really silly like you said and if you were to start the weird beard scrapping channel I would definitely watch that I think you do amazing work you do honest work and I love your content
Cheer up, you are not alone. There are thousands of us who appreciate you
The Supreme Court ruled if it's in a dumpster, trash pile or trash can it belongs to whoever takes it home.
The police search through trash regularly while searching for evidence in a case; once trash is put out in a public area (not in a garage, behind a gate, etc.) it becomes fair game. Federal law enforcement has used this tactic for years while trying to break up organized crime groups (as an example).
Get a public defender before you do ANYTHING else!
Great channel, great content, and I amongst the thousands of subscribers will be here anxiously awaiting your next post.
Not entirely true. th-cam.com/video/2FnqdQCHUDI/w-d-xo.htmlsi=S18vgCfrNSDSJhBd
@@corona22707 WRONG! ANYTHING YOU THROW IN THE GARBAGE IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! PERIOD! MY GOD LEARN THE LAW BEFORE YOU SPEAK ON SOMETHING YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!
@@corona22707 You obviously did not watch or comprehend the video. Try again and listen this time. 🙄
Nazi cops are a problem everywhere!
DONT PAY ANYTHING! Demand a formal complaint, this creates more paperwork for them and a lot of times they never follow through and you get off the hook! It's worth a shot.
Keep up cycling and scraping, it's NOT a crime and it just better for everyone!
Please please, for me, you, and all the other curb shoppers here in the greater OKC area, take this to court and fight it. If you don’t win, sue. This could be setting a negative precedent for the rest of the officers in this area if they get away with it. If you need legal help I have a couple law firms I could recommend but you might get further if you reach out to an organization like Institute For Justice.
From a legal point of view this is a very grey area. Technically you cannot remove any item that does not belong to you without the owners permission (regardless of if it is in a dumpster or on the street). That is the law. So unless you can get the owners permission regarding the items you were caught removing, then in the eyes of the law ...you stole them. It doesn't matter if you think they are rubbish...unless you get the owners permission to take them it is considered theft. Sorry but that is the legal definition we are bound by in court.
You should fight this Mike, file a motion to dismiss
Got a court date for February
@@weirdbeard8898Be sure to FOIA request the body cam and vehicle cam. This can be very helpful. Helped me out of a jam for sure.
@@weirdbeard8898 Too bad you didn't think to make a video recording, as the cop pulled in.
Right now I would call the local media, radio, tv - this is a political issue, really - 'are we hitting on recycling?'.
I once moved a bunch of long metal bars from the road, back when I drove a cab, night shift. Some drunks had placed them across the street! The next day an officer called me asking 'were you stealing last night?'. I filled him in and the 'case' disappeared..
100% support
The Völve
A motion to dismiss wouldn't be appropriate. It would be a motion for summary judgment after the prosecution puts on their evidence.
@@weirdbeard8898good
Aw man, this is heartbreaking. I hope you can resolve this and fight it without paying those fines. You're a good, honest, hard working man and this isn't right. Hopefully a judge can see you were doing no wrong and throw this all out. Best of luck!!
Hopefully it’ll all work out
@@weirdbeard8898hopefully you don't tell the judge off if he says something you disagree with... Do everything in your power not to lose your cool in that courtroom.
If the police can legally get evidence against somebody in their trash, then you can also take what you want from the trash I believe the Supreme Court has ruled on this.
They did in fact
They can get anything out if your garbage for evidence! Period!
@@weirdbeard8898 they can get everything and anything you throw in the garbage!
Exactly. Once it is thrown in the dumpster it is fair game according to the Supreme Court.@@George-dy3pt
They can not lawfully take anything out of the trash until the container is moved to a public right-of-way or outside the curtilage of the property. A trash container next to a house or in a driveway is no different than what’s inside the house and would require permission or a warrant to retrieve it.
Go get pictures of that location before they contact the property owners and put up no trespassing signs. Happened to me. Cover your backside my friend.
Good tips
There is an attorney on TH-cam called civil rights attorney. I think he is from Virginia but he often will hook people up with legal help. Your rights were definitely violated. Please don't just leave this go.
You referring to Jay Leto?
@@jorgeb9715jay Leto is the singer/actor from 30 seconds to Mars. Steve lehto is the “lemon lawyer” from Michigan. The civil right attorney is different person altogether.
Get your facts right....Jared Leto is the singer/actor.
@@victor58010 jay is short for Jared
Get one of the local TV Stations to show your case.
That doesn't sound right to have to pay a fine before you are found guilty
They call it bail. It is common.
@@mexicanspec That's not what bail is. What's happening here is stacking - he got tickets for what the officer is claiming are civil violations, and is being charged with what the county district attorney claims are criminal violations, all stemming from the same incident. If found guilty in a trial, he could receive additional fines as part of the sentence, but the tickets and the criminal charges are technically two separate matters.
Bail is entirely a different matter, its intended as collateral to ensure that someone charged with a crime shows up in court, its held in an escrow account and returned to whoever paid it at the end of the trial, regardless of the outcome of the trial itself
That is semantics. They are charging him money so he shows up in court to fight the tickets. it is the same end result. Mike said this is a criminal matter.@@11sfr
@@mexicanspec just be quiet you don't even have a clue what you're talking about at ALL!
If you pay the fine, you ARE saying you are guilty.
Mike, I’m going to say this as a friend… you have to keep the temper in check. It has gotten you in trouble before, and you usually see it after the Red tint fades away…. Even when you’re 100% right sometimes the juice is not worth the squeeze… my old boss used to tell me “water off a ducks back”… deep breaths.. you got this ! Nothing but love for all you do, and scraping is awesome would love to see more !!
Mike, brother...we are ALL here for you. Through thick and thin man. We ALL have your back. We know you did nothing wrong, and i can promise you i would have snapped too if anyone including an officer called me a thief. I have no history either. But i dont stand for people talking shit to me and belittling me. And i dont stand for it to happen to others that i care about. Love and prayers from my family to you and yours.
Hope everything works out for you. You seem to be a upstanding young man.
Thank you
Retired police officer in Texas just read the Oklahoma trespass law and from what I understood it has to be posted if there was a sign then there is a violation
Nevermind as of November 1st 2021 Oklahoma revised its trespass law saying signage is not needed to be in violation of
Mike, I'd certainly talk to an attorney or two. They will probably give you a free consultation to go over your case and options. Certainly worth it IMO. Good luck man!
Ya they always pick on innocent people and leave the crocks keep steeling craigger ps get some free legal advice.🤜👍
Thanks!
Thanks for that. Very nice of you.
Mike go to the ones who rented the dumpster and get a letter giving you permission to get scrap from there dumpster and take it to court with you, it's not trespassing if you have permission👍👍
I’ve spent a lot of time digging I’m dumpsters and made sure to teach my boys that there is no shame in picking up things that other people throw away. I have found serious treasure through the years
Fight it Bro! The cop may not even show up for a court-date.
Though not in your judicial circuit, South Carolina has a case (State v. Tindall) that prohibits any enforcement action after being released by law enforcement. In this case, the officer sent you on your way, then sent you tickets. It's considered a 4th Amendment violation. Most judicial circuits will honor, or at least consider, the precedence set by other court jurisdictions. You may be able to use that as a pretrial motion to dismiss. Also, look up the exact laws that are on the tickets and research the elements of those crimes to see which elements you did/did not violate. If not all elements of those laws were violated, then again, you can motion to dismiss. If nothing else, request a jury trial and plead your case. Most cases in which jury trials are requested end up getting dismissed due to the officers not wanting to bother with them and the court docket backlog. Do NOT pay those tickets.
Go to the company that owned the dumpster, and see if they think you are harming them by taking junk from their dumpster? See if they will give you permission to take things.
My grandad scrapped for years after he retired. It is amazing the things people will throw away because they don't want to deal with it. If it was too big for him to throw on the truck he would call me and buy me breakfast. I enjoyed my Saturday mornings with him driving around town grabbing what he called free money. Enjoy the channel WB!
I wasn't aware of your capability to get angry. 😮 you're always so even tempered. This too shall pass. We're all behind you. At least 99.9997% of us. Best wishes, we miss you. 🤗
I’m from Chickasha, Oklahoma. Glad to see another okie! I was always told, once they throw it in the trash, they no longer want it and it’s free game. Hints the phrase, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure… I had a friend that drove a trash truck. He would see things in the dumpster and he would keep it. Pretty much doing the exact same thing
No victim, no crime! Plea not guilty! Period! It’s their job to prove you guilty of a crime! Most judges will see this as an ego scenario
I really hope you keep us updated on how all of that goes on. Good luck! Been in your shoes and I know it can drive someone like me and you insane. I had cops calling me a car thief and a scoundrel when I was younger. The biggest "crime" I committed was me stealing a dry half eaten piece of bread when I was six years old.
I'm pretty sure it's illegal for them to write you a ticket after you were "released from the scene" of the not crime. I feel your pain. 2 years agio I was hauling junk cars to the crusher 20 miles away. I made 100 trips before the policy police OCC Officer shut me down. I waited a week, changed pickups and hauled 30 more loads.
I thought so too
I’d fight t too ! The one thing you can’t do is argue back at the officer. Your not gonna win ! Be sure and ask the judge about the guy writing you up after you left the scene. Whatever you do don’t fuss at the judge he can hold you in comtempt and lock your but up. Good luck !11
I'm in law enforcement in Oregon, and here, we can take up to 30 days to issue a citation. May not work that way in OK though?
I believe you have to sign off on the tickets but that is crazy.. never hard of something like this. After the fact🤔
@@darrylowens9298 you're nothing but a bootlicker!
We do this here in Illinois. Dumpster dive, trash pick, drive around on city clean ups, auction hauls etc. Laws clearly say as soon as its set on the curb its public domain. Soon as it hits the dumpster its public domain as long as there are no no trespassing signs anything considered as trash is public domain. However there are dumpsters labeled metal. I was told the ones labeled metal are usually recycling companies. Dont know for sure if you can pull things out of those but to be on the safe side i never have. These same laws apply in most states and theres even a bunch of youtube channels that are all about scraping and trash picking. Ive been told to leave a couple of times, never had the police involved. I dont see any reason why you should have to go to court or pay fines unless you pulled metal from a recycling dumpster.
Fight it. Not sure about your area, but in my area, once the stuff hits the trash and is waiting for disposal it becomes public property. In some areas the roll offs are off limits due to insurance issues (Can't get into it to retrieve anything). So call the roll off companies and see if there are any regulations with it.
That is terrible I will say I appreciate you do clean up after looking through a bin Where I work there is recycle and garbage bins and I dont mind really if someone gats a box oe cans or whatver It is annoying though to arrive and there is a mess that they left
Prayers for you and your family! This is a shame. As you said there is always one!
I scrape all over in Wisconsin and never had a problem and including my truck parts we will keep you in our prayers brother
I’ll definitely be callin this department tomorrow an telling them off ! We gotta stand up when cops do wrong like this if not then nothing ever changes
I do the same thing you do! People throw away the nicest stuff! I have about 5 pressure washers! People don't bleed out the water in the winter and the pumps freeze and bust which makes the motor seem to be stuck. Take the pump off and the motor runs perfect! Just needs a new pump!
Try to get permission from the construction company in writing if indeed you talked to them prior.
I'd go with this plan.
good comment (it does offset the rising cost of living)although i dont scrap i personally like when people go through my dumpster at work and get anything out that can be used,better than a landfill.
WB, don’t stop what your doing. It always seems that when your doing right that people want to mess with you!….You have a really good channel don’t stop!👍🏿🤷🏿♂️😂
Boy I narrowly missed a big mess by taking from the dump here in NC! I seen ppl take stuff left and right but I guess I wasn’t in the chosen few and got hit with 8 misdemeanors and a felony. Luckily I just ended up with fines.
But if you happened to get a cut or pinched finger at the dump you could have demanded to go to the hospital, get a lawyer, and claim that the dump/town didn't protect you from getting hurt and now you want $500,000 for pain and suffering. Could have hit the lottery bro.
@@GeorgeKennedy-u4r nah, it was just a life lesson.
I would fight it first. You need to get yourself a good lawyer. Most lawyers will work on comversion, and if you're fighting it. And you've got a lawyer you won't have to pay anything up front
I managed to get a court date for February
My mom works at a university in the grounds department. Many times she has called me and said, you won't believe what they are throwing away. college campus dumpsters are a really hot ticket for anyone looking to get into the game. Good stuff is everywhere if you just look.
What the heck Mike? Man I think I would ask a lawyer if this can happen! Hang in there brother!!
Hey Tecumseh, Oklahoma here!! Howdy nieghbor! That sucks man i do the same thing in the Shawnee, Tecumseh area!! Never have i heard a cop doin something like this! Your right there is always that one guy!! I just built a 62 on a 14 chassis! I like your channel man! Keep on Keepin on brother it will all work out in the end!
According to Oklahoma law, the state has no restrictions on dumpster diving. In fact, you can even break into a business with an open dumpster right outside its door-as long as you're not trespassing. Although dumpster diving in Oklahoma is legal , it's essential to be aware of some restrictions.
I seen this too but the police are charging me with unlawful removal of property from a transport container. It was in fact a dumpster
@@weirdbeard8898 Take photos of the dumpster & the lack of ''No Trespassing'' signs.
I have worked for private security at construction sites and the biggest issue we had with prowlers is the illegal dumpers. People who use construction sites to dump their garbage.
That sucks bro I believe the owner or renter of the trash container would have to press charges against you, I would push for trial. Even if you can't beat the charge they usually offer a plea agreement with lower fine fee's and possibly no mark on your criminal record
Check if the police officer was wearing a body camera that recorded the incident. If you can get video footage of the event, it might help you prove that the officer escalated the event. Fight it!
Mustie 1 scores all kinds of free stuff all of the time.
You're working hard keep at it. People don't realize how much is wasted in remodeling and new construction. Ever wonder how some contractors have such nice homes. They get paid well and leftover materials.
I always get prior permission because I don't want to have that "one guy" to misunderstand my motives. Good luck, Mike.
Absolutely!!
I am so sorry that you are going through this. It is not right.
I find it that it's such a coincidence, all over the country we see people getting tickets left and right as soon as the Christmas months approach makes you wonder if they have some sort of quota
You can't get your ticket mailed in in the mail if you did not leave the scene
I would try to get lawyer involved
I am with you WB. Somethings just don't make any sense. You always get that one person with authority that gets ticked off and they throw the book at you. I call BS. I think scrapping is legitimate when done properly and has a good impact on the environment. It is fun and things do not go to waste.
The world is our oyster 😂 ive always wanted to say that 😂
I agree
I would fight em pal. That cop isn't gonna want his time wasted having to go to court. Like a wise man once told me, When you are in the right you are right. Don't let them make you feel like you did anything wrong. Take it to trial if need be. It won't get any higher than what you are already being coerced onto paying. The Dirty cop has an ego. The worst type of police. Cheers
As a police man here in Iraq I support you 100 % you are a real man
Sorry to hear this Mike, not sure what the laws are being in the UK. But it definitely sounds like the officer has let his ego get the better of him! Maybe getting a local news channel or media etc involved, might force them to reconsider?
Unless the was a complaint called in on you this officer overreached his authority! If this dumpster was on private property he has no authority to cite you for any offense! It’s no different than the police using the trash you throw out against you in a criminal investigation!
Keep doing what you do.
Thanks will do
So sorry this happened to you. We love your videos. And am looking forward to mire of them. Whether it's car flipping, auto restoration, collision repair or scratch dent; It's all great content. I also watch a lot of dumpster diving videos as well. Dumspter Diving Momma of 2, Curbside Junkies, Grab it Fast, Fortune Finders, Volt Diving and Repurposful among others. You all are saving items from the land fill, repurposing them, helping others, and earning an honest living. Don't stop scrapping! If it's trash it's fair game! And if you started a metal scrapping channel I'd watch it as well! Try to obtain legal counsel and fight those tickets! Just don't Willy Nilly give the court system $832! Best of luck to you! And 🤗hugs from Georgia.
man people here in Houston Texas make a damn good living doing nothing but scrapping and the TH-cam content they post. make a channel I'll sub to it and watch it.
Thanks for the support
Better yet man, just start putting up some scrapping videos on this main channel. You've got the following here and the people that like that will watch and people that just want the car stuff can ignore it till it's a car video. At least that way you can get a feel for how the videos do from your audience. I'll definitely watch them.
I do know that in some provinces in Canada, the garbage in any can or dumpster technically belongs to the owner of the bins. Not sure if that may be the case there. But from Newfoundland Canada, I say you should fight this tooth and nail. You are not in the wrong. You have my support. Take care sir, and will be waiting patiently for an update and a new video. Put some stacks on that beautiful truck.
Correct in my city in Ontario a "Can" lady would come around and ask for your empty pop cans. You had to leave them on the porch as once they hit the curb they belonged to the contracted Trash Hauler. Similar but different in Mike's case BUT will be up to the laws in his state? Crazy but I betcha maybe his sharing of his displeasure to the police officer got him the tickets?
It's B.S. - We know your character!
Mailing the ticket is weak, start a legal gofundme and I will contribute to your defense...!
Let's do it......!
Thanks brother
Keep your head up bro don't let anyone bring you down..you got this keep doing what makes you happy..
Sorry to hear this, I hope you come out on top and wish you the best.
Yes sir I will agree my boss gets a huge payout from scrap, 10 mechanic bays and 8 tire, alignment and more mechanical bays in a second building. It piles up quickly
You need to fight this and counter-sue. Prosector will drop this like a hot potato and maybe settle with your counter suit.
Weird Beard (Mike), any content you put out would be fine with me, you're a honest self made hard working man. Keep up the great work you do.
Adding my $.02, scrapping from bins might be theft if the disposal site separates items to recycle . The landfills in my area have inmates to separate recycling for profit(just like you are doing). If they own the bin you are in and taking from, then you are on their property, even if it's on a public street. In a way, you are taking their profit before they get it. BUT I think for that charge to stick and for law enforcement to even care now, they had to have received a complaint from the landfill that profits are down, keep the scrappers out now. You know what I mean! Don't give in, fight it as sincerely as you explained it to us. What was ok last year, is the crime of the century now.
Speaking of the crime of the century, what's this horse shit about not making videos? Make more! Double down on those fucks and make vids of you hauln n selln that stuff. Money from scrap and money from vids, yard gets cleaned, and you close the chapter on the scrapping life of the old days. Make the transition brother, youtube is the future you want anyway. You didn't build nothin in this vid and I watched the shit out of it 😂 keep us coming back for shop clean ups and exploring those piles, share you thoughts on the stuff you see and do. Make and post the vids, we will watch! 👊
You’re too kind
It's it's a good living scrapping that's what I do. I'm sorry that happened to you, bro that sucks
Are you still in the car business you have not flipped any lately
Your correct as long as it's not posted no trespassing and the dumpsters aren't locked and not behind a locked gate it's legal to dumpster dive as it's called I've done it my fiance and children help we haven't ever had anything said to us sounds like the officer was on a power trip which unfortunately alot of officers now days are like that
Problem is there’s more than one bad cop out there.
There all bad! When the so called good ones don't stand up to the bad ones they are actually worse! And don't give me the they're just doing their job excuse!
Epstein didn't kill himself!
Cops these days are nothing but crime farmers. I have three ex-cops on my street, alone, that all got out because they didn't want to be a part of the syndicate.
Actually, there are good cops who speak up when another officer is doing something wrong. They get fired and blacklisted, or worse. Just look up what happens to police whistleblowers.
I don't think police are bad people, or that they have bad intentions. This is just what happens when you give any group of people too much power.
Are you 100% sure everything in these dumpsters is going to landfill? Every dumpster company I know of have a depot and sort their bins before taking loads to landfill. Construction companies may love you making extra room for them but the dumpster company may not enjoy you taking from their side hustle.
If you take this to court, just simply ask them who is the "damaged party" in this case. The "city" cannot be the damaged party. It has to be the property owner that claims trespass or damage. Best wishes Mike.
Sorry to hear about your troubles Mike. I'm all for watching you do some scrapping but I'm thinking it might be a good idea to strap a GoPro to your chest to make sure your butt is ALWAYS covered. Don't let this bring you down. You're a good man and I know you'll find good from this unnecessary situation. Sending positive vibes your way.
Cheers from New Brunswick, Canada.
This makes me so mad! Silliness!! Ridiculousness!! I’ve been looking forward to your next video. We gotta get your subscriptions up too!
Thanks for the support Jeanie
Sorry to hear that happened to you. I hope you are able to successfully fight this.
Glad to hear your fighting it, its BS IMO that you have to pay upfront, IDK if thats normal as like you Ive never had any run ins with johnny law, as for the scrap channel, i would DEFINITELY watch! THANK YOU FOR EVERY THING YOU DO!
Thanks bro
@weirdbeard8898 absolutely!
Two things to consider. 1) A site need not be posted IF there is a trespass order in place. Generally, though, such an order has a copy presented to the person banned from entry and another filed with the jurisdiction. 2) A way around the possibility of being accused of theft or trespassing would be to sit down on your computer and draw up a document for signature of site superintendents granting you express permission to enter their site and remove scrap material. Just be sure to keep a copy of each in your truck in case you are confronted and a second copy to the site super for his files in case he is asked. It's an added expense for paper and toner/ink cartridge but, in the long-run, it could be cheap insurance.
It’s a great big club,
And
We ain’t in it 🤷🏿♂️🤔
So true
Cops cancelled Christmas... shocker.
Ha! Interesting story! We have a county transfer station. Years ago I asked the ladies who work it, if I could occasionally look in the scrap metal bin for things like bikes or small engines. They were totally ok with it. Then, one day, a new worker just came out and started screaming at me and told me I was stealing their dump material. I tried to explain that other employees said I could. I dunno… it’s a stupid world when people start freaking out over trash….
I had a worker at the dump get all bent out of shape for grabbing some empty five gallon buckets. And the new rule at the dump--you have to wear a hard hat and safety vest when unloading.
Fight it man. Don’t admit to anything criminal. You don’t have a record and don’t need one. You’re a good guy and don’t let anyone say you’re not. Especially without a record I’m sure you can beat it. Good luck man
This is America!!! Never Quit!! I'm with YOU!!!
Look bro, so I'm two days late on this. Let me tell you I work for a trash company here in Southwest Missouri. Now I don't know the laws in Oklahoma or the city ordinances of Norman Oklahoma. Where I live the laws are clear that if it is in the trash it is fair game. Whether it is a residential poly cart or a dumpster or roll off container. If it is the same where you are then the law should be on your side. Check city ordinances bro. They could differ. Love your channel.
Dumpster diving is technically legal in all 50 states. In 1988, the Supreme Court ruled in State of California v. Greenwood that searching trash is legal as long as it does not conflict with any city, county, or state ordinances.
Sorry to hear about that. Some people just have too much time on their hands. I do hope you get to fight it.
I love scrapping, Ive supported myself for years on scrapping alone! Somedays You hit big jackpots somedays not so much but if your not affraid of work you can make good money! Its incredabile The things that people throw away! Its hard to resist those dumpster score! I leave it better than i find it also!
Your property with scrap strewn everywhere is why Tornadoes are attracted to Oklahoma 😂 they love to pick that stuff up and taste it.
You can only be trespassed by the homeowner or business owner of that particular property, police officers can not trespass you or even solicit the property owner to trespass you. Some officers here in OK take their "authority" to far and actually break the law themselves. Consult with an attorney if you have time butdo whatever you can to fight the fines/crime. Hang in there 🙂👍
Garbage and refuse is generally considered public domain
Witness police searching trash without a warrant. Especially if the dumpster is on public property as you described. And yes , I am a lawyer, although not from Oklahoma. Ask the court if you can be permitted to plead not guilty without posting the amount of the fines. If a lawyer pleads for you, I'm sure you won't need to post the fines. Of course, the lawyer will be expensive. I wish I were there to help!
Plead not guilty for sure...do not pay them yet and definitely plead non-guilty. My guess is that worst case, you'll get a reduction in the fines. If you want to get creative, see if you could convince whomever ordered the dumpster to sign a letter stating that he authorizes you to take what you want from it. That would be a great one to present to the judge/magistrate.
You should definitely start a scrapping channel. I watch them all the time. Mike the scavenger is a awesome channel.
His channel is the one that inspired me to kick it up a notch.
Hope you the best with this situation. Get a public defender. My dad did something very similar and told the cop to talk to the owners of the business he was at and the owners had his back that the police officer left him only. Good luck
We recently got ten ppg hurricane windows that were being thrown away. Big money
Been gone awhile but man, that truck in the orange/white! Reminds me of the one from Twilight.
I never got the "stealing" from the TRASH. I worked at McDs WAAAY back in the day and one kid grabbed a Double Quarter out of the trash after it was made wrong and tossed.. The manager yelled at him for "stealing".
His response was classic. Still eating it, he yelled back "it's still STEAMING!" lol Good luck to you Beard.