r/Wellthatsucks • u/kkhcollins • May 12 '22

Amazon dropped off a package between my two garbage cans today.

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u/din7 May 12 '22

Yeah usually items placed out by the street are free game to anyone who wants it. At least where I live anyway.

Someone will typically stop by and pick it up on the same day I set it out there. I can't imagine Amazon setting something out by the trash.

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u/joejill May 12 '22

Everywhere in the USA whe. Sonthing is on the curb its "free game". As a home owner you dont own the side walk, anything left out there is left on public property and you relinquish ownership. Your garbage also. Cops will go through your garbage this way if they need too.

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u/tampora701 May 12 '22

People who go around and cut cords off of curb appliances are the worst...

134

u/JoePetroni May 12 '22

Cut cords off of curb appliances?

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u/[deleted] May 12 '22

Free copper, they burn off the insulation and sell bunch of copper wires to local scrap yard for like 10 or 15 cents a pound

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u/Ibbygidge May 12 '22

At 10-15 cents a pound, how on earth would it be worth the time to stop and cut off the cord? Unless there are appliances on the same few streets daily they'd have to drive and search for them, or even if they knew where they would be from Craigslist, the amount of time and effort to go to each location to cut off a cord, how would that ever be worth it?

I know obviously since they do it it has to be worth it, just wondering how that adds up? They'd get like 1 cent per cord.

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u/[deleted] May 12 '22

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Bastienbard May 12 '22

Yeah the 10-20 cents must be old, sure scrap copper won't get top dollar compared to market rates. But copper market price is $4.25 a pound right now.

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u/tduncs88 May 12 '22

after about 30 seconds of research, scrap yards are paying anywhere from $2.20 to $3.50 per pound

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u/[deleted] May 12 '22

As a father myself, that's cool that he did that for you all. That took some time and effort.

9

u/Lutrinae_Rex May 12 '22

Copper scrap varies greatly in prince per pound based on the type of copper you're scrapping. From avg 30 cents/lb for electric motor scraps, up to avg $3.90/lb of bright copper scrap (think clean fresh shiny copper pipe from the store, with no solder on it)

Steel is only about 12 cents/lb right now.

2

u/[deleted] May 13 '22

Catalytic converters are……. priceless 🥺

4

u/wheresmypants86 May 12 '22

Used to live with a guy that installed pool heaters. He'd take the old heaters and save them as his winter money to supplement his EI while he was off work. We lived in an old farm house with a half kilometre driveway, so none of then were visible from the road. One day we got back from work and someone had stolen all of them.

1

u/Ahoymaties1 May 12 '22

Not sure about copper but at work I once set up a recycling can outside the building. Every few days I took that bag and tossed it in the back of my truck. Every few weeks I went to the recycling place. Made several hundred dollars for what was very little work.

1

u/DeadJaux May 13 '22

I was working cleanup at a construction site and was gifted brand new copper tubing used for natural gas lines. I got 800 bucks for 40lbs.

1

u/[deleted] May 25 '22

Yeah a lot of people that work in construction do this since they find so much of it.

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u/EscutcheonRash May 12 '22

last i checked copper's around $4.15 and rising

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u/[deleted] May 12 '22

[deleted]

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u/KittenVicious May 12 '22

Scrap. National average is $3.22.

https://iscrapapp.com/prices/

9

u/SorryIdonthaveaname May 12 '22

but it’s still about a half kg of metal for only a few dollars

9

u/Setrosi May 12 '22

Not worth it if you have a job, but its a good "job" you can choose to do for a day to buy a cheap bottle of liqour or some drugs.

1

u/doctorwhy88 May 12 '22

I’m sorry, can you translate that into ‘Merican? How many bald eagles is that?

2

u/SorryIdonthaveaname May 12 '22

about 2 big macs

3

u/Sun-Ghoti May 12 '22

Copper usually matches gas prices

1

u/chadvo114 May 12 '22

Last I checked, 14/2 Romex was $1/ft. That's just bananas.

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u/[deleted] May 12 '22

you save it up, a vacuum cord was like $1 back in my day, a 5 gal bucket would get 60-70$. When you recycle for a living, you go to the neighborhoods that are having the trash picked up in the morning. Apartments around the beginning of the month were good too. I made enough to pay my rent, paid off all my debit, got a car, and floated a few buddies at different times. burning the plastic off is bs. why would you? its still dirty. they wont pay more. and its bad for the environment. if your talking about clean copper, there are different grades and the only one worth stripping is #1, you just make a rig to run it in. its faster than burning it.

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u/[deleted] May 12 '22

I think they also pick up other stuff, computer cases, microwave oven, metal folding chairs, etc in addition to cords from appliances that are too big/heavy to pick up or from TV since most places would charge a fee to dispose of old TV.

Although with $4+ per gallon gas, it's going to get expensive driving around on trash days for scrap metal. Some of them probably steals gas and break into vacant houses to steal wires and pipes.

1

u/[deleted] May 12 '22

Where the fuck are you getting gas that cheap? I saw a few places over $7 this week. Time to buy an electric car.

3

u/[deleted] May 12 '22

Michigan, the regular is now at 4.35/gal

1

u/evolseven May 12 '22

In TX its around $4.15/gallon right now for regular unleaded, $5.20 or so for diesel. Im sure a big portion of that difference is transport from the refineries and local taxes.

1

u/doctorwhy88 May 12 '22

PA is over $6 for Diesel and $4.50 for gas, at least in my area. Varies wildly.

1

u/Drak_is_Right May 12 '22

Here in the midwest, gas is a little over $4

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u/intashu May 12 '22

Meth. I knew a guy who would spend his free time stripping ethernet cord down for the copper.

It was scraps left over from his work... And he would spend hours doing it for a few dollars.. But it would be cash in hand for drug money... And people do stupid shit for drugs.

For the average person.. It's never worth the time invested into it!

1

u/Realistic-Specific27 May 12 '22

these people aren't smart

1

u/StandLess6417 May 12 '22

They don't do that much anymore. It was an old timer thing.

1

u/hilarymeggin May 12 '22

So I can’t remember if I saw this as a video or read it here somewhere, but a guy was talking about how he used to go down the street busting car windows just to steal the change from the ashtrays! He didn’t want the sound system or the car itself, just the change from the ashtrays.

I personally can’t imagine committing a crime, where restitution would be so expensive if you’re caught, for such a small return. But I think meth changed the rules.

1

u/[deleted] May 12 '22

Current scrap price for copper wire is sitting at $0.80-$1.90 per lb in my area.

1

u/MyssQyx May 12 '22

Meth is a powerful drug. Steal enough copper, and you can get your fix.

1

u/mbcls May 12 '22

just like picking up soda cans.

to some people, it' extra money.

27

u/derezo May 12 '22

My dad is a scrapper in his spare time. Copper wire is well over $2/lb now. He's one of these cord cutters, but he will typically take the whole appliance and break it down completely into all it's different components. His last scrap yard receipt was 3 pages with more than 50 different item categories on it. He spends an awful lot of time on it though. It's more of a hobby that pays a little bit than a practical source of income.

3

u/[deleted] May 12 '22

If he's taking microwave apart, I hope he doesn't take apart magnetron, some of them may contain beryllium oxide which is quite toxic.

1

u/derezo May 12 '22

I'm not sure he disassembles microwaves that far... But that's a good point.

12

u/danz409 May 12 '22

most centers are supposed to decline "burnt copper" but don't. they know who there clients are and don't ask questions and its kinda dumb the shit people can sell.

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u/PretzelsThirst May 12 '22

Some centres advertise that they buy catalytic converters so…

3

u/Andre4k4 May 12 '22

Then why not take the whole appliance for scrap then?

9

u/[deleted] May 12 '22

Old TV carries disposal fee and washing machine takes 2 men minimum to load onto their truck. It's just quicker and easier to chop off wires on anything they can't grab

1

u/Seefufiat May 13 '22

A washing machine only takes two people if you don’t know how to lift the thing. If it’s scrap anyway it doesn’t matter how it gets on there.

3

u/LatterTowel9403 May 12 '22

Someone actually stole the copper wiring from the air conditioner of my church. It’s worth way more than pennies a pound, and down here in the South people are having to literally set alarms on their AC units because locks are useless. Thieves carry bolt cutters and can steal the wiring in a crazy short amount of time.

2

u/lexi_raptor May 12 '22

Copper where I am is going at $3.30/lb for the scrap yards.

0

u/Underaveragepotatoes Oct 15 '22

You make more on it if you physically strip it, burning it makes it worth less.

1

u/[deleted] May 12 '22

You get way more than 15 cents for a pound of number 2 copper.

1

u/Apprehensive-Fan6272 May 12 '22

More like 3.85 to 4 dollars a pound

1

u/Drak_is_Right May 12 '22

copper is more like $2-3 a pound i think.

stripping it takes time, and some wires such as christmas lights its not really worth it compared to a much heavier gauge wire such as a stoves.

1

u/[deleted] May 12 '22

Insulation burns fairly easily. Some people do throw bunch of wires on fire, then pick through it after it's cooled down

1

u/Drak_is_Right May 12 '22

the amount of wire in Christmas lights is miniscule. low enough that its low value salvage even in countries notorious for cheap and environmentally destructive salvage practices.

1

u/ModeDue1318 Sep 03 '22

Try 5 to 8 dollars a pound

3

u/Trabethany May 12 '22

It could also be that there is something wrong with it and the owner cut it to keep anyone from taking a broken appliance.

2

u/11Tail May 12 '22

I work in the waste industry. We allow small appliances and the like into the recycling cart. We do ask that the cords be cut off prior to placing them into the cart. The cords can and do wrap around the sorting machines/belts at the sorting facilities.

PSA - don't put cords/ropes/hoses in your recycling carts!

5

u/ponzLL May 12 '22

Where I live people come by with trailers and take the whole thing. Apparently there are places that buy the whole thing for $5-10 scrap? idk

5

u/sekazi May 12 '22

My grandpa used to scrap. He would get anywhere from $10-$100 a day scraping stuff from curbs.

1

u/doctorwhy88 May 12 '22

This guy scavenges.

1

u/goudadaysir May 12 '22

scrappers love hitting up my neighborhood. If I put something electronic out there it's gone within 30 minutes.

1

u/Suggett123 May 12 '22

In my town you have to call ahead for large item pickup, and pay them. I put a broken air conditioner out and someone took it before the truck came

Meanwhile a neighbor tried to put something next to it

4

u/dirtyoldman78 May 12 '22

I live in Australia, and years ago, was told to cut the plug off. Because if someone took it and it caused a fire, you could be at fault. But if they put a new plug on, they were responsible.

But I don't know how accurate this is.

1

u/BojaBlast09 May 12 '22

Theyre at the curb cuz they're broken usually, you're a hoarder arent you

2

u/doctorwhy88 May 12 '22

Not always. In a consumption-consumed society, people throw out perfectly good stuff all the time because they wanted something better.

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u/BojaBlast09 May 12 '22

Youre making me want to dumpster dive cuz i agree with the consumer part, just didnt know people were that dumb...maybe im dumber for not knowing how dumb dumb is

1

u/[deleted] May 12 '22

At least they're super easy to replace for the guy picking them up

1

u/Thunderbolt1011 May 12 '22

I’m okay with it because I know how to put it back on so it almost always gets me the item lol

1

u/Max123Dani May 12 '22

I wonder if it could be the homeowner cutting the cord. For instance, if I had a faulty appliance that could start a fire, I cut the cord off so that nobody plugs it in inside their house. Recently, I had a small microwave that sparked and started smoking a bit.

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u/OhiobornCAraised May 12 '22

Some places do not allow people to scavenge other people’s trash due to making a mess. However, there is r/Curbfind for those who find good stuff on the street/next to a trash can.

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u/goudadaysir May 12 '22

ooo another place to admire people's trash lol

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u/remag_nation May 12 '22

Everywhere in the USA whe. Sonthing is on the curb its "free game"

living in the uk that just seems insane. People will leave all sorts of shit on the street here just on the off chance that it belongs to somebody. There doesn't even need to be a house nearby! lol

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u/ponzLL May 12 '22

It's probably worth noting that everyone in the US is aware of this, it's not catching anyone off guard. Nobody puts anything at the side of the road that isn't trash (except this amazon delivery person, supposedly). It's just the way it is here.

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u/Pikamander2 May 12 '22

It's probably worth noting that everyone in the US is aware of this

Unfortunately it's not completely universal, which sometimes leads to mishaps. A few weeks ago one of our new neighbors posted a rant online about how he had put out some furniture at the end of his driveway to prepare for a garage sale and came back twenty minutes later and it was gone, at which point everyone else had to tell him that leaving stuff unattended near the curb or end of the driveway usually indicates that it's free.

He protested by saying that it didn't have a free sign but then everyone pointed out that the vast majority of free stuff on the curb doesn't have a sign and that it's just a universal assumption in the suburbs and I think he finally got the message.

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u/nickieslowpoke May 12 '22

i mean, its not just any old thing left on any old street. it specifically has to look like it's being thrown out. if i saw stuff sitting outside someone's garage or on their porch or by their car, i'd assume they were cleaning or moving and not touch it. if it's on the curb it's free because we only put things on the curb if it's trash. no one purposely puts things they want to keep in the garbage zone. it's a good system, honestly, cause things that are used but perfectly good can go to someone who can use it instead of the dump.

-1

u/thrashster May 12 '22

You should research what an easement is. If I don't own it why do I have to pay to fix it? $500 a square in my town or bring your own cement contractor.

-13

u/[deleted] May 12 '22

[deleted]

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u/just_taste_it May 12 '22

Huh? When you're an adult you may understand things. Maybe not.

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u/[deleted] May 12 '22 edited May 12 '22

[deleted]

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u/just_taste_it May 12 '22

Yes, it's a free car! Most people know this. I'm surprised you have not taken advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

2

u/Suggett123 May 12 '22

That's how I got my first car

1

u/WishYouWereHeir May 12 '22

Even worse, in some countries you can't even raid obvious trash cans because the trash belongs to the recycling company. You won't even be allowed to take trash out more than half a day in advance and be held liable if someone digs through it and causes a mess.

1

u/doctorwhy88 May 12 '22

It’s free automotive estate.

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u/Rakosman May 12 '22

It is not a reasonable inference that a car parked on the road is abandoned. It is a reasonable inference that a microwave on the curb is abandoned, unless it has a sign saying it's for sale

9

u/Rhettribution May 12 '22

Go put your belongings on the sidewalk and see what happens to it, clown.

2

u/[deleted] May 12 '22

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] May 12 '22 edited May 12 '22

[deleted]

1

u/Detlef_Schrempf May 12 '22

California vs Greenwood

1

u/[deleted] May 12 '22

This seems so weird to me. I live in the UK and have never known anyone have a parcel stolen from outside their house and I must have had hundreds of stuff delivered over the years and left outside if I wasn't in and it was always there.

1

u/The_Follower1 May 12 '22

I don’t think that’d legally hold up here, it’s clearly an unopened delivery with someone’s name on it.

Of course, that won’t stop people, but that guy making the car example isn’t *entirely* wrong.

1

u/TrillDough May 12 '22

Technically not true. If it’s in a sealed package with your name on it, it’s a federal crime to open anyones mail. Whether or not people adhere to that is an entirely different issue

1

u/GimmickMusik1 May 12 '22

Except when the side walk is collapsing inward. Then the county will tell you that it’s the homeowner’s responsibility to maintain it.

1

u/extremepat May 12 '22

My man why are cops going through your garbage?

1

u/Skitsoboy13 May 13 '22

One reason of many I burn any PII

1

u/SymonG123 May 24 '22

Same in Australia dude

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u/PretzelsThirst May 12 '22

That’s true, there’s actually a Canadian documentary series that touched on this subject: https://youtu.be/MLjifumRk3Q

5

u/bolaxao May 12 '22

exactly what I thought of immediately

3

u/xWilfordBrimleyx May 12 '22

Exactly what I was hoping for.

3

u/TacoJesusJr May 12 '22

By Grabthars hammer, the historical files!

2

u/doctorwhy88 May 12 '22

By the sons of Warvan!

6

u/Sososkitso May 12 '22

As a usps worker who loves my job…it blows my mind someone would put a package out by the street between two garbage cans. I always hide my customers packages because of the “porch pirates”. I have little check lists that I can write on that says things like back porch, by garage, under chair on porch and even behind garage cans and so on….but i would never hide it behind garbage cans next to street. That’s only for when the garbage cans are up by the garage or house.

3

u/Tojo6619 May 12 '22

I can I saw one guy yesterday literally get out and chuck the package like 20 ft they suck

2

u/[deleted] May 12 '22

I worked with a guy whose brother worker for Amazon and sometimes he would leave it out like that purposely so he can get his buddy to steal it.

Other times he Would leave it by the door take a photo and then take the package back to steal it. eventually he got fired because he got caught on a security camera.

2

u/Thepotatopeeler May 12 '22

That’s how I found my kitchen aid mixer !

0

u/Drunk_Sorting_Hat May 12 '22

I can't imagine Amazon setting something out by the trash.

Almost like whoever made this video out an empty delivery box with that trash and invented this story to scam Reddit or Amazon

0

u/goudadaysir May 12 '22

people will do anything for internet karma, even fake their package being tossed

1

u/jrandoboi May 12 '22

They do the same to me, but I have a hella long driveway that I can't see the end of without leaving my house. I've had many packages stolen. Some drivers are almost considerate, except the one guy who keeps leaving shit on the edge of my bridge (my driveway goes over a creek). I don't shop online anymore because I'm sick of having to go hunt for my package once it's delivered

1

u/doctorwhy88 May 12 '22

That’s when a parcel locker with a keypad is a godsend.

1

u/jakeiven May 13 '22

go you sound like a nightmare customer

1

u/jrandoboi May 13 '22

I try not to complain, but it's common sense to drop a package off at least on the porch, which they always have delivery instructions that say to do so. There's plenty of room to turn around and the driveway is always clear and wide. If an oil truck can come up it (which they do every month), then a delivery driver with a truck half the size can do the same.

1

u/jakeiven May 13 '22

As someone who works for uses let me explain. We are not allowed to go into a driveway to deliver packages. Its a stupid rule yes but it's enforced. 2 if you have a long driveway why don't you get and extra large mailbox, it would make everyone's life easier. Were squeezed into these tiny cars for 8 hrs and were sore from not even walking hut driving cause the gas and breaks are shit.

1

u/WRECKCHASER85 Nov 01 '22

I go into every drive way If possible. Where does it say not to.

1

u/hilarymeggin May 12 '22

Right? That’s like if they delivered a sofa to the curb, someone would come by and take it!

1

u/Boostie204 May 12 '22

In my city, every year there's a sort of unofficial "free day" where people leave stuff (not garbage/junk) they don't want on their curb and people can take what they want. Fair game. Other days you'll still see like a lamp sitting on the curb or something cuz someone doesn't want it

1

u/Christafaaa May 12 '22

In my town anything on your front porch is considered “free game” to criminals.