Man fined for returning garbage he says Calgary resident dumped on his rural property
Andrew Thomas says illegal dumping in rural areas is an increasing problem
A rural property owner is facing a fine for depositing garbage on the front lawn of a Calgary homeowner who he claims dumped that trash on his property in the first place.
Andrew Thomas says it wasn't the first time people have left their rubbish on his rural property. He says he and his neighbours have been dealing with illegal dumping for a while now, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made it worse.
"Honestly, everyone here is sick of it and we want this to end. We want it to stop," Thomas told CBC News.
This time, Thomas said, he noticed documents with an address on them.
He says he didn't have any luck with a Calgary bylaw officer, so decided to take action on his own.
He and some friends drove a truck onto the front lawn of the person who he claims is the owner of the garbage. They unloaded it, described to a neighbour what was happening and posted a video to a social media platform of the event.
Calgary police have given Thomas a $120 fine for illegal dumping, he says, but it won't deter him.
"If I have to do this 10 times over and get 10 more fines, I'll keep doing it until people get the point," Thomas said.
Calgary police said they were unable to comment on the case as of Monday afternoon.
With files from Elise von Scheel