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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Someone has stolen my bin!

34 replies

Justastupidgirl · 20/12/2025 09:52

Less of an AIBU and more of a WWYD.

A few weeks ago our council provided us all with a glass bin, slightly smaller than a usual dustbin. Yesterday was the first collection and I didn't bother to put mine out as I don't drink much so it was practically empty.

For context I live on a small close of about 12 houses, set back off the road and with a small green in the middle. All our front gardens open onto the green and we all keep our bins on the front.

Last night I realised that someone has taken my empty bin from my front garden and left one that's completely full of beer bottles (and too heavy to move) out on the street.

What do I do? I have no idea which, if any, of my neighbours it could have been and it seems like a massive faff to have to call the council to report it. But it's Christmas and I have family coming so will actually be producing some glass waste for once!

WWYD? AIBU to be pissed off? I've got enough to bloody do this week without this as well!

OP posts:
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Roobarbtwo · 20/12/2025 18:47

Joeninety · 20/12/2025 14:42

Locate the rental property ?

I'm in a council flat. I don't go around stealing bins.

Original poster
Justastupidgirl · 20/12/2025 18:43

Joeninety · 20/12/2025 14:42

Locate the rental property ?

Ha - I'm actually the one in the rental!

OP posts:
CalzoneOnLegs · 20/12/2025 14:50

Roobarbtwo · 20/12/2025 14:46

How do you do that when you don't know who stole it and left the other one

Show quote history

DNA test 🤣

Roobarbtwo · 20/12/2025 14:46

Joeninety · 20/12/2025 14:42

Locate the rental property ?

How do you do that when you don't know who stole it and left the other one

Joeninety · 20/12/2025 14:42

Locate the rental property ?

Roobarbtwo · 20/12/2025 14:40

1457bloom · 20/12/2025 12:22

It’s a domino affect, one person has a missing bin, they take someone else’s and so it goes on, happens all the time.

Except in this case someone left her a full bin after taking hers

Roobarbtwo · 20/12/2025 14:40

CalzoneOnLegs · 20/12/2025 14:28

IMO it’s a bit irresponsible to put glass in the general waste. We have a little mini lorry that collects the glass only so there must be a reason for that.

She doesn't have much option given that someone stole her bin and left her a full one. I always recycle glass and plastic but on my street a lot of people put glass and plastic bags into the general waste

CalzoneOnLegs · 20/12/2025 14:28

IMO it’s a bit irresponsible to put glass in the general waste. We have a little mini lorry that collects the glass only so there must be a reason for that.

1457bloom · 20/12/2025 12:22

It’s a domino affect, one person has a missing bin, they take someone else’s and so it goes on, happens all the time.

Roobarbtwo · 20/12/2025 12:21

pteromum · 20/12/2025 12:17

That is annoying.

So really it’s fly tipping!
Because all are new bins and presumably all the same!?

so they have filled your bin, with their rubbish.

Start a WhatsApp street group and make it like a Christmas mystery.

or a closed FB page.

But yeah, fly tipping I’d probably the quickest solution

No. They've taken her bin and left their full one in her garden.

Roobarbtwo · 20/12/2025 12:19

Justastupidgirl · 20/12/2025 09:52

Less of an AIBU and more of a WWYD.

A few weeks ago our council provided us all with a glass bin, slightly smaller than a usual dustbin. Yesterday was the first collection and I didn't bother to put mine out as I don't drink much so it was practically empty.

For context I live on a small close of about 12 houses, set back off the road and with a small green in the middle. All our front gardens open onto the green and we all keep our bins on the front.

Last night I realised that someone has taken my empty bin from my front garden and left one that's completely full of beer bottles (and too heavy to move) out on the street.

What do I do? I have no idea which, if any, of my neighbours it could have been and it seems like a massive faff to have to call the council to report it. But it's Christmas and I have family coming so will actually be producing some glass waste for once!

WWYD? AIBU to be pissed off? I've got enough to bloody do this week without this as well!

Right - so they've swapped your bin. There's really nothing you can do apart from try and put this one out on the street and take back the bin you think is yours

The council won't do anything about someone taking your bin and putting another one back. Unfortunately this kind of thing does happen. My mum has had her bins stolen more than once and has had to put numbers on her bins

As someone else said - you'll just need to put the bottles in general waste for now.

pteromum · 20/12/2025 12:17

That is annoying.

So really it’s fly tipping!
Because all are new bins and presumably all the same!?

so they have filled your bin, with their rubbish.

Start a WhatsApp street group and make it like a Christmas mystery.

or a closed FB page.

But yeah, fly tipping I’d probably the quickest solution

Oldraver · 20/12/2025 12:12

If you have bin thieves who peel off numbers, paint the number on the bottom

Roobarbtwo · 20/12/2025 12:12

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 20/12/2025 12:07

Yes, but 'humans' may be able to peel them off.

Show quote history

The ones I have really don't peel off easily.

Roobarbtwo · 20/12/2025 12:10

A neighbour stole my black bin around a year and a half ago. I'm in a council flat and they were in a private let across the road. Either their landlord didn't provide them with a bin - or they produced so much waste that they needed to use mine

My mum was coming to see me and she just said - your bin is gone

For context I have a neighbour who for various reasons is hardly here - and they filled his bin every three weeks too

I called the council and at first they told me to go to police - then they just replaced it - and then the family put it back - around two weeks later

They've gone - but there's another family living in the same flat now - and a couple of weeks ago they started dumping their rubbish in my bin again - they need to come into my garden to do it

It wouldn't have bothered me so much if they had just asked me if they could use it

You can also get locks for your bins as well - which might prevent someone stealing it

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 20/12/2025 12:07

Roobarbtwo · 20/12/2025 12:03

I got ones from pound land and they've lasted fine in all weathers

Show quote history

Yes, but 'humans' may be able to peel them off.

Roobarbtwo · 20/12/2025 12:03

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 20/12/2025 10:24

You can, but they peel off easily. It can be better to paint the numbers on.

I printed our house number out in a very large font in Word. Then removed the numbers out to create a stencil, and used that to paint numbers on each of our three bins, I did each side and the lid, so no matter what the orientation you can see the number.

So far none have been stolen - but then none were before I painted the numbers on!

Show quote history

I got ones from pound land and they've lasted fine in all weathers

captainoctopus · 20/12/2025 11:23

DD's bins used to get pinched despite painting the number on them, so she melted the number in with a soldering iron. Seems to have worked.

Lurkingandlearning · 20/12/2025 11:14

A neighbour recently used my bin to cram full of something nasty. Once it was emptied and I retrieved it there was a revolting slurry at the bottom, maggots and lots of blow flies🤢

I’d like to think they took my bin by mistake. That they hadn’t seen my door number painted large on the front side of the bin, but I have now painted it on the top as well so it cannot be missed.

So a long winded way of saying put your number on the lid as well as the side.

And I also like to think they didn’t use my bin to dispose of a body, knowing that blow flies are partial to carcasses. 🫤

Original poster
Justastupidgirl · 20/12/2025 11:11

jeremyclarksonsthirdnipple · 20/12/2025 10:55

Anyone of your neighbours got security footage? Ring door bell and the like? Go full Sherlock Holmes and see if you can track the bin thief down? I would do that but I am petty!! Go Get your Evidence!

Edited

You know what, annoyingly I have a ring doorbell myself but never got round to sorting out the subscription so it doesn't save footage.

I'm noticing a theme here, my own disorganisation has played a part in this situation!

OP posts:
Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 20/12/2025 10:57

CalzoneOnLegs · 20/12/2025 10:00

You can buy big number stickers for bins

This is what I did with mine when we got our new bins. HUGE big number stickers, and I put one on the lid and one on the body of the bin. Bin thieves are rife!

jeremyclarksonsthirdnipple · 20/12/2025 10:55

Anyone of your neighbours got security footage? Ring door bell and the like? Go full Sherlock Holmes and see if you can track the bin thief down? I would do that but I am petty!! Go Get your Evidence!

CalzoneOnLegs · 20/12/2025 10:44

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles you took pride in your painting, making a stencil was a great idea but when I see hand painted numbers or using a spray can it is just so scruffy looking , I’m sure you have seen them too, usually a yellow spray can for some reason. My numbers are really big and I don’t think they peel off easily because I did one that was not quite straight and it wouldn’t come away again.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 20/12/2025 10:24

CalzoneOnLegs · 20/12/2025 10:00

You can buy big number stickers for bins

You can, but they peel off easily. It can be better to paint the numbers on.

I printed our house number out in a very large font in Word. Then removed the numbers out to create a stencil, and used that to paint numbers on each of our three bins, I did each side and the lid, so no matter what the orientation you can see the number.

So far none have been stolen - but then none were before I painted the numbers on!

grinchmcgrinchface · 20/12/2025 10:13

Just put your glass in the recycling bin for the next 2 weeks. Not much you can do unfortunately.