Litter. It’s unsightly, disgusting, and basically the action of a lazy, disrespectful person. A piece of paper or a tin can here or there is one thing, but when the trash gets bigger, it can become a real problem. By bigger I mean ton and tons of trash having been dumped bigger and it can be a serious issue that requires the services of a private investigator to track down the culprit and ensure justice is served.
When an individual dumps trash or unwanted items onto land that does not belong to them and is ALSO not a designated for such material, it is known as Fly-Tipping and it can become a serious issue. While this often happens because a person has trash or junk to get rid of but doesn’t want to pay landfill fees, it is ALSO a common practice for less than reputable junk haulers.
In these instances, a truck will show up to your home, the “workers” will then load the truck with your unwanted junk (couches, old chairs, rubbish etc.) and then get paid by you. While you have the best of intentions, the people you paid do not. The nefarious criminals will then simply find a spot of land that is empty and, when no one is looking, they tip the junk onto the land, and drive off to the next customer, where they will repeat the activity. This is a growing concern and can cause serious issues for a variety of reasons.
For one, it’s unsightly. A pile of garbage and junk showing up in an otherwise serene location is less than ideal. But the poor optics are only a part of the issue. The junk can also be a safety hazard as well as children often see such things as a place to play and they may then step onto rusted nails, putrid garbage and become seriously injured. There is also a health risk posed to the public. Depending on where the trash is dumped, there could be a risk of such refuse seeping into groundwater and contaminating a nearby water supply. In addition to this, such piles make wonderful homes for rats and as they gather, the risk of disease grows ever more.
Private investigators are often called in to investigate the disgusting piles of rubbish and get to the bottom of them, literally. The private investigator will dive right in, so to speak, and looking for any bits of trash that may give a clue as to the identify of the owner. Old pieces of mail or legal notices are often discovered but if not, the investigation could become more detailed. An investigator may use identifying marks on an old piece of furniture to track down the maker and subsequently find the identify of the purchaser. Possible clues can be endless, and even when the owner of the rubbish is identified, they may not even be the responsible party. If the owner of the materials hired a company to haul it away, they will have to track that party down as well to ensure that the responsible party pays the price. That price can be steep, including large fines and possible jail time for repeat offenders.
While certainly not the most glorious aspect of the life of a Private Investigator, Fly-Tipping investigations serve a much-needed service in local communities across all of Ireland.
