'It appears that we have a black market.' Official NYC trash and recycling bins stolen from Crotona Park home
The bins have been required by the city since the start of June, with prices starting at $50
A Crotona Park resident says her official New York City regulation garbage and recycling cans have been stolen from outside her home on Vyse Avenue twice, including just before 12:30am on July 1.
"Who would steal trash cans right? I don't know, like it's a weird thing," said Felicitas Oefelein, who filed a police report after this most recent incident.
"It clearly was planned and very organized," Oefelien said.
Security camera footage from Oefelien's next door neighbor shows a man appearing to take all three bins, and then a truck driving off just after.
The authorized bins have been required by the city since June 1, with the website taking residents to Home Depot, where prices start at $50 each.
"It appears that we have a black market, and I guess they are valuable enough to be stolen?" Oefelien said. "I'm wondering who's selling them and where are they?... I don't know, are they more expensive now if I buy them after market?"
Oefelien was able to go to Home Depot and buy replacement bins herself.
While the black trash meets New York City standards, the only blue recycling ones they had in stock did not.
"I haven't gotten a ticket so far - but I might, I don't really know what to do," she said.
Online, both sizes of the approved recycling bins are also "out of stock" at all Bronx locations.
"If I get a ticket, then I figure I'm going to show them the police report, and we'll see what happens," Oefelien said, "And now I'm famous, right? I'm on the news!"
The Department of Sanitation says bins are being restocked "on an ongoing basis, and that "in the meantime, recyclable materials can be set out in any container, or in a clear or blue plastic bag. The NYC Bin is NOT required for recycling."
DSNY also tells News 12 it has not seen any reports to indicate this is a widespread issue or that there is any sort of "black market" forming.
The NYPD says it has one other recorded theft of NYC bins, which happened the same night, and one block over.
