A man who is apparently focused on the garbage of a specific Burlington family is acting in an unusual way but he has not broken any laws, according to the local police. The family noticed the garbage vanishing before the regular collection truck arrived and then realized that it was being taken each week by one man. Resident Natalya Smardon says she feels violated. Over a period of weeks, Smardon has obtained video of the man. She now has his license number and video of his face. His demeanor as he takes the garbage is like that of a cat burglar, looking all around and quickly moving to stash the bags in his trunk before hurriedly driving off. The family contacted Halton police, but were told there’s nothing they can do. “Although unusual, it does not constitute the offence of theft under the Criminal Code,” Halton police told a CBC reporter in a statement. But why this family’s garbage and not other refuse? And why general garbage? Junk men do their work before dawn in an open fashion and pick through discarded items to see what might be re-sold or useful. This man is taking bags of household garbage. Strange indeed.
