Anyone know who's behind the business card sized ads (in a ziploc type envelope) that someone keeps dumping in my yard? (crime, neighborhood)

[braindead0]

Area gets hit every now and then, as some point I'm going to catch the lackey that's dumping these and make him/her pick it up.

What I'm trying to do at this point is figure out what company is behind this 'advertising'. Perhaps someone here knows..

Every single business that's advertised this way will never get my business.

[volosong]

It's just the local gardener/house cleaner/painter/etc. just trying to drum up a little business. Yes, annoying, but harmless.

[braindead0]

Originally Posted by volosong

It's just the local gardener/house cleaner/painter/etc. just trying to drum up a little business. Yes, annoying, but harmless.

It's not, it's a pile of over 30 business card sized 'ads' being littered in every yard in my area. They often don't properly seal the little drug bags (another problem there, bags this style/size are considered drug paraphernalia in many jurisdictions) leaving 1000's of brightly colored cards blowing around around the neighborhood.

The point is that some business is littering as a business model.

[mamacatnv]

We got those for years and I never heard them referred to as drug paraphernalia. The locals recognize them instantly, stoop, pick up and toss, that is what we always did. Never even opened them

[braindead0]

Most police consider small ziploc bags drug paraphernalia.

A bag of tricks - Philly.com
Spot Common Drug Paraphernalia | Testing It Up

There's plenty more. If you were ever searched and had these bags on your person or visible in your car this is probable cause to detain you, search you, your car and make your life miserable.

It's a matter of principal, someone is making money littering private property. I will find out who, and I will return these cards with the same care as they deliver them.

[braindead0]

Never mind. I just got an email from the city Business License department, I'll work with them to get this stopped.

Doesn't anyone else remember 'give a hoot don't pollute'? ;-)

[cre8lite]

along with 'only YOU can prevent forest fires'

i forget, what did mcgruff the crime dog say? i'm sorry your yard is being littered with someone else's crap

[braindead0]

It seems petty, but you let one business get away with this and then there will be others.. and soon all the junk mail you used to get from the post office, they'll just have some homeless person dump in your yard ;-)

[frednutcase]

"Take a bite out of crime"

[braindead0]

Finally getting to the bottom of things. This is sorta legal:

Sec. 8.24.050. Prohibiting distribution where properly posted.

It is unlawful for any person to distribute, deposit, place, throw, scatter or cast any handbill upon any premises, if requested by anyone thereon not to do so, or if there is placed on the premises in a conspicuous position near the entrance thereof a sign bearing the words, "No Trespassing," "No Peddlers or Agents," "No Advertisements," or any similar notice, indicating in any manner that the occupants of the premises do not desire to be molested or to have their right of privacy disturbed, or to have any such handbills left upon such premises.

(Code 1966, § 11.12.490; Ord. No. 4667, § 1, 8-27-96)

Typical, the code specifically says it's illegal to do this to parked cars, public property and vacant properties. Someone paid a city council stooge to craft this little exception.

My property is posted no trespassing so they are in clear violation. Still haven't been able to find out who's behind this, the businesses I contacted refuse to cooperate.. Kinda makes it hard to request they not do this.

Next step will be filling out 35 BBB complaint forms (I've already written a program to automate it ;-), whoever is doing this is acting as an agent of these businesses and if that's all I've got to go on..well that's all I've got. Not that I expect any results from this.

Eventually I'll catch someone in the act and find out who they're employed by.