# I need ideas about how to stop a serial litterer **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 14, 2013, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-about-how-to-stop-a-serial-litterer/671176 "2013-10-14T02:33:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-about-how-to-stop-a-serial-litterer/671176/1 "2013-10-14T02:33:21Z")
At least 3-4x/week, I find empty bottles of 40oz Miler High Life Malt Liquor (The Champagne of Beers!) strewn at the side of the street next to my house. It seems that some person or persons has decided that our neighborhood is a nice place to chug a few bottles of cheap booze and toss the empties out the window. I’ve seen the same bottles up and down the street, but the spot near my house seems to be their preferred location (actually, they park by the neighbors house across the street, but they toss the bottles out both windows. The festivities must occur late at night, because I’ve never seem them when I do a 10 PM dog walk. So, how do I stop this? I don’t have a view of the street from anywhere in my house. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-about-how-to-stop-a-serial-litterer/671176/2 "2013-10-14T02:37:00Z")
Cheap video camera connected to a laptop. One for video chats is ideal. Have it take low res video or one frame every x minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-about-how-to-stop-a-serial-litterer/671176/3 "2013-10-14T02:40:54Z")
Motion-activated high-intensity spotlight. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-about-how-to-stop-a-serial-litterer/671176/4 "2013-10-14T02:52:58Z")
If you think they’re on foot, plant stinging nettles along the edge of your property. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-about-how-to-stop-a-serial-litterer/671176/5 "2013-10-14T02:53:13Z")
Report it to the cops. They can do a late-night drive-by and would probably love the revenue generated not only by a littering ticket, but a good DUI possibility. ---
**Author:** ![48Willys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/db5fbb/32.png) [@48Willys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/48Willys)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-about-how-to-stop-a-serial-litterer/671176/6 "2013-10-14T19:51:45Z")
I had this same problem a while back. I will bet you that they are there about 2:00 AM. Just after the bars close. They need one before going home. I say they because there are bottles out both sides of the rig. If they were not under the influence, they probably would not litter. In my case it turned out to be neighbors just around the corner from me. I caught them in the act one Friday night. I confronted them then and there. They picked up that days bottles. I also talked to their parents as they were living with them. I have no idea if they stopped littering. They no longer litter at my place. I like the idea of a camera. You can show it to the cops and then let the cops deal with it. They would most likely love to bust them for littering AND DUI. If this helps get drunk drivers off the road, I am in. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-about-how-to-stop-a-serial-litterer/671176/7 "2013-10-14T19:56:00Z")
Landmine. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-about-how-to-stop-a-serial-litterer/671176/8 "2013-10-14T19:59:04Z")
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a magnum bottle is a good guy with a magnum bottle. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-about-how-to-stop-a-serial-litterer/671176/9 "2013-10-14T20:06:25Z")
Lawn chair, flashlight, 12 gauge. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-about-how-to-stop-a-serial-litterer/671176/10 "2013-10-14T20:08:57Z")
We live in a nice neighborhood with isolated entrances and exits (meaning there’s very little through traffic) in a small town, but that doesn’t stop someone from throwing their fast-food garbage out the window on the last blind inbound curve, at least twice a week. I have been thinking of ways to catch the SOB and make them eat their Whopper wrappers for a year. No success yet. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-about-how-to-stop-a-serial-litterer/671176/11 "2013-10-14T20:17:43Z")
In defense of Miller High Life, it’s not a malt liquor. So we’re not dealing with COMPLETE scum here… ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-ideas-about-how-to-stop-a-serial-litterer/671176/12 "2013-10-14T23:09:04Z")
WalMart has a [motion-activated game camera](http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tasco-3MP-Trail-Cam-Night-Vision-Camera/21270190) for under $40. Or maybe you can find one on Craigslist, or borrow one from a hunter friend. Hide it on a tree overlooking the scene. After 3/4 x, you’ll see the general time they’re by, and let the police know. It’s a sure-fire DUI ! When you’re finished with the camera, send it to me, or donate it to another needy litter victim!