One Maryland homeowner reportedly received the ultimate shock when she stepped outside to find someone else’s discarded mattresses leaning against her fence. Surveillance footage from her home cameras allegedly shows exactly how the big bedding ended up there.
78-year-old Annie West discovered two mattresses beside her property near the 2200 block of Queens Chapel Road in Hyattsville, according to FOX 5 DC. They were dumped at around 2 p.m. Tuesday.
The footage, viewable on the FOX 5 DC YouTube channel, shows a dark-colored Chevrolet Silverado pulling into an alley beside West’s property with two mattresses in its bed. Two men wearing neon safety vests unloaded them while a third person remained behind the wheel, FOX 5 DC reports.
The mattresses created more than an eyesore. FOX 5 DC writes that the discarded bedding was infested with bugs, including cockroaches.
The Cleanup Apparently Falls To The Homeowner
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Upon discovering the mucky mattresses, West, who uses a cane and walker, contacted Prince George’s County Department of Public Works. However, she told FOX 5 that she was informed she would be responsible for removing them because the alley adjoins her property.
That is consistent with policies outlined by Prince George’s County. The county says its public works department does not remove illegally dumped debris from private property or property frontage; unless responsibility has been transferred to a tenant, the property owner must remove it.
That left West frustrated that someone else could leave bulky trash beside her home and the cleanup would fall squarely on her. FOX 5 attempted to obtain further clarification from the county’s Department of Public Works, but reported that its calls were disconnected.
County officials do make a distinction between this kind of disposal and ordinary litter. By their definition, illegal dumping involves larger items or quantities of waste, including discarded household goods, furniture, appliances, tires, and construction material.
Maryland Law Prohibits Dumping on Private Property
Maryland’s Illegal Dumping and Litter Control Law prohibits people from disposing of litter on public or private property unless the location is authorized for waste disposal or the material is placed in an appropriate receptacle.
Penalties depend on factors including the amount dumped and whether the disposal was done for commercial gain. State law also allows a court to order someone convicted of illegal dumping to remove the waste, repair damaged property, or reimburse government agencies for cleanup costs.
Prince George’s County provides legitimate ways to dispose of mattresses. Its bulky-trash program accepts mattresses and box springs from eligible households, although mattresses placed out for curbside collection must be completely enclosed in protective plastic.
Meanwhile, police are asking anyone who recognizes the people or truck shown in West’s surveillance footage to contact the Prince George’s County Police Department, according to FOX 5. No arrests or citations had been announced in the outlet’s report.