Two people were seen taking bags of recyclable cans from a side yard, and neighbors believe they were in the area earlier dropping off flyers for a company.
EUGENE, Ore. – One Eugene woman is frustrated after some few bags of cans were taken from the yard on the side of her house. The woman said the theft is the most recent in a wave of issues that the neighborhood is facing.
Schell Smith-Roderick, resident of the River Road area, was recently informed by her neighbors that garbage bags full of recyclable cans were taken right out of her side yard by two people. She said she was saving the bags to recycle and make money off the cans.
The whole thing was caught on security cameras.
"Yeah they just back right on up,” Smith-Roderick said. “And then they get out and they come over and get four bags and come running back to their car. And the one lady shoved two of them in her trunk and couldn't even get it shut and left with the trunk open."
Two people were caught on security cameras stealing cans that a Eugene family had been saving to recycle.
What stood out about the incident, she said, was that the duo caught on camera appeared to be people who were in the neighborhood just hours before dropping off flyers for a landscaping company.
"And you can tell it's the same people,” Smith-Roderick said. “And they back-- they come up really slow. And you can tell they've been checking out other people's houses and stuff. And that's just insane."
The owner of the company told KEZI 9 the employees were fired immediately after it was discovered they took the cans. The owner said their actions do not reflect the company whatsoever.
Smith-Roderick said the incident left her wondering why someone would feel the need to take something like her cans.
"It's not-- it's not okay to steal, even if it's a penny,” she said. “So I think something should be done about that. But I do, you know, wonder what was the reason. Was it because you needed it? Or because you're greedy? Or because it was an opportunity? What?"
Neighbors believe they had seen the duo earlier in the neighborhood dropping off flyers for a company.
Smith-Roderick says the can theft was the most recent incident that she has had to deal with.
"And there's just people coming down this road stealing stuff,” she said. “Things that are worth a lot more than those cans. And, you know, I mean we've had a check stolen that was for my kids."
Her experiences have changed the way she views her neighborhood.
"We moved here from Hayden Bridge Road where everybody and their neighbor were walking through there,” she said. “We had some stuff stolen, but we had a lot out that didn't get stolen. And I almost feel less safe here."
Going forward, she said she is not sure what the resolution is.
"It's hard for someone to not be angry, or bitter, or whatever when their stuff is getting stolen or they have to worry about those things,” Smith-Roderick said. “It would be nice if we could feel safe with our mail and something would happen with that. But, you know, I don't know how to change that."
Eugene Police said when it comes to valuables or items left outside, they can be seen as a crime of opportunity, and it is best to leave them inside or hidden.
Resident says can theft is most recent in wave of issues facing Eugene neighborhood
Two people were caught on security cameras stealing cans that a Eugene family had been saving to recycle.
