Omaha Police investigate illegal garbage dumping

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Illegal dumping is a big problem across the city but extremely prevalent in some North Omaha neighborhoods.

It has the neighbors upset and costs the city money. There are multiple signs of “No Dumping” along the half-block stretch of Pinkney at 36th Street.

There’s a $500 fine for those who are caught. Alexander Martin has gone to extra lengths to try and stem the tide of illegal dumping in the area.

“Just to keep them from dumping.”

He’s building a house at the end of an alleyway.

“We’ve had problems with people dumping whole house worth of glass and doors and even stolen cars. It’s a little frustrating you know, you’re just trying to live in the neighborhood, keep things clean. You do your part just to tidy up the yard and someone comes by and just unloads their trash on you,” said Martin.

Two men were caught in the act on high-resolution cameras the city installed at 36th and Pinkney, just behind the Malcolm X Center. In broad daylight, the two brazenly unload tree limbs and trash, tossing it on the street.

An Omaha Public Works spokesman says his crews take the calls to clean up these dumpsites on city streets. That costs all of us money.

“It’s sad that they think they can just dump trash in our neighborhood,” said Angela Haynie.

Angela lives around the corner and she’s lived in the neighborhood for 35 years. She says there are a lot of kids in the area that can’t even walk down to the corner without encountering piles of trash.

“We don’t like it. We hate to see trash all over and couches and chairs and tables and whatever else you want to dump in our area. We hate it,” said Haynie.

“They think that this is an area where they can come in and dump their trash and they don’t have to pay for dumpsters or don’t have to pay to take it to the dump, and it’s not. It’s a place that we want to keep nice and clean for ourselves as well. If you don’t live in this neighborhood, even if you do, that’s not the place to dump your trash. Take it to the landfill,” said Haynie.

Angela says restarting a neighborhood watch in the area might help reduce illegal dumping in the area. Alexander Martin says maybe the city should put a city property dumpster at the site.

The problem is serious to Omaha Police. Crimestoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for tips leading to the two men caught on camera.

The police say anyone who can identify the suspects to contact Omaha Crime Stoppers anonymously at 402-444-STOP (7867) at www.p3tips.com or by downloading the p3tips mobile app.

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