HAWTHORNE, CA—Does it matter which man gets a few bucks from another man’s garbage? According to the City of Hawthorne, the answer is a very costly “yes.”
Natroy Deshawn Brown, 29, was picked up by Hawthorne police on Wednesday, December 11 at about 3 p.m. He was charged with the apparently rarely pursued crime of “scavenging recyclables.” The misdemeanor charge is formally labeled as “HAMC 8.16.180” by the Hawthorne Police Department.
“Recyclables” are aluminum cans, certain glass bottles and select plastic drink containers that the State of California requires deposits upon purchase. In southern California, cities have contracts with trash haulers to pick up separated recyclables on designated pick-up days.
The 6’3″ man, whose weight is what some might call amazing at 145 pounds, claimed to be unemployed. He was picked up along the 4000 block of West 129th Street and proclaimed no residence.
Bail was set at $500.
It was not known if he had enough recyclables on his person to help spring him after getting popped.
