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Cart roundup: Program nets abandoned shopping carts

By Staff | Aug 24, 2016

MEL TOADVINE Steve McGiffin, Kristin Schultz and LCSO Deputy Mike Truscott stand with abandoned grocery cars retrieved off of Alabama Road.

Removing a shopping cart from a store’s premises and not returning it is a crime. Violators can be charged with retail theft, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

In Lehigh Acres and other areas, people without vehicles have been known to walk the carts – filled with groceries or other purchases – home and it is a problem.

LCSO Deputy Mike Truscott joined two members of the Lehigh Acres Community Neighborhood Watch, Kristin Schultz and Steve McGiffen, in picking up the abandoned carts last week.

They first went down Alabama Road, where they had heard complaints of carts left on county property, which Truscott said can be a hazard. They found a few carts and put them in their trailer.

Schultz said the group picks a project as it sees a need in the community, which often stems from complaints. Several of those complaints have been about the abandoned carts and other litter.

Kristin Schultz

“The subject comes up at every meeting,” she said.

The Lehigh Acres Community Neighborhood Watch meets on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office East District headquarters, at 1301 Homestead Road.

“The public is invited to attend and become a part of our group or come with problems you see and want to bring it to our attention,” Schultz said.

Attendees are asked to bring a canned food donation.

“Abandoned carts are a public hazard and nuisance. They obstruct public and private walkways. They can cause damage to people, vehicles and other property,” she said.

Steve McGiffin

“Litter, including abandoned carts, deteriorate neighborhoods. They reduce property values,” Schultz said. “Disorder in a physical environment has been associated with increased crime, anti-social behavior and negative mental and physical health effects such as stress, anxiety and depression. A neighborhood’s physical environment sends out messages about what kinds of behavior are permitted and tolerated.”

She said litter breeds other litter and it sends the message that the residents do not care.

“Removal of grocery carts from store parking lots is stealing private property. To alleviate this problem, it will take everyone working together to keep our communities clean and safe,” Schultz said.

The abandoned cart roundup could be expanded to other areas of Lehigh Acres, but Schulz and McGiffen said it will take volunteers to make that happen.

They said store owners and managers have a responsibility, as well.

MEL TOADVINE Abandoned shopping carts were rounded up on Broad Street, near the Presbyterian Homes areas, where many shoppers have no vehicles and push the carts homes from stores, then abandon the carts.

“They need to be good stewards in our community. If they are notified of an abandoned cart, I feel they should make every effort to retrieve them in a timely manner,” Schultz said.

LCSO Capt. Todd Garrison, and rest of the agency, supports the efforts of the Lehigh Acres Community Neighborhood Watch and are present at every meeting.

After retrieving the carts from Alabama Road, the group went to a neighborhood off of Broad Street, near Presbyterian Homes. More than 40 shopping carts had been lined up to be removed and returned to the different stores.

Truscott said the carts are taken mainly by people who do not have a means of transportation. If a person needs groceries, they walk to the store. After paying for their, they push the carts home.

“But if they take the carts home, they should walk them back when they get groceries again,” he said.

But that is not the case.

When the abandoned carts were returned to their stores, Truscott and a group member spoke personally to each store manager.

Schultz said they were all aware there is a problem with the carts and most said they make an effort to retrieve them.

“We were told each cart runs in price between $150 and $200,” she said.

At least one store on Homestead Road has started using devices to keep the carts on its premises. Attached to a rear wheel, the device stops the wheel from turning when the cart has been pushed so far.

Where many of the carts were found, however, the device had been removed or the shopper likely pushed the cart while holding the rear wheel up.

“Yes, leaving abandoned carts everywhere in downtown Lehigh is a problem and we are hoping to alleviate it with volunteer groups like Community Watch,” Truscott said. “We are also encouraging people to not leave carts on the pavements and other public areas when they remove their groceries.”

At the Broad Street neighborhood pick up, a person was observed was using a cart to take laundry to a nearby laundry mat. A woman was also seen walking a cart full of groceries.

Schultz and McGiffen hope that with increased awareness by the community and store managers, the problem of the abandoned carts will resolve itself. The group will continue to monitor the problem.

Cart roundup: Program nets abandoned shopping carts

By Staff | Aug 24, 2016

MEL TOADVINE Steve McGiffin, Kristin Schultz and LCSO Deputy Mike Truscott stand with abandoned grocery cars retrieved off of Alabama Road.

Removing a shopping cart from a store’s premises and not returning it is a crime. Violators can be charged with retail theft, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

In Lehigh Acres and other areas, people without vehicles have been known to walk the carts – filled with groceries or other purchases – home and it is a problem.

LCSO Deputy Mike Truscott joined two members of the Lehigh Acres Community Neighborhood Watch, Kristin Schultz and Steve McGiffen, in picking up the abandoned carts last week.

They first went down Alabama Road, where they had heard complaints of carts left on county property, which Truscott said can be a hazard. They found a few carts and put them in their trailer.

Schultz said the group picks a project as it sees a need in the community, which often stems from complaints. Several of those complaints have been about the abandoned carts and other litter.

Kristin Schultz

“The subject comes up at every meeting,” she said.

The Lehigh Acres Community Neighborhood Watch meets on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office East District headquarters, at 1301 Homestead Road.

“The public is invited to attend and become a part of our group or come with problems you see and want to bring it to our attention,” Schultz said.

Attendees are asked to bring a canned food donation.

“Abandoned carts are a public hazard and nuisance. They obstruct public and private walkways. They can cause damage to people, vehicles and other property,” she said.

Steve McGiffin

“Litter, including abandoned carts, deteriorate neighborhoods. They reduce property values,” Schultz said. “Disorder in a physical environment has been associated with increased crime, anti-social behavior and negative mental and physical health effects such as stress, anxiety and depression. A neighborhood’s physical environment sends out messages about what kinds of behavior are permitted and tolerated.”

She said litter breeds other litter and it sends the message that the residents do not care.

“Removal of grocery carts from store parking lots is stealing private property. To alleviate this problem, it will take everyone working together to keep our communities clean and safe,” Schultz said.

The abandoned cart roundup could be expanded to other areas of Lehigh Acres, but Schulz and McGiffen said it will take volunteers to make that happen.

They said store owners and managers have a responsibility, as well.

MEL TOADVINE Abandoned shopping carts were rounded up on Broad Street, near the Presbyterian Homes areas, where many shoppers have no vehicles and push the carts homes from stores, then abandon the carts.

“They need to be good stewards in our community. If they are notified of an abandoned cart, I feel they should make every effort to retrieve them in a timely manner,” Schultz said.

LCSO Capt. Todd Garrison, and rest of the agency, supports the efforts of the Lehigh Acres Community Neighborhood Watch and are present at every meeting.

After retrieving the carts from Alabama Road, the group went to a neighborhood off of Broad Street, near Presbyterian Homes. More than 40 shopping carts had been lined up to be removed and returned to the different stores.

Truscott said the carts are taken mainly by people who do not have a means of transportation. If a person needs groceries, they walk to the store. After paying for their, they push the carts home.

“But if they take the carts home, they should walk them back when they get groceries again,” he said.

But that is not the case.

When the abandoned carts were returned to their stores, Truscott and a group member spoke personally to each store manager.

Schultz said they were all aware there is a problem with the carts and most said they make an effort to retrieve them.

“We were told each cart runs in price between $150 and $200,” she said.

At least one store on Homestead Road has started using devices to keep the carts on its premises. Attached to a rear wheel, the device stops the wheel from turning when the cart has been pushed so far.

Where many of the carts were found, however, the device had been removed or the shopper likely pushed the cart while holding the rear wheel up.

“Yes, leaving abandoned carts everywhere in downtown Lehigh is a problem and we are hoping to alleviate it with volunteer groups like Community Watch,” Truscott said. “We are also encouraging people to not leave carts on the pavements and other public areas when they remove their groceries.”

At the Broad Street neighborhood pick up, a person was observed was using a cart to take laundry to a nearby laundry mat. A woman was also seen walking a cart full of groceries.

Schultz and McGiffen hope that with increased awareness by the community and store managers, the problem of the abandoned carts will resolve itself. The group will continue to monitor the problem.