Norwich homes hit by bin thieves in centre and West Earlham

People living in West Earlham, the city centre and Eaton have reported light-fingered neighbours running off with their bins overnight.

Poppy Maxr, who lives in South Park Avenue, had her food waste bin stolen a day after already having another one replaced.

She said: "The food caddy is free of charge, that’s why we are so confused as to why people steal it.

"We lost our first bin on Monday, January 30 and our replacement arrived last week. It was gone by Thursday morning."

Jenny Nichols, who lives in West Earlham, found one of her bin lids had disappeared overnight in December.

She said: "We were still using the bin without the lid, which was a bit of a worry as there are rats and mice about.

"I wouldn't want to pay for another one, isn't council tax enough?"

However, it seems not everyone has been able to get a free replacement bin.

Gareth Lewis, who lives in the Pilling Park area, says he first had a bin stolen during the second Covid lockdown and had another attempted theft two weeks ago.

He said: "When my bin was pinched I had a walk around and found it two streets down with the stickers we'd put on it half torn off.

"The council told me I had to buy a new one for £40.

"I don't mind paying if I've damaged it but when it's stolen you expect to get one for free.

"I've chained them together and two weeks ago someone tried to take one again and pulled them all over."

A Norwich City Council spokesman said it charged to replace all of its bins regardless of the way they were lost or damaged and directed those who needed to replace a bin to norwich.gov.uk/replacementbin.