Neighbourhood feud erupts over 'bin divers' who break bottles and tip bins in the middle of the night in search for 10c refundable bottles
Frustrated families woken in the middle of the night by bin divers rummaging for 10c refundable bottles have blasted enthusiastic recyclers for causing chaos in suburban streets.
Bottle collectors have flocked to the quiet residential streets of Southport, in the Gold Coast, tipping over bins and leaving a mess.
Residents say they are fed up with the noise disturbing their sleep and trail of rubbish left on their lawns.
Southport residents say they are fed up with bin divers regularly rummaging through their bins
'It happens between midnight and five in the morning, you would think a garbage truck was there with the sound of bottles and cans,' Grant Stephens told the Gold Coast Bulletin.
'People rock up and go through our rubbish, tipping it out onto the street, digging through it and then moving onto the next one.
'The noise keeps going and going, it’s very painful for the kids who are at uni trying to sleep before they have an exam or need to study, it is always so late.'
Locals said they do not mind the bottles being taken, the issue lies with the regular racket and debris.
Mr Stephens said while the divers make an effort to return rubbish into the bins, some remains scattered because they work in the dark.
The father said when he asks the scavengers to stop they ignore him and keep going.
He has contacted the Gold Coast City Council and Queensland Police but both said there is little they could do.
A Gold Coast City Council spokesperson said the matter falls out of their jurisdiction.
'The city occasionally receives complaints of this nature however trespassing is a matter for QPS,' they said.
Queensland Police said although people may be charged for going onto someone's property, with public nuisance or trespass, the behaviour is not technically illegal because the bin is no longer on private property.
Residents have contacted Gold Coast City Council and Queensland Police but have been told there is little they can do (pictured, a bin diver at work)