Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
By JON WILSON, Times Staff WriterA two-year crackdown against dumping junk on vacant lots has yielded 12 felony arrests and 29 misdemeanor citations.
ST. PETERSBURG - As part of a campaign to spruce up the city's aesthetic image, police have been cracking down on people who illegally dump junk on vacant lots.
The latest arrest came Thursday after the city's environmental detective, Charles Krickler, investigated several episodes of dumping in the 2500 block of Ninth Avenue S and at 2510 Terminal Drive S.
Sarasota resident Brian Keith Porter, 39, was charged with three counts of felony littering after Krickler said he saw a load of roofing material being dumped from a truck about 4:30 a.m.
Krickler also seized the 1994 Isuzu dump truck, according to reports.
Porter was released on $5,000 bond.
Ben Shirley, St. Petersburg's assistant sanitation department director, said five piles of about a ton each were scattered around the Ninth Avenue S lot. Wildwood Community Center plans athletic fields for the site.
It is near an Interstate 275 exit and convenient for people looking for a spot to dump illegally and avoid the $37.50 per ton fee at the county landfill, Shirley said.
The crackdown began two years ago. After a few months of campaigning to spread the word about its new vigilance, the city started getting tough in 2004. Mayor Rick Baker called a news conference to say so, calling illegal dumping an "affront to the city."
Midtown has been the campaign's focus.
To date, Krickler said, there have been 12 felony arrests and 29 misdemeanor citations.
Five pickups, a sport utility vehicle, two dump trucks and two trailers have been seized.
Felony convictions can result in jail terms of up to five years and fines of up to $5,000.
Misdemeanor offenses can bring $56 fines plus $18 per hour of police investigation time.
People who want to report illegal dumping can call a tip line at (727) 892-5000.