BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(KBAK/KBFX) — An east Bakersfield woman whose trash bin has been stolen multiple times is raising new questions about how the city tracks garbage carts and what residents can do when a bin disappears — a problem others say they have faced more than once.
City officials said trash cart serial numbers are recorded only after delivery because carts are stored in bulk inventory.
After delivery, the serial numbers are recorded at the address where the cart was delivered.
Officials also said it is rare for a cart to be recovered and, when it is, it is typically months later and often not usable.
The City of Bakersfield said residents should keep their carts secured on their property after service to reduce the risk of theft or damage.
Yessica Reedy, who first reported the issue to Eyewitness News in mid-April, said that the advice does not reflect what many residents experience on pickup days.
“Practical ideas are only practical if they really, truly apply to the situation. So, as far as bringing your bin in, okay, that’s not working. What’s your solution when what you’re offering, providing, doesn’t fit the situation?” Reedy said.
Reedy also questioned where the city’s guidance is coming from.
“I’m curious to see what kind of neighborhoods these responses are coming from live at,” she said. “Are you able to babysit your trash bin on the one day, eight hours a day, that you are away from home when your bin is being picked up? Are you able to do so? That’s what I’m curious about.”
The city said that if a resident’s bin is stolen, they can call the Solid Waste office at 661-326-3114 and purchase a new cart.
The city said residents do have to pay for a new bin because “it is the resident’s responsibility to care for their property,” and that once a cart has been purchased and delivered, “ownership and responsibility transfer to the resident.”
The city said the first replacement is free to residents, but after the first free replacement, each additional bin costs $95. The city said it does not generate revenue from replacement carts, and that the $95 fee reflects the cost of the bin and delivery.
In a statement from the city of Bakersfield, they told Eyewitness News it has explored ways to address the problem.
In February, Solid Waste proposed a fee increase for fiscal year 2026-27 that included, among other items, a program budgeted at or below $150,000 for a cart replacement program.
The city said the committee sent one of the proposals to City Council, but it has not appeared on an agenda, and the fee change — and any programs it would have funded — is not moving forward at this time.
The city also said it is implementing updated Routeware technology to track assets and operations more efficiently, and that staff is “workshopping solutions for City Manager review,” but as of now, there is no system to find and return stolen bins to the correct owner.
Reedy pointed to the city’s bin replacement and sales figures as part of her concerns.
“I’m hearing that one, they’ve got a really good recurring revenue stream,” she said.
The city said each year about 3,600 bins are put into service for new established homes, about 5,000 bins are replaced at no cost due to damage or when bins fall into trash trucks, and about 2,100 bins are sold.
The city said those figures total about $190,500 each year, but emphasized the program is not designed to generate profit.
Money FILE image (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
In Reedy’s neighborhood, residents described similar experiences.
Jonathan, a neighbor interviewed in Spanish, said, “The problem is that sometimes homeless people come and take them, and when we call the city to help us fix it, they charge us instead of looking into where the bin is or helping us with the cost.”
Another neighbor said her bin has been stolen three or four times.
A woman interviewed in Spanish said, “It’s not good to put out one, and then the following week put out another. It’s not okay.”
For now, the city said residents should contact the Solid Waste Division, where each case is reviewed individually.