Nils Jørgen Selbekk has been rubbish diving for several years. But when he visited Kristiansund in Nordmøre in early August, he encountered a problem he had never encountered before. It all ended with a fine of NOK 3,000. It was TV 2 that mentioned the case first. Called the police At a Europris store in Kristiansund he found a bin with a padlock, but according to him it was possible to lift the lid to fish things out. The result was around 20 bags of crisps. – I was happy with that, but it wasn’t him from the guard company who came over, says Selbekk. Nils Jørgen Selbekk has been dumpster diving many times, but has never been fined for it. Photo: Privat He says that he was told to throw the potato chip bags back in the bin, but that he then said that he was not interested in doing so. – Then he called the police. – I asked if he wanted crisps, but he didn’t, then, he adds. – Strange that it should be punishable After around two weeks, he received a surprise in his inbox – a simplified fine of NOK 3,000. – It is a charge of simple theft. I think it’s a bit strange that it should be a criminal offense to save food from the rubbish, he says. Head of Europris, Espen Eldal, confirms to news that it was they who reported the case. – We see it as theft, says Eldal. Espen Eldal says that they are not positive about dumpster diving because you never know what is in the bins. – Those who walk in containers can injure themselves from other waste or from crushing injuries. We lock containers to avoid injury to people and to ensure sorting at source. Photo: Europris ASA – The goods were thrown away, isn’t it better that someone eats them? – When we considered that they should be thrown away, it was because the goods had expired, so we cannot be responsible for the quality, he says. Furthermore, he says that the problem in the case is that someone has chosen to supply themselves from something that is locked. – Then it’s a case of theft. If the person in question had asked the store if they had anything that had expired, I’m sure the response would have been different. Does not accept the fine The police in Møre og Romsdal say that they have fined Selbekk on the basis of the report from Europris, where it has been concluded that the conditions for criminal liability have been met. – It is basically a criminal offense to take objects from a locked container that is on private property, for the purpose of profit, writes prosecutor Elin A. Drønnen in Møre og Romsdal police district in an e-mail to news. NOK 3,000 is the lowest pre-trial rate the police normally use for minor theft, where the criminal liability is small. But Selbekk has now decided not to accept the submission he has received. – The Europris manager says that the goods had expired and that it was not possible to sell them. Then I would estimate the value of that to be zero. I think it is strange that it is possible to steal something that is worthless, says Selbekk. He does not yet know what will happen next. – We will see what the police choose to do. Published 27.08.2024, at 17.47
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Dumpster diving at Europris led to a fine
