INDIANAPOLIS — The Martindale-Brightwood Community Development Corporation (CDC) is asking for the public’s help in identifying the people who are illegally dumping behind their building.
The Martindale-Brightwood CDC shared security footage with WRTV. The video shows two men pulling up in a red truck with a trailer and dumping contents of a house.
"There were enough mattresses back there to fill three homes. Children's toys, refrigerator items, toilets stacked up, sofas," Executive Director Amina Pierson said.
By Thursday afternoon, they had the mess cleaned up, but it took four different dumpsters.
“Two mattresses couldn’t fit in the biggest dumpster that was delivered,” Pierson said.
Pierson says this is the third time she's seen these men on the cameras.
She says illegal dumping has been an issue in the neighborhood for years, but this is an extreme. It's a problem she doesn't want to see continue.
“It’s the cost of doing business, and a lot of times we work outside the system. But realize the cost of doing business includes whatever it is to take your load to the dump,” Pierson said.
The non-profit moved into the shopping complex off Massachusetts Avenue and North Sherman Drive two months ago. They provide housing, workforce and small business resources to people in the community.
"I heard where we're sitting now used to be downtown Brightwood. There used to be shops all up and down. It was buzzing with big stores, drug stores, clothing stores. There used to be a fair that was out in this parking lot. I was like 'Wow let's bring back downtown Brightwood,'" Pierson said.
Pierson says getting some of the things they want to get accomplished could be hard if they have to keep paying out of pocket to clean up someone else's mess.
"We're a non-profit, we cannot afford that. No one's going to give us a grant to clean up the illegal dumping," Pierson said.
The Martindale-Brightwood CDC is planning to put a fence up around the dumpster. They have filed a police report.
IMPD says illegal dumping carries a fine of up to $2,500. You can visit this website to find out more on preventing it and reporting it.
