EAST SPENCER — The town of East Spencer rolled out a new trash service at the beginning of September, and a few residents have been dealing with trash cans being stolen so others can use the service.

During the town’s Board of Aldermen meeting on Monday, Town Manager Michael Douglas listed out recent changes in the town and whether or not his office viewed them as strengths or threats to the town’s government. Douglas listed the new trash service, which will be contracted with Green for Life Environmental, as both a strength and a threat.

“The reason why it’s a threat is because we have folks that are stealing trash cans from other residents that are paying for the trash service,” said Douglas during the meeting.

In order to curb the thefts, the town has begun to issue $50 fines to anyone who is found to have gotten a trash cart by “ill-gotten means,” according to a letter sent out in mid-September. Douglas also said during the meeting that he is willing to work with the town’s police department and file charges against people stealing trash carts if he is forced to do so.

During the same meeting, the town’s utility clerk also mentioned that the town will be going around and matching the serial numbers on the trash cans to addresses as another method to discourage the thefts.

Douglas said last year the town lost between $27,000 and $36,000. Although residents were not paying the town for the trash service, the company the town previously contracted the work to was still charging the town for servicing those residents.

“We’re not losing as much money, but we’re still losing money. But we are focusing on residents that are stealing carts, opposed to anything else sot that we can get them accounts and working with the police department, if we have to file charges we will file charges,” said Douglas.

If residents were not current on their previous trash bills or they did not have an account established with town hall they were not given a trash can when the town changed companies.