Portsmouth police and city officials spent part of the week dealing with trash complaints, abandoned vehicles, and nuisance property issues across the city.
🚨 MOM CALLS COPS OVER SON’S MESS
Police were first called to Mound Street after a woman complained her son and his girlfriend were leaving trash scattered around her property.
When officers arrived, they advised the family the property needed to be cleaned up by the following day or the property owner could face citations.
Police also advised:
- The son would likely need to be formally evicted
- A vehicle on the property could legally be towed at the owner’s request
- And the vehicle did not belong to either the son or the property owner
Officers placed a 72-hour tow notice on the vehicle and noted grass had already grown around it.
🛒 CITY CALLED OVER SHOPPING CART PILEUP
The Portsmouth city manager also alerted police about numerous shopping carts and trash piled up in the 1300 block of Mabert Road.
City service crews later sent equipment to clean up the area.
🚗 MULTIPLE ABANDONED VEHICLES TOWED
Police also arranged to tow:
- A gray Chevrolet Silverado sitting for days on Ritchie Street without tags
- A silver Dodge passenger car reportedly parked in the same location for nearly two years near George Street and Argonne Road
According to the report, neighbors told officers the owners of the Dodge had moved away long ago.
Police cited the vehicle for expired tags before towing it to the impound lot.
⚠️ WHY CITIES CRACK DOWN ON THESE ISSUES
Officials say abandoned vehicles and trash complaints create problems including:
- Rodents and pests
- Fire hazards
- Lower property values
- Blocked parking and roadways
- And neighborhood frustration
Shopping carts abandoned around neighborhoods also cost stores and cities significant cleanup time and money.
👀 WHAT PROPERTY OWNERS CAN DO
Police say homeowners dealing with unwanted vehicles or people on private property may need to:
- Formally evict residents
- Request tow authorizations
- Contact code enforcement
- Document conditions with photos
- And keep records of warnings or notices
Because even when a situation involves family members, property owners can still end up facing fines if problems aren’t addressed.