SPECIAL REPORT: Shopping carts on the loose throughout Salinas

The City of Salinas is battling a strange problem. Shopping carts are finding their way out of stores, and spread across the city.

The city has a wide variety of jobs and responsibilities. As of recently, the work alternative program has been running into the problem of shopping carts being left across the city.

Robert Crowmeenes is the director of the work alternative program. He says, “It’s a vicious circle man. We’ve got so many people calling. We’ve got to the point where we don’t pick up the shopping carts unless they are full of garbage.”

Dillon Wallace is a part of that crew. He says, “I had always seen a few shopping carts here and there, but when you get them together it’s a big… big deal.”

All of the shopping carts start off in the same spot, that’s the grocery store. But they quickly get spread out throughout the city anywhere from three blocks to a whole mile from the store. This has caused some major problems for Crowmeenes and his crew with this program which keeps Salinas clean by picking up trash and debris. But it seems like this problem is taking over. “It seems like the shopping cart issue has just exploded over the last year and a half,” says Crowmeenes.

The city keeps the carts they collect in the city yard. It’s not unusual for them to see 50 to 100 carts back there. Crowmeenes says only about 50 percent of the carts are actually picked up… the rest gets recycled. And at 100 to 300 bucks a pop, that adds up.

Grocery stores tell KION they know about the problem. And when the stores get busy, they sometimes don’t have enough carts. They say they are frustrated, but understand it’s one of the problems with owning a store.

Jeff Buckles was doing some grocery shopping today. He says, “Well you know, I think it’s a nuisance. But if they are left unattended and left in the roadway, it can be a danger no doubt.” Crowmeenes adds to this saying, “Oh it could be a big problem. You hit that cart at 35 mph, it’s going to cause some damage to you or somebody else.”

Crowmeenes doesn’t know what the solution to this problem is, but he hopes that he and his crew can someday get back to their normal responsibilities

If you see any shopping carts, the city encourages you to give them a ring. (831) 758-7233.