A REMOVAL man has been sacked after a teenager caught him on camera using a company van to fly-tip.
The man and two friends unloaded unwanted furniture from a BMS Transport van and dumped it on the side of the road in Kemp Gardens, Broad Green, last weekend.
They were unaware they were being photographed by Craig Charlton, who had spotted what they were doing from his bedroom window.
The 17-year-old then posted the pictures on Facebook and, within less than an hour, the owner of the Wimbledon-based company had ordered his employee to clear the mess.
Siva Theepan, director of BMS Transport, said the man had been sacked after a disciplinary meeting the following day.
Craig's actions have been hailed by a council official as exactly what the public should do when they spot someone fly-tipping.
The teenager was in his bedroom at 8.48pm on Sunday when he noticed a van pull up on the opposite side of the road.
He told the Advertiser: "I saw some guys struggling to get something out of a van. Then I realised it was sofa and I knew they were fly-tipping.
"I started taking pictures of them because the area has a lot of problems with that sort of thing. I took pictures of them unloading the van, leaving the rubbish and driving off.
"I texted my aunt and told her I had some pictures of people fly-tipping and she said I should put them on Facebook to warn people the company is doing this."
Craig uploaded the pictures to the New Addington Pathfinders page, prompting a member of the public to complain directly to BMS Transport.
"While I was being talked through how to report it to the council, the men came back," said Craig.
"I started taking pictures again but, because it was dark, they saw the flash. They started shouting at me. They were being quite rude.
"Because I couldn't get any decent pictures I went out into the garden and started taking more pictures. They started calling me a c*** and a w*****. Then one of them started threatening me, saying: 'I know where you live, I'm going to come and get you.'
"I didn't stop because I knew I needed to get a decent enough picture of them and their vehicle so they get prosecuted."
Mr Theepan, co-owner of BMS Transport, said the employee had used the van outside working hours. He said: "As soon as I found out I called him in first thing [on Monday] for a disciplinary," he said.
"We asked him why he did it, why he humiliated us. We've worked so hard to build up a reputation and now he has put it down the drain. He said he was off-loading it for a pal who was going to pick it up, but we didn't think that was credible. He was caught red-handed.
"We've now dismissed him because what he did was totally unacceptable. It is in no way what we practise practice and I would like to apologise on behalf of the company."
Craig has since reported the fly-tipping and the threatening behaviour to the police.
Labour councillor Simon Hall praised him for his actions.
He said: "The more that people feel able to come forward and report then the more we're going to be able to nail the perpetrators and stop this happening in our borough.
"I hope this is a lesson to people who think they can get away with it."
