Two Questions, Shopping Carts & Amp it up!

So I'm still trying to get the hang of all the different metals and everything that is srapable, doing pretty good so far, but haven't made much more than the price of my gas. Still it keeps me occupied. I am having fun!
First question, I noticed about 2 dozen shopping carts all around just this morning, is it legal to pick them up from around dumpsters and ditches and scrap them? If not does walmart or any other place pay a finders fee if you take them back? And two, how do i amp it up? I'm addicted I need scrap!

My yards now have signs posted you cannot turn in any containers used by food places, food / drink trucks like the racks and pans used by pop and beer and food trucks.

they also told me once, if yuo have one to turn in it was stolen so unless you bought them I'd leave them be!

I assumed it would be a no go. But I always see them, miles away from the nearest shopping location and I started seeing dollar signs. Thank guys! I put up a Craigslist ad and designed some flyers, got our days cut at work so im gonna hit it hard on Friday. Pounding pavement. Thanks again.

In no way was i saying that it was right for the people that took them to have them in the first place, Scott. I was only saying that, while i do consider myself a decent person, i would not spend the gas money driving around and returning stolen grocery carts for free. I was only asking about the ones that seem to be stolen and discarded. I don't see any Wal-Mart employees driving around picking up their carts and i do know how much they cost having worked in Grocery all through high school. It just seems to me that around the lower class areas of town there are loads of them! If i were paid by Wal-Mart to drive around and collect them then i would. If i got paid for taking them to the scrap yard i would do that as well.

Haha..finders fee??? Havent you ever seen trailer park boys?? Lol

It NEVER hurts to ask! Years ago I could get a buck for every cart that I brought back. 1) they made more than a buck the first time it went back through the line full. 2)At the cost of labor, a buck to have someone they trust go through the neighborhood and return them IS CHEAPER than a paid employee out looking. 3) At the cost of replacement, a buck is cheaper than paying for another one to end up 10 blocks away, anyway. 4) talk to a owner/manager and see if they have, or would like, somebody like you to provide that service, and, (I am working on this with a large store now) if they would like the broken shelves, carts, etc removed AT NO COST TO THEM. And if so, ask that they provide you a letter, on company letterhead, to provide to the yard. (and keep a copy in the truck)
What works for one, may NOT work for another. But if you NEVER ask, when you have an idea like that, it will always...NEVER work!! my 2 BroJer

I do understand they are stolen property, I also understand they still technically belong to the company. Speaking primarily of Wal-Mart, their carts are everywhere! A smart store manager who wants to pad his bonus should be more than willing to pay for returned carts. A finder's fee is no joke. As stated previously they are extremely expensive to replace.

Thanks to Brojer's advice about it never hurting to ask, I found out that Wal-Mart does indeed pay for returned shopping carts. Price varies from $4-$12 dollars per cart depending on location. You must be licensed and insured and have a contract with them to do so. Since i am a small time new comer with no license its a no go for me.

-So, I went ahead and called the walmart home office and they told me to call my local walmart store and talk to the manager. I talked to the manager and she said they have a company that does it for them. So, it seems that you could sign a contract with a store and charge they a certain amount per cart returned.

-I have a friend that has called the store number on a shopping cart left by his house and let them know that they have a shopping cart that needs to be picked up. So the store sent a truck to go and pick it up. A phone call would be a lot easier than hauling them to the store yourself.

-I know in California, there is a shopping cart law that is written on most shopping carts that say that is illegal to take the shopping cart off the store property.

-In las vegas at a Dollar Tree store I went to, they had a devise on each cart, if I remember properly, that prevents the wheels from rolling if the cart goes outside of the parking lot area. Pretty crazy.

-As for amping it up, dont be afraid to ask people for their scrap. Some people will look at you weird and others will be so greatfull that you stopped by.