The padlock idea simply stems from the fact that I would put the stuff in the dumpster and send a friend to pick it up later. When the police catch him he can simply say he was dumpster diving and that since the items had been placed in the garbage he didn't think they were wanted. The police wouldn't even bother to fill out the paperwork for that so he would be off scott free and you still wouldn't know who was the thief within......

Your camera may show my friend not me..... Now you are out the items and you still don't know who stole from you.