Codes: Report Abandoned or Off-premises Shopping Carts

The City’s new Shopping Cart Ordinance is now being enforced and Las Cruces Codes Enforcement is asking for help locating carts that may have been abandoned or are still being used, contrary to the ordinance, off premises.

The new Shopping Cart Ordinance, adopted by City Council in August 2024, makes it unlawful to remove from the premises, possess, abandon or alter a shopping cart that belongs to a retail establishment. Violation of the ordinance is a petty misdemeanor under the Las Cruces Municipal Code.

The Las Cruces Police Department chose to delay enforcement of the ordinance until Oct. 16 to allow for education of the new regulation and the return of carts that may be in the possession of individuals within the community. Before LCPD began enforcing the new ordinance, police and codes enforcement collected 133 shopping carts during two events held Oct. 10 and Oct. 15.

More shopping carts are believed to be abandoned or are still being used, contrary to the ordinance, off-premises.

Anyone who knows of abandoned retail establishment carts, or the off-premises use of them, is encouraged to call the non-emergency phone number at (575) 526-0795 or Codes Enforcement at (575) 528-4100.

A report can also be made using the Ask Las Cruces app. The Ask Las Cruces app is available for most devices on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

After collecting abandoned or off-premises shopping carts, Codes personnel will determine what businesses own the carts and contact them so the carts can be retrieved.