I've heard stories about people putting out old appliances and furniture out on the curb with a "free" sign. It sits out there for 4 weeks. Then they put out a sign that says "$20. inquire within" And an hour later it was stolen.

Man macht das, ja. Why not? One man's trash is another's treasure.

CR user here. One time we were taking some items out of my house in order to have them recycled for parts. I was taking out an old washing machine we had replaced some time ago, needing some major fixes to go back to usability... it had already been taken away by someone in the five minutes it took me to return back to the front of my house with another batch of things, and I couldn't help to chuckle at the speed in which things got recycled in my neighborhood

We have actual FB groups in many cities in my country where people tell others where there are skips usually accompanied with image. Even my own apartment building allows people to leave things they don't need for other people to take. My rocking chair, hallway table, and a lot of other stuff were found in one of these ways. I think I have bought maybe 5 furniture pieces in my life, the rest are someone's cast-offs although some could be classed as antiques. My dining table was my great grandma's. People don't really leave stuff at the curb here though.