By ROBERT FOLKER
Published: 21:10 EST, 13 December 2024 | Updated: 21:19 EST, 13 December 2024
A Premier League club has been forced to apologise after one of its player's rubbish was illegally dumped rubbish outside a block of flats.
Angry residents got in touch with Crystal Palace to report Jefferson Lerma, 30, for fly-tipping.
After an investigation, the club found that the Colombian midfielder had paid for a 'legitimate waste disposal service' to remove the rubbish 'in good faith'.
CCTV footage showed men in cars with fake number plates dump the garbage outside the front of garages behind flats in Streatham, South London, roughly nine miles from Lerma's home.
Recent stormy weather caused the rubbish, which included full carrier bags, broken toys and parcels and boxes with Lerma's address on, to spread across the area.
Angry residents got in touch with Crystal Palace to report Jefferson Lerma, 30, for fly-tipping
After an investigation, the club found that the Colombian midfielder had paid for a 'legitimate waste disposal service' to remove the rubbish 'in good faith'.
The rubbish was dumped outside the front of garages behind flats in Streatham, South London, roughly nine miles from Lerma's home
Heidi Vella, who lives in the flats, told the Sun: 'Fly-tipping is illegal and a social blight and so it was a real shock to the residents here to see a Premier League footballer's rubbish dumped on our property.
'A quick look showed it was Jefferson Lerma's domestic rubbish. Now we want to pursue the 'man with a van' so he is dealt with by law.'
Lerma joined Palace on a free transfer last year after previously signing for Bournemouth for £25million in 2018.
The club apologised for any inconvenience caused.
A statement said: 'When this matter was drawn to our attention, we immediately arranged for the rubbish to be collected and disposed of correctly.'