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@stevo_com
Dodgy, theft is defined (in the UK at least) as the folowing;
The (1)dishonest (2)appropriation of (3)property (4)belonging to another with the (5)intention of permanently depriving them of it.
all 5 points have to be in place for it to be theft, so in the case of a skip, anything in it has been thrown away by the previous owner so therefore really doesn't belong to anyone, negating number (4). However, you could also say that the stuff in the skip is now the property of the skip hire company and is their responsibility for disposal.
If they then turn round and say the above or they were using the skip to store stuff (ludicrous but possible) there is the fact that you honestly thought it was rubbish therefore negating point number (1).
Conversely, if you put stuff in someone else's skip, they are paying for the space in that skip and you are taking it from them so you could get done for that.
It is unlikely you'd get collared for taking something out of a skip/dumpster, it just depends on how bad a day the previous owner/copper is having or how much of a dick they are.