The law is very weird about this. The whole issue of it being illegal in some places is that the law considers it “stolen property.” I know it doesn’t make sense, but that’s the law. So when they sell it and you buy it, you paid for it, proving that it is not stolen.

That said, even if you get free ones from here and there, I doubt anybody is going to enforce the law.

Thanks, Billy!

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I drive / deliver dairy products. Those products arrive at the schools, stores, bakeries, etc in milk crates. Each delivery, I pick up the empty ones and take them back to the warehouse (so they be refilled & used again). “The store or restaurant” manager may not care and give permission to take them, but the crates are technically not *their* property to decide to give away so their permission is pretty much useless. A person may be able to claim ignorance “I asked the store and they said it was ok”, but I wouldn’t bank on it (possession of stolen property, even if you’re unaware it was “stolen” / honestly feel you had the required permission, is still a crime)