Alastor Moody's dustbins

"Arnold Weasley, who was charged with possession of a flying car two years ago, was yesterday involved in a tussle with several Muggle law-keepers ("policemen") over a number of highly aggressive dustbins. Mr. Weasley appears to have rushed to the aid of "Mad-Eye" Moody, the aged ex-Auror who retired from the Ministry when no longer able to tell the difference between a handshake and attempted murder."

- Rita Skeeter, reporting in the Daily Prophet

In 1994, Alastor Moody owned a number of dustbins which he kept outside of his residence, ostensibly as a deterrent against intruders. On either 31 August or 1 September, 1994, an alleged disturbance by one of his neighbours caused the supposedly enchanted dustbins to be set off and fire rubbish everywhere. When the police arrived to investigate, one of the dustbins was still going off. Arthur Weasley was sent to investigate. This incident was later reported by Rita Skeeter in an article in the Daily Prophet.

Barty Crouch Jr. later revealed that he had in fact set off the dustbins himself. This served as cover, allowing the disturbance that the neighbours heard to be passed as off as alleged intruders.

Appearances
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire