Tired Of This
Each time he stepped outside and discovered that someone had helped themselves to his packages, he felt his frustration mounting. It was disheartening to see his hard-earned money being wasted, and he had reached his breaking point. However, one day, he heard a sudden loud noise followed by a scream. In that moment, he leaned back and a slow, satisfied smile spread across his face.
Tired Of This
The Porch Bandits
In the United States, approximately one-third of all packages delivered to residential homes never make it to their intended recipients. This is not due to the postal service’s inefficiencies or unscrupulous vendors, but rather the actions of greedy porch pirates who cannot resist the temptation of unattended packages on a hardworking individual’s doorstep. Arthur Russell had grown weary of this ongoing issue and was determined to put an end to it.
The Porch Bandits
A Reasonable Guy
Despite the frustration he felt, Arthur was not an unreasonable man. He took great pride in the self-discipline he had cultivated during his time in military. Arthur was a humble individual who had worked tirelessly to earn everything he had, only for someone else to brazenly take what belonged to him. The first time this happened, Arthur was angry. However, as it continued to occur, he got so angry hat he knew he had to take action.
A Reasonable Guy
No Shame
The audacious thieves had stolen everything from Arthur – from small items like toilet paper to expensive automotive parts for his Jeep – while he was away at work. Despite his attempts to take the high road and report the thefts to the police, they showed no interest in addressing his problem. Fed up with his mounting losses, Arthur was determined to do something about the frustrating situation on his own.
No Shame
Arthur’s Plan
Despite making multiple calls to the police, Arthur received no assistance in resolving the issue of porch theft. Undeterred, he set to work creating the ultimate revenge box, intended to teach the next porch pirate a lesson they wouldn’t soon forget. This thief would quickly discover that Arthur possessed a unique set of skills and an unusual hobby that made him more than capable of handling the situation.
Arthur’s Plan
Navy SEAL Training
Arthur’s background as a former Navy SEAL specializing in Unconventional Warfare had prepared him for the most dangerous of missions, with grueling training that tested his physical and mental endurance. This experience had forged his mind that relied on calculation and determination to overcome any obstacle. In his free time, Arthur also enjoyed constructing booby traps, a hobby that would prove invaluable when dealing with the porch pirates who had targeted him. Unaware of the perfect storm they were creating, these thieves had no idea who they were dealing with.
Navy SEAL Training
Complex Box
At first, Arthur attempted to construct a complex trap, but he eventually realized that a simpler approach would be more effective. He settled on a trap that featured a snare, which he modified to function like a finger trap. However, Arthur was not satisfied with the initial design and wanted to create something more effective. He was determined to make the porch pirate regret targeting him in the first place, and he knew he needed to create a trap that would accomplish just that.
Complex Box
Scaring Them Away
Arthur shared: “I was thinking, how could I scare them and make them drop my package and then never come to my front porch again.” Arthur pondered the problem extensively, with his primary objective being to scare off the porch pirates without causing any harm. He knew that involving the police would only complicate matters, so he needed to devise a trap that would deter the thieves without putting them in any danger.
Scaring Them Away
A New Idea
Arthur dedicated himself to drawing draft after draft until he felt he had found the perfect solution. He ultimately decided to discard the idea of snares and opt for something more explosive. Scrapping his previous concept entirely, he began to develop a new idea by brainstorming and jotting down various options. Eventually, it occurred to him that he could rig the trap in such a way that nobody would be hurt. He set out to create a plan that would frighten the porch pirate while ensuring their safety.
A New Idea
Getting Supplies
Arthur carefully crafted a list of necessary supplies and headed to the hardware store to purchase everything required for his revenge box. As he exited the store, he couldn’t help but feel that the cashier was watching him closely. He considered the possibility that the cashier may have suspected his intentions, but ultimately he did not care about their perceptions. He knew that he did not owe anyone an explanation for his actions, and was content with allowing others to make their own assumptions, regardless of their accuracy.
Getting Supplies
A False Delivery
Arthur spent the remainder of the day carefully constructing his device and altering a box to appear as an official goods package. Once he had finished, he stepped back and surveyed his handiwork with a sense of satisfaction. Moving the box to his backyard, he decided to test it out and could not contain his excitement as it performed exactly as he had engineered it to do.
A False Delivery
Testing It Out
Arthur conducted another test, this time covering his ears as the explosive component went off. Despite the loud noise, he was pleased to see that it was reliable and consistent. However, there was one final piece missing to complete his plan. Without hesitation, Arthur hopped in his car and drove to the nearest store to purchase a security camera. With this addition, he knew there would be no avoiding his trap.
Testing It Out
Camera On The Door
Arthur came back home and installed a doorbell camera to capture the thief’s face while he was at work. When he tested the camera’s footage, he was not disappointed with the footage he got. All he had to do now was set up the trap and wait. As expected, he didn’t have to wait very long as that very evening, he caught his first victim while sitting on his couch.
Camera On The Door
Trying To Be Casual
As Arthur monitored the live footage from the doorbell camera on his phone, he observed an unsuspecting woman brazenly approaching his front porch. Despite her intentions, she appeared completely at ease. Arthur was both fascinated and outraged by her audacity. He couldn’t believe that someone could be so casual right before committing a crime. Perhaps that was part of her plan so as to suppress any suspicion from passersby.
Trying To Be Casual
The First Time
Arthur’s eyes are fixed on the woman’s every move. He watches as she walks up to the door and reaches out to ring the doorbell, but suddenly stops in her tracks as the motion sensor light flashes on. Arthur can see the fear in her eyes, and he can almost hear her thoughts as she weighs the risk of proceeding with her theft. Just then, Arthur’s attention is drawn to a vehicle parked in the background. A man is sitting behind the wheel, urging the woman to turn around and complete her mission. Arthur feels a surge of anger and determination. He won’t let these criminals get away with their brazen theft.
The First Time
Completely Startled
After a moment of hesitation, the woman returns to the porch, snatches the package, and triggers Arthur’s trap. There’s a deafening explosion, and the woman screams and bolts back to the car, leaving her phone behind. Arthur can’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction as he sits back and smirks, wondering what the thief must be thinking now.
Completely Startled
Totally Effective
Arthur’s device is a clever and effective deterrent against package thieves, but he can’t help but wonder if it’s legal. He doesn’t want to get into trouble with the law, even if he believes his actions are justified. He decides to do some research to make sure he’s not breaking any laws by using his device.
Totally Effective
Technically Illegal
According to state law, it is illegal to construct explosive devices without a proper license, which raises concerns about the legality of Arthur’s “Boom Box.” The police have expressed their disapproval of his creation. A police spokeswoman named Loretta Cool said: “Even though it’s a blank, the way the device is made is actually illegal. If the would-be package thief is hurt in any way, the homeowner would be responsible.”
Technically Illegal
Is It Also A Crime?
Cool continued: “Even more than him crossing the line, I’m not sure if people realize that, even though this person is stealing something, he can’t intentionally set them up to be hurt.” She even went on to say that the trap itself could be a crime, but it would be up to the thieves to lay the criminal charges, but as you might imagine, then they’d be implicating themselves too. That’s probably why that hasn’t happened.
Is It Also A Crime?
He Claimed It’s Safe
Arthur insists that his device, nicknamed the “Boom Box,” is completely safe despite its intimidating appearance. He claims to have conducted numerous tests, including using a ripe tomato as a substitute for a potential thief, to ensure that it won’t cause any harm. He said in an interview: “It never hurt me once. It didn’t hurt the tomato in there either.” Despite this, authorities are not convinced and have warned against creating explosive devices without a proper license.
He Claimed It’s Safe
Take Precautions
Arthur advised that those who want to emulate his invention should take legal precautions first. He recommends posting a “no trespassing” sign and attaching a warning note to the box to avoid legal issues. These measures can help protect the homeowner from potential lawsuits, as Arthur had learned.
Take Precautions
He Wouldn’t Be Deterred
Despite the legal and police challenges surrounding his invention, Arthur remained undeterred in his pursuit of catching thieves. The risk of lawsuits did not dissuade him from continuing to use his foolproof device, which repeatedly caught would-be burglars in the act. Arthur was resolute in his belief that the device was safe and effective, and he refused to let the legal repercussions or naysayers stand in the way of his goal.
He Wouldn’t Be Deterred
Teaching Them A Lesson
Arthur deployed his trap once more, with the hope of teaching another thief a valuable lesson. In just a few days, his plan was successful once again. The thief approached the porch, intending to grab the package, but as soon as he did, there was a loud explosion. The entire sequence played out exactly as Arthur had anticipated. “I know it’s crude, but there’s nothing scarier than a 12-gauge,” Arthur stated.
Teaching Them A Lesson
Catching So Many Thieves
Despite the police’s disapproval of his Boom Box, Arthur’s complaints were starting to be taken more seriously, and his invention successfully caught 20 would-be thieves. The police could easily identify the culprits by reviewing the footage from his doorbell camera. While Arthur acknowledges that his solution is not flawless, he believes that it offers something unique.
Catching So Many Thieves
Not Changing A Thing
His solution gave him the satisfaction of watching the would-be thieves running away without his things! As long as thieves continue to target Arthur’s porch, he plans to keep his Boom Box in place. However, the Boom Box wasn’t the only defense mechanism that Arthur had in his arsenal.
Not Changing A Thing
Boots As Backup
Although Arthur was not married and didn’t live with a partner, he was not living on his own. His roommate was none other than his 8 year old tomcat named Boots. Arthur realized that when Boots was napping on the porch, the porch pirates would avoid it altogether. They didn’t want to risk waking the cat and getting attacked or scratched. So Arthur started strategically placing Boots on the porch whenever he was expecting a delivery. It worked like a charm, and Arthur enjoyed the added bonus of spending more time with his furry companion.
Boots As Backup
Used Kitty Litter
While he was still experimenting, Arthur decided that he would play a trick on the thieves. He took an empty Amazon box that he had at home and filled it with Boots’ used kitty litter. That way, the thieves would find a nasty surprise inside the box that they stole. Did it work?
Used Kitty Litter
A Problem
As Arthur observed from the window, a man approached his porch and quickly snatched his Amazon package, eliciting a chuckle from Arthur. However, a complication arose when his neighbor stumbled upon the discarded, open box with Arthur’s address a few blocks away. The thief had opened the box and discarded it on the side of the road, but that wasn’t the end of it.
A Problem
Neighborly Advice
Arthur’s neighbor stumbled upon the discarded box and found the note inside addressed to the thief, which read: “Hi, you’re on camera. F-you thief. Hope you like cat crap.” Being a victim of porch pirates himself, the neighbor quickly realized what Arthur was up to. While he shared Arthur’s disdain for package thieves, he couldn’t stand the sight of litter on the street.
Neighborly Advice
A Shiny New Idea
Arthur appreciated his neighbor’s advice and took it into consideration. He continued to experiment with different ideas, including filling the box with garbage, but it didn’t have the desired effect. So he decided to come up with something new.
A Shiny New Idea
A Glittering Mess
Arthur’s final plan was to create a glitter bomb, which he came up with after experimenting with filling the box with garbage. To create the glitter bomb, he blew up a balloon and filled it with glitter and confetti. He then placed a pin inside the box and created a lever so that when the box was opened, the glitter would explode onto the thief’s clothes. However, the glitter bomb did not work as well as Arthur had hoped, as it would not scare them away for good.
A Glittering Mess
Causing Controversy
Arthur’s numerous prank experiments had sparked a debate online. While he was fed up with the packages he bought with his hard-earned money being stolen, some people questioned whether it was right to deter the thieves in this way. Although Arthur’s pranks were not scary enough until he used blanks, the use of explosive devices to catch thieves was still a controversial issue.
A Misnomer?
Not The Only One
Some individuals who have fallen victim to porch piracy believe that the term “porch pirate” is too mild to describe these habitual thieves. For many, they represent the darkest side of our society. One such person is Christine Hyatt, who, like Arthur, has a story to tell about her encounters with these despicable individuals.
Not The Only One
Medical Supplies Were Stolen
Christine’s daughter has diabetes, and she depends on receiving packages that contain vital medical equipment. Unfortunately, thieves have stolen over 20 of her packages this year, with six of them containing her daughter’s much-needed supplies. This has made Christine as angry and vengeful as Arthur, and she has also set up prank boxes to teach porch pirates a lesson. Their neighborhood is one of the hardest hit by these criminals, and the impact is evident.
Medical Supplies Were Stolen
Absolute Frustration
When porch piracy becomes a rampant problem in a neighborhood, it raises concerns about safety. If thieves are bold enough to drive around in broad daylight and target homes for theft, what else are they capable of doing? This was a question that haunted Christine and Arthur and a significant motivation for their acts of revenge. However, not everyone shared their viewpoint.
Absolute Frustration
Thieves Are Defended?
The topic sparked a heated discussion on a Reddit thread, with many users surprisingly defending the actions of porch pirates. One Redditor wrote: “It’s all fun and games until one of the would-be robbers sues for PTSD.” Another chimed in: “I don’t get this. You’re placing your property out there. It’s not the thief’s fault if he decided to take it and then gain access to its contents.”
Thieves Are Defended?
Not A Free For All
According to some people, anything outside of your house is fair game. However, this is completely untrue. If that were the case, then by the same logic, leaving your car parked in your driveway or having your outdoor furniture, decor, lights, and plants in your yard would also be fair game. A homeowner’s property includes anything within the territorial limits of their home, including front, back, and side lawns.
Not A Free For All
No Help From Authorities
Mostly, people online expressed their shared disdain for porch pirates, and their disappointment in how law enforcement authorities were not doing enough to address the issue. This left many people, such as Arthur and Christine, feeling like they had no other option but to take matters into their own hands and serve justice themselves. What course of action would you take?
No Help From Authorities
What To Do?
If you were a victim of porch piracy and found that your complaints to the police were ineffective, would you consider taking matters into your own hands, even if it risked injuring a thief? Or would you seek an alternative solution? Ultimately, the best course of action would be one that is safe and does not result in any legal consequences for you.
What To Do?
It Is Not Right
Stealing packages from other people’s porches is not okay because it is a violation of their property rights and personal space. It is a form of theft and can cause financial and emotional harm to the victim, especially if the package contains important or valuable items. It also creates a sense of insecurity and fear for the victim, as they may feel unsafe in their own home and neighborhood. Porch piracy is not only illegal but also immoral, and it is important to respect the property and privacy of others.
It Is Not Right