[Humour] Doorstep parcel thieves beware....

[The Andy Naylor Fan Club]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-46604625

A former Nasa engineer spent six months building a glitter bomb trap to trick thieves after some parcels were stolen from his doorstep.

The device, hidden in an Apple Homepod box, used four smartphones, a circuit board and 1lb (453g) of glitter.

Mark Rober, who is now a Youtuber, caught the original thieves on his home security camera.

He decided to take action after the police said they were unable to investigate the case.
He designed the elaborate bomb so that it would be activated when the package in which it was hidden was opened by thieves. The phone cameras and microphones would record the moment.

The device contained an accelerometer to detect motion.

When the parcel was jostled, the device would check the GPS signal to see if it had been moved from its spot.

If it had, then it would send a signal to activate the phones and start recording.

The glitter was in a cup that spun round on a motor when released as the box was opened.

The device was also engineered to squirt a tube of fart spray every 30 seconds.

The video is well worth a watch. Capturing video of the culprits and their reactions...

https://youtu.be/xoxhDk-hwuo

 

[Easy 10]

Was watching this earlier (the fun starts at around 5 minutes in). Excellent. What kind of thieving pikey filth nicks packages from someones doorstep ?
For the drivers, I'd be giving the CCTV to the police to trace the numberplates. Scum.

 

[RandyWanger]

Bloody brilliant. I want to buy one.

 

[dolphins]

That's brilliant - love the sound of the fart spray going off too!

Thanks for sharing this on here...

 

[portlock seagull]

It’s incredible just how many ‘normal’ people do this - thieves all of them, our justice system can’t cope with the sheer volumes involved but would find time to prosecute the homeowner for kicking five bells out of em. Depressing really. Seems everyone’s on the take, honesty really is a pastime seemingly.

 

[marlowe]

......our justice system can’t cope with the sheer volumes involved but would find time to prosecute the homeowner for kicking five bells out of em. Depressing really.

It really is. Because of the sheer frustration and anger of crimes not being investigated or prosecuted by the police many victims of crime are driven to acts of criminality out of sheer desperation to get the justice they deserve. The resources which should have been used to investigate or prosecute the original crime are then merely used to prosecute the crime committed by the original victim. It really pisses me off. Sometimes the police just don't look at the long picture.

 

[Weststander]

That was good.

A sizeable minority in society will always be light fingered, taking anything of value that doesn’t belong to them. Businesses suffer the theft of cash and other frauds by staff, their bizarre reasoning including “it’s a victimless crime”, “they’re making good profits so can afford it”, “I’m worth more than my pay, so it’s only fair”.

 

[The Rivet]

Sheer brilliance and oh so funny........

 

[LamieRobertson]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-46604625

A former Nasa engineer spent six months building a glitter bomb trap to trick thieves after some parcels were stolen from his doorstep.

The device, hidden in an Apple Homepod box, used four smartphones, a circuit board and 1lb (453g) of glitter.

Mark Rober, who is now a Youtuber, caught the original thieves on his home security camera.

He decided to take action after the police said they were unable to investigate the case.
He designed the elaborate bomb so that it would be activated when the package in which it was hidden was opened by thieves. The phone cameras and microphones would record the moment.

The device contained an accelerometer to detect motion.

When the parcel was jostled, the device would check the GPS signal to see if it had been moved from its spot.

If it had, then it would send a signal to activate the phones and start recording.

The glitter was in a cup that spun round on a motor when released as the box was opened.

The device was also engineered to squirt a tube of fart spray every 30 seconds.

The video is well worth a watch. Capturing video of the culprits and their reactions...

https://youtu.be/xoxhDk-hwuo

Would a Omphine be ok...asking on behalf of another poster

 

[Diablo]

Looks very expensive ! but good on him.

 

[The Rivet]

Would have been great if he had mixed the glitter with powered glue that melted with any friction heat.

 

[spongy]

Would have been great if he had mixed the glitter with powered glue that melted with any friction heat.

I have a 4 yo daughter. Glitter is my never ending battle. Even worse at this time of year. Mix it with glue would be awesome. ****ing hate tea leaves.

 

[A mex eyecan]

the only improvement i could think of would be rather than a fart spray that can be chucked out of the window would be a vile of putrid stinking liquid to seep out of the package and soak into the actual fabric of the tea leafs car seat or clothes, make it last for a few days

 

[Official Old Man]

Now, all we have to do to get around this problem is teach the postie to ring the door bell.
As Bozza will testify, I went mental over Black Friday and had daily deliveries and most were just dumped outside despite us being in!!

 

[studio150]

It would be far easier if couriers didn't leave packages by the front door.

 

[portlock seagull]

It really is. Because of the sheer frustration and anger of crimes not being investigated or prosecuted by the police many victims of crime are driven to acts of criminality out of sheer desperation to get the justice they deserve. The resources which should have been used to investigate or prosecute the original crime are then merely used to prosecute the crime committed by the original victim. It really pisses me off. Sometimes the police just don't look at the long picture.

Yep, it's a shame our Police - like Health Service - isn't ring-fenced between parliaments so a long-term strategy can be achieved rather than becoming a political football. Meanwhile, crime pays...

 

[GM98]

This guy could make a lot of money selling these. I want one.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

I can't normally get through these Youtube videos but this was great - especially when, after 6 months of what looks like really hard work (though maybe not so much for a NASA boffin), he said his favourite part of the whole project was the Home Alone details on the delivery sticker!

I very rarely have Amazon deliveries but I'd buy one just for the fun of it all.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

That was good.

A sizeable minority in society will always be light fingered, taking anything of value that doesn’t belong to them. Businesses suffer the theft of cash and other frauds by staff, their bizarre reasoning including “it’s a victimless crime”, “they’re making good profits so can afford it”, “I’m worth more than my pay, so it’s only fair”.

*cough* Cut their goolies off. Cut off the goolies now.

 

[Triggaaar]

Cool, but not sufficient punishment for those scumbags. Bluring out their faces is not acceptable.