Annual Christmas Porch Pirate Prank

[Ben]

This guy sets up very sophisticated fake packages for Scroogey porch pirates to steal during the Christmas season. Kind of a long video, but it goes into how he builds the "bombs". A few thoughts from watching it all:

I understand why he only uses glitter and fart spray, but man, would I like to see some more "teachable" materials placed in these devices, considering some of the people that steal them.

Some of the thieves just laugh about the bomb and don't seem to learn anything (which is why I would like to see more teachable materials used). Instances like the mother and boy, where the boy who stole it says "stealing feels good" and the mom says "this is mine" make me wish there were more teachable materials used.

The last sequence of the device involves a 15 second countdown. Most of these idiots either just stand right there and listen to the countdown, or pick it up when it gets to "5" and then try and make it out of their house.

The video maker does say that the vast majority of people who pass the packages do not steal them, so there's that I guess.

https://youtu.be/h4T_LlK1VE4

[230RN]

Can't blame the guy for only using harmess stuff, with our society sue-happy.  I have no doubt more effective "shrapnel" had occurred to him.  But:

"Know your target and what lies beyond, and avoid harming non-target species."

[Hawkmoon]

I remember Glitterbomb v2.0. Impressive engineering.

[Fly320s]

He is doing this for his Youtube channel, not to make people stop stealing packages, obviously.

But...

He could easily ditch the cell phones and glitter and add something very sticky/smelly/permanent to be shot out of the box.  Maybe a dye marker like the banks use.  Or replace the fart spray with pepper spray.  Or aerosol super glue so the thieves glue themselves to anything they touch.

[Ben]

He is doing this for his Youtube channel, not to make people stop stealing packages, obviously.

But...

He could easily ditch the cell phones and glitter and add something very sticky/smelly/permanent to be shot out of the box.  Maybe a dye marker like the banks use.  Or replace the fart spray with pepper spray.  Or aerosol super glue so the thieves glue themselves to anything they touch.

I agree on the channel.

Also, I reiterate I know the reasons he tries to be "harmless" with the prank. However, given the lowlifes that are recorded, there seems like there are a lot of happy mediums between totally harmless, annoying, and likely to get him sued.

Like something smellier as the gas, or if they make it, some kind of "sticky glitter" that would still work with his distribution method. Too many of the scum laughed at the glitter, which they probably vacuumed up in under 30 minutes. If it was something that couldn't be easily picked up, it might teach them more of a lesson.

I recall last year I think, one of the punks couldn't wait to get home, so opened it in his car. Even non-stick, I bet that to this day, he's finding glitter in his car. 

[RocketMan]

I agree on the channel.

Also, I reiterate I know the reasons he tries to be "harmless" with the prank. However, given the lowlifes that are recorded, there seems like there are a lot of happy mediums between totally harmless, annoying, and likely to get him sued.

Like something smellier as the gas, or if they make it, some kind of "sticky glitter" that would still work with his distribution method. Too many of the scum laughed at the glitter, which they probably vacuumed up in under 30 minutes. If it was something that couldn't be easily picked up, it might teach them more of a lesson.

I recall last year I think, one of the punks couldn't wait to get home, so opened it in his car. Even non-stick, I bet that to this day, he's finding glitter in his car.  

"... likely to get him sued."   More likely get him charged with some sort of assault for building booby traps.  One of these days the popo are going to be knocking on his door.  Especially since many DAs and city attorneys are not charging low-lifes for minor crimes these days.  He'll be charged as a bad guy instead.

[griz]

I like the idea of something that's at least hard to clean up.  Maybe some kind of glue and feathers?  Lots of messiness in a small volume.

[T.O.M.]

"... likely to get him sued."   More likely get him charged with some sort of assault for building booby traps.  One of these days the popo are going to be knocking on his door.  Especially since many DAs and city attorneys are not charging low-lifes for minor crimes these days.  He'll be charged as a bad guy instead.

Maybe. And here's why I say this.  Prosecutors are elected,  so they are politicians.   I imagine that the majority of voters hate porch pirates.  Going to court against this guy in favor of a thief, especially if there are no injuries to the pirate, is not going to help in the next election.  Then again, in some locations, it might.

[BlueStarLizzard]

I think the more likely lawsuit would be something involving defamation. Even if it gets thrown out (and I can't help but think it will) being sued in of itself is a nightmare.

Most of the thieves don't seem all that astute, but eventually it will hit someone who's just smart enough to go see a lawyer and not smart enough to realize that sueing someone the majority of people actually like and agree with is more damning than just stealing a package and being caught on video.

[Fly320s]

I think the more likely lawsuit would be something involving defamation. Even if it gets thrown out (and I can't help but think it will) being sued in of itself is a nightmare.

Most of the thieves don't seem all that astute, but eventually it will hit someone who's just smart enough to go see a lawyer and not smart enough to realize that sueing someone the majority of people actually like and agree with is more damning than just stealing a package and being caught on video.

This, plus career criminals sue everyone for everything because they can.  The one-off thieves will do their best to hide their shame, but eventually the odds catch up.

In the video that Mark Rober said, "Maybe they are just a group of buddies who love to cruise around together for a couple of hours and admire all sorts of different cars."   He knows what's up.  And he doesn't like it, same as us, but since he is a public figure making public videos he can't call a hood a hood.

[Ben]

In the video that Mark Rober said, "Maybe they are just a group of buddies who love to cruise around together for a couple of hours and admire all sorts of different cars."   He knows what's up.  And he doesn't like it, same as us, but since he is a public figure making public videos he can't call a hood a hood.

Don't forget the likely gunshots during recording.

[bedlamite]

And glitter bomb 4.0 is out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c584TGG7jQ

[Ben]

I know he has to be careful for legal reasons as to what he puts in there, but I sure wish he'd find something worse than glitter. Or some kind of stink spray that would take a month to dissipate. 

[Brad Johnson]

I know he has to be careful for legal reasons as to what he puts in there, but I sure wish he'd find something worse than glitter. Or some kind of stink spray that would take a month to dissipate. 

Cadaverine.

Brad

[BobR]

Cadaverine.

Brad

Mercaptan, lots of mercaptan.

bob

[bedlamite]

Putrescine, Pyridine, Butyric acid

[zxcvbob]

Musk.  Like from a dog's ass glands, although some game animals might be even worse.

[Ben]

Rereading the thread, regarding cops: In this latest video he said that next year the San Francisco police are going to work with him.

[HankB]

Many - perhaps most - states have laws that prohibit using a "mechanism" that will cause or is likely to cause serious injury or death.

So no nail bombs or sulfuric acid sprays unless you want to spend a decade or two at the Graybar Motel.

Glitter or fart spray seem pretty harmless to me. As does skunk scent . . .

[Fly320s]

He needs to stop blurring the faces of the thieves.  Everyone should know who they are.

[Bogie]

Personally, I'd go with a pressurized can of ether, a few ounces of acetylene, and a sparker, sitting on top of a thinwall quart bottle of 87 octane. Then again, I'm an ahole.
 
Basically, the guy's videos are "IED 401" courses.
 
Don't leave it on YOUR front stoop. Pick an abandoned building. I'd worry that, even with just glitter, the thieves would return, and burn it... 

[BlueStarLizzard]

I know he has to be careful for legal reasons as to what he puts in there, but I sure wish he'd find something worse than glitter. Or some kind of stink spray that would take a month to dissipate. 

He does use stink spray.

[Ben]

He does use stink spray.

Yeah, but it looks pretty harmless and dissipates quickly. Half the crooks laugh about it. I want to see something that (literally) sticks around for a while.

[WLJ]

He does use stink spray.

Judging from the videos it doesn't stink nearly enough

[bedlamite]

He says it's the last year, and there are drones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWeu2dxHRDg&ab_channel=MarkRober