Porch pirates, be warned. Man leaves package of cat poop for would-be thieves.
The next time a box appears on a front porch, it might be a good idea to just leave it alone.
A man in Fresno recently got creative fighting back against thieves looking to loot the porches of unsuspecting residents. It was all done with lots of help of a friendly feline.
A YouTube video of a recent porch theft was posted Dec. 14. It has been seen nearly 1.2 million times online as of noon Sunday. The YouTuber user, identified on the post as Alec Armbruster of Fresno, edited together clips of him boxing up soiled kitty litter. And a music track lays out his plan clearly: “It’s not an iPhone, not a Fire Stick, it’s a box full of my cat’s piss and (expletive).”
After wrapping the box, Armbruster gently places it on his front porch as his cat looks on from inside the house at nighttime. Then, at in the daylight, a camera catches someone in a black hoodie walking up to the porch. The person knocks on the door and then appears to look around.
In seconds, the person picks up the box and heads to a black car driving down the road. He dives in and is driven away with the box of nothing but cat poop.
Such larceny is part of a wider trend. Dozens, if not hundreds, of videos have been shared online of other instances were homeowners have had their packages stolen from their homes. Most recently, a man built a box that spews fart spray and a bomb of glitter when a person opens it, all in an effort to deter this type of crime.
While the case in Fresno is less spectacular, it stinks just as much. And, this isn’t the first time Armbruster has sent thieves off with poop. In a recent Reddit post, he identified himself as the creator of the video and said this is the second time he has tricked thieves. He also wrote that he has had five real packages stolen and stated that only recently did he set up surveillance cameras. Armbruster did not immediately respond to an email request for comment from The Bee.
Armbruster reported the latest incident to police, who apparently saw the video, too. In a separate video posted to his YouTube account, he speaks with officers and the light-hearted discussion revolves around the “quality cat poop” used to trick the thief. The officers are also heard saying that capturing the theft on video was a good idea. The suspected thief’s face is clearly seen on video as he stands around.
Fresno police Sgt. Donnie Dinnel said Sunday that police are seeing an increase in porch thefts and recommend shoppers have their items delivered to safe delivery locations, like Amazon lockers.
“It’s a big gamble at this point and time to have them delivered to the porch,” Dinnel said. “Chances are, your stuff is being watched.”
Dinnel said police see a clear link between the porch thefts of unprotected boxes with consumers increasingly shopping online — and thefts happen more during the holiday season.
If a thief is caught by police, Dinnel says it does happen, they can face misdemeanor charges. If stolen items cost more than $950, the thief faces a felony theft charge, Dinnel added.
In his viral post, Armbruster, just one of many victims of porch theft, encouraged his YouTube viewers to report their own theft. Anyone with similar cases in Fresno can communicate with police at (559) 621-7000.
This story was originally published December 23, 2018 at 12:42 PM.