Someone left a strange soft toy on my doorstep, just outside the view of my doorbell camera. When they placed it down, the camera flashed white and suddenly switched to what looked like a negative image filter.
Is this something I should be concerned about? What actions should I take aside from reporting it to the police?
It could be a way for someone to check if it’s been moved later, which might indicate if someone has come in or out.
This is sometimes a tactic to see if someone is home. I wouldn’t touch it—no telling where it’s been. Police might not do much, but at least now you know to adjust your camera angle.
Any chance they were using something to interfere with your WiFi? Not sure if that would cause the issue, but it might be worth looking into.
That could have been your camera’s IR filter kicking in. Some cameras switch to black-and-white or inverted colors in certain lighting conditions.
They might have covered the light sensor, or maybe they used an IR light or laser pointer. The camera might have also been briefly blinded by something bright, which forced it to adjust exposure.
Does your camera seem to be working normally now?
I wouldn’t jump straight to thinking it’s a marking scheme. After all, they wouldn’t know if you, a neighbor, an animal, or even the wind moved it.
It’s also possible they just found it on the ground and put it somewhere visible.
@MegWhitgal
The toy disappeared after I kicked it into the yard while I was on the phone with the police. That makes me think it might have been some kind of marking tactic.
The camera is working fine now, but it was strange that it glitched right when they did it. I guess kicking it away was the best move.
Put a hat on it and see what happens next.
Are you sure it wasn’t just a lost dog toy?
Jayce said:
Are you sure it wasn’t just a lost dog toy?
It looked like a child’s toy, kind of like this: https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcSyQZTUExhVqwnctdQzQ3Apv59r2-E9yoDE9yG1iIrGa_hmARUnZYIP8mE0wTlMhNP5IWlGolqU0WMdI5xKmW4ig56P1Df-dxNt26q9PSqJ56y1YMj7M5sfFA
Maybe it was meant as a gift? Late Valentine’s surprise?
What kind of doorbell camera are you using?
What time of day did this happen?
It might be a trick to see if someone is home. I usually leave stuff like that there for a while before moving it.
Another tactic they use is placing something on the door that falls when you open it, making it obvious that someone was inside. Same with cars—sometimes I take an Uber home and walk around outside just to make it seem like someone is always home.
@Kurt
So you think someone is targeting your house, and your plan is to leave the object there longer?
MegWhitgal said:
@Kurt
So you think someone is targeting your house, and your plan is to leave the object there longer?
Mostly just to throw them off. If they’re checking to see when it moves, leaving it there for a while might make them think no one’s home when I actually am.
You should’ve hung it from a tree to freak them out.