A man who became tired of people stealing packages off his front porch created an invention so that no thieves would ever come back to take his packages.
Jaireme Barrow created the “The Blank Box,” a package stealing deterrent using shotgun blanks and fishing wire that makes a loud “bang” noise when someone lifts up a package.
Barrow was tired of having packages stolen from his front porch and police making no arrests despite there being a surveillance camera in the front of his Tacoma, Washington home, the Washington Post reported.
“I was thinking, how could I scare them and make them drop my package and then never come to my front porch again,” Barrow told The Washington Post. “And I thought, ‘Getting shot at is scary. That’ll make them think twice.'”
Barrow said that sales for “The Blank Box” have gone up in the past month as people look for ways to prevent packages from being stolen around Christmas.
Several videos have been uploaded to YouTube of people trying to grab the package, only for the device to go off, making them scared enough to run away.
“The very first guy I did it to, he was so scared he dropped his cellphone in my front yard,” Barrow told The Washington Post. “I gave it to the cops. Turns out, he lived, like, three blocks away from me.” Barrow added that the man wasn’t charged.
“One girl, she screamed so loud — it was instant karma,” he said. “Someone is trying to commit a crime, and you’re able to get back at them instantly. It’s a satisfaction I can’t describe.”
Tacoma police say the device is illegal because assembling or shipping explosive devices without a license is not permitted under Washington State law.
“Even though it’s a blank, the way the device is made is actually illegal,” said Loretta Cool, a Tacoma police spokeswoman.
“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,” Cool added.
Tacoma police are not investigating this however because no victim has come forward to report it.
Watch a news report several real life caught on tape moments below.
