Car owner fears the worst after finding cut-up stuffed animal zip-tied to windshield wiper

A car owner is asking for help after finding a cut-up stuffed animal zip-tied to their windshield wiper.

They shared a photo on Reddit, and admitted it was likely a prank, but comments said there could be something more dangerous going on. Law enforcement, however, says don’t necessarily panic if it happens to you.

What does it mean?

In the Reddit post, Kaniiksu shared a photo of what they found and wrote in part, “I live in an apartment complex with quite a few bored middle-school-aged kids, but on the off-chance someone is mad at me (and this is their weird way of communicating it), I’d like to know.”

Comments on Kaniiksu’s post agreed it was creepy. One noted, “Sometimes people will put things on or under your windshield wipers hoping you notice it after you’ve already gotten in your car and sat down — even putting the keys into the ignition.”

Once the object on the windshield is noticed, the comment said, and the driver gets out to remove whatever it is, “Somebody close by who has been watching will jump into your [driver’s] seat and steal your car.”

A follow-up comment confirmed this can happen, “They stuck a hanger with cans to the muffler. Driver got out to check the sound, then a car thief got right in.”

Are distraction car theft tactics real?

Though statistically rare, there have been real, documented cases of car thieves and carjackers using distraction tactics similar to those described in the Reddit post about a cut-up stuffed animal zip-tied to a windshield wiper.

Law enforcement and independent fact-checkers have weighed in on similar vehicle theft tactics, though not always in the dramatic online form sometimes described. A Snopes investigation found that rumors about criminals routinely using objects like plastic bottles in wheel wells to lure drivers out of their cars have circulated widely online. The tactic, however, is not a verified nationwide scheme.

Police in some U.S. cities are nevertheless warning residents about related risks: Michigan officers have cautioned drivers against leaving cars running unattended, since thieves will quickly jump into idle vehicles and drive off.

Snopes found that while the method has been documented in legitimate police reports, social media posts frequently exaggerate how common or coordinated the practice is.

Nonetheless, police say, if you see something suspicious on your car, do not investigate it alone. Get back in the car, lock the doors, and drive to a well-lit, populated area before removing the object.”

And in an update, Kaniiksu wrote, “I ended up filing a police report and notifying my leasing office. The police said they hadn’t seen anything like it before and couldn’t do much besides document it.” The cops encouraged Kaniiksu to call if it happens again, and Kaniiksu said they would

Meanwhile, the leasing office at Kaniiksu apartment complex checked their cameras, but Kaniiksu said they don’t cover the area where they park. “If people are interested and it (or something similar) happens again, I’ll definitely write another update,” Kaniiksu said.