Woman Targeted By Kidney Beans Trick 'Used By Burglars'
The woman claims an ex-police officer warned her the beans have a sinister meaning
A woman has issued a warning after claiming her house was targeted by would-be thieves who used a crafty trick involving a tin of beans to try and find out if the property was empty.
The homeowner, who lives in North Tyneside, said she woke up yesterday morning to find that someone had poured out an entire tin of kidney beans onto her front door and step.
The woman initially thought it was just a silly prank but after speaking to a relative who used to be in the police, was told the beans actually had a far more sinister reason for being there.
Advert
She explained that the ex-police officer told her the kidney beans were used as a tactic to try and find out if people were home or not.
Sharing a photo of the spilled beans on her doorstep on Facebook, she wrote: "Well I woke up to this left on our doorstep this morning.
"Apparently this is a known trick of burglars. If not cleaned up in a couple of days they know you are not home and in they go.
Advert
"Thankfully I'm home and cleaned this up, whoever it was done this about 1am this morning. Look out for your neighbours, especially those who are on holiday."
The post quickly went viral, picking up more than 2,000 shares on Facebook, with people urging others to remain vigilant for bizarre spills outside their homes.
She also warned social media users that it isn't just beans that are used.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, she said: "It's not just beans.
"They use anything that you would have to clean up and that is not going to wash away with a bit of rain."
Advert
The woman said since the incident she had been keeping watch over her neighbours' houses just in case they had anything similar happen to them.
She went on to say she'd decided to share the post in an attempt to warn others up and down the country.
"I posted about it because I wanted to warn people and get them to look out for each other," she added.
"If it helps one person it was worth it."
Claire Reid