There are few things in this world more infuriating then a porch pirate stealing a package from your doorstep. That’s especially true around the holidays, when that package likely contains a gift for a loved one that you won’t be able to reorder in time for your family gift exchange. According to security.org, almost 40% of people have been victims of package theft. Mark Rober has spent years building glitter bomb bait packages to punish those filthy animals with Kevin McAllister-style traps. His newest version of the glitter bomb was finished just in time for the holidays, and it is better than ever with its "Cybertruck aesthetic."
If you have somehow haven’t seen Rober’s previous glitter bomb bait packages, you have been missing out on a whole lot of fun. Each package is designed to look like it contains a pair of high-end headphones in order to entice thieves, but the text on the box actually contains quotes from Home Alone to hint at its true purpose. When a porch pirate opens up the box, a spinning mechanism flings very fine glitter all over the room. Then very powerful “fart spray” is spritzed onto everything nearby. Last but not least, audio messages start to play to trick the pirates into thinking that they’re in real trouble. The device inside the box is equipped with four smartphones to record the action and send the videos back to Rober, and GPS tracking is enabled to determine where the package is disposed of so that it can be recovered.
Under the hood lies a similar battery-powered, SAM D21-based main board as in previous years (courtesy of Sean Hodgins), but with the addition of an Adafruit FONA setup for GSM connection. This allows Rober to fully control the functions of the phones at anytime, including remotely triggering sounds on command. Rober made a few changes to the glitter bomb this year that seem minor at first, but which do a lot to increase the efficacy of the trap. One of the most important is a set of spring-loaded pins that shoot out when the box is opened. These keep the pirate from closing the box, ensuring that they can’t avoid their comeuppance. Rober also added bright red and blue LEDs that start flashing along with the police scanner audio to really sell the effect. What's more, the device handles were covered in incredibly sticky glue to coat the thief’s hands.
Finally, charging pins were built into the bottom of the box. These are used to keep the battery topped up when the box is placed on a special doormat. As in previous years, the results are exactly as hilarious as you’d expect. Plenty of porch pirates snatched the bait packages and all of their reactions are caught on video. Make sure you watch Rober’s video until the end to see all of that glorious karma.
