Unforgettable Scenes Captured By Security Cameras
Considering what can happen at night or when people are away from home, it's understandable that some people would want to keep their home under the watchful, unblinking eye of a security camera. And that goes double if they've got problems with their neighbors, exes, or boundary-crossing family members.
However, people with security cameras will often find that more happens in their environments than they ever would have expected. Whether these incidents are funny, creepy, or just plain weird, they never would have known about them otherwise. And thankfully, they decided to share their discoveries with the world.
They always catch them making the funniest faces
As security cameras get more technologically advanced, their owners can find they will alert their phones to any suspicious character who happened to stop by. Yet, while this can be a valuable feature at times, it can also lead to its share of false alarms.
For instance, this person was well aware that their cat was supposed to be roaming around their home. However, their security camera apparently wasn't. And of all the photos it could have taken, it chose the one where the cat was licking its own face. That's the kind of unflattering luck usually reserved for driver's license photos.
Good luck sleeping after seeing that
According to Reddit user Unusual-Town4323, their security camera caught this unnerving sight one night at 4:28 am. And there's no explanation for this ghostly image that would bring them much comfort. And the most mundane of these unfortunate explanations isn't likely.
Someone suggested a neighbor could have either broken or wandered into their house, but that seemed unlikely as this figure was taller than anyone who lives in their rural area. So unless it was some bizarre trick of the light, the remaining options are "ghost" or "burglar." Obviously, those aren't great options.
What is this thing?
One night, Reddit user SandipJB's security camera caught this man lurking on their property and holding a large electronic device. Although he abandoned his deeds and left the property once he spotted the security camera, the Redditor soon became curious about what he had and what he was doing.
And the most likely scenario they heard was that this stranger was using that box to scan for the key codes used by cars with keyless entry functions. Once he realized that he wasn't likely to get away with stealing that person's car, he fled and tried his criminal act elsewhere.
A mind of their own
While it would certainly be alarming to see a security camera catching a stranger in the owner's bed, this one happens to be capturing the owner himself. Why? Well, he suspected that he was sleepwalking during the night, so he decided to film his slumber.
And from the looks of the footage, it turns out he was half right. Although his legs are definitely moving while he sleeps, they're not really taking him anywhere. It turns out his subconscious just wants to bicycle-kick the air for no apparent reason.
What is that?
Reddit user fit_then_fat shared some home security footage taken in Costa Rica, where they live. In it, a dimly-lit neighborhood is visited by an odd walking figure on the right. Although the other visible object in this shot is some hanging leaves, there was also a dog that was barking at the figure and keeping its distance.
Although some feared that this was some kind of cryptid, its crab-like movements seemed to suggest that it was an extremely flexible person walking like one if it wasn't a giant crab. Whatever was going on there, it was clear the dog was having none of it.
It turns out it could do this all along
This person has an infrared security camera, and they've been testing out what it can actually see through. This makes their photo a pretty unique case, as the surprise here is not what appeared on that camera but rather what the camera is capable of.
In this case, they learned that the camera's infrared capabilities are strong enough to see through their black Wiimote. One can only assume that this was the start of them trying to see what everything else in their house looked like on the inside.
That's one mystery solved
When Reddit user xFiGGiE came home one day, they noticed that their mailbox had been knocked askew. Since the idea of someone messing around with their mail was a cause for concern, they checked their security cameras to see what happened.
And as it turns out, there weren't as many missing pieces to the story as they may have thought. As this footage makes abundantly clear, some kid on a bike simply ran into it before taking a tumble. It was pretty obviously an accident.
Sometimes, things aren't as scary as they look
At around 4 am, Reddit user Rjw1958USA's security camera caught a strange shadow and a brief glint of light passing across their front door. They were expecting to see a fox or some other local animal on the camera footage but were baffled by what they were looking at.
However, the shape of the shadow led some commenters to realize what was really going on. A spider had built a web close enough to the camera that its shadow appeared to pass in front of the door and showed up as larger than it actually was. And that light is the glint off its web.
An unexpected light
Understandably, this camera's owner couldn't help but be perplexed when he saw this glowing tube float into camera range and hover around his backyard for about 30 seconds. Although it finally moved out of frame after that, it was hard not to wonder what it was.
But rather than ghosts or aliens, the most likely answer seems to be a common pest called a cankerworm. According to Grist Magazine, these little worms have a lot of tiny legs, like this creature did when it was further from the camera. Most tellingly, they're known to glide on wind currents. Oftentimes, they drop on people's heads.
Get a puppy, they said
At the time of this photo, Reddit user SomeChickkkk had recently bought a security camera and wanted to use it to check on her puppy while she was at work. And when she did, she got a hint of what situation would be waiting for her when she returned home.
Whether because of separation anxiety or just because it seemed like a fun thing to do, that puppy was absolutely tearing up the cloth on her patio table. Although the eagle and owl statuettes were able to survive the onslaught, she would end up finding pieces of cloth strewn across her lawn.
Looks like the surveillance device has been compromised
At about 5 am, Reddit user BT278 was alarmed to discover that their security camera had picked up some movement in their house while they were out of town. However, this turned out to be a pretty adorable false alarm.
Apparently, their cat had discovered the camera for the first time and was now poking around and wondering what strange little device it had uncovered. If this was a secret spy mission, this was the precise moment when it would have failed.
The mystery continues
On June 15, 2023, Reddit user AnnArterburn caught sight of a bright, rectangular object with an array of lights silently flying above her home. And when she checked her security camera, she saw that it had already made a pass above her before she stepped outside and spotted it.
Unfortunately, it remains unclear what she saw. Although some suggested it could be a helicopter with a spotlight, she noted that it would both look and sound entirely different to the myriad helicopters she had seen above her home since she lives near a hospital. At least until more information comes in, this is indeed an unidentified flying object.
The cutest behavior
When the owner of this security camera reviewed the footage from his back deck, he caught sight of a raccoon periodically standing and making hugging motions with its front legs. That's a cute image on its own, but what it was actually doing was particularly adorable.
After a while, it was clear that these little motions came at the same time as snowflakes fell into the frame. So, the little raccoon was doing its best to catch the falling snow. It never appeared to catch anything, but it looked incredibly sweet doing it.
A jarring sight that's easy to explain
When Reddit user popson received an alert from their security system at 3 am, they checked their cameras to see who or what had managed to breach their garage. And when they did, they saw what looked like a brightly lit assortment of limbs rappelling through the roof.
Although it's not unheard of for burglars to enter spaces this way, they usually only have two arms and two legs when they do it. Since this creature found it as easy to climb up the rope as it dropped down and didn't damage the garage, it's likely that a spider just dropped too close to the camera's lens.
The "what" is known, but not the "why"
After Reddit user ObesePotato's security camera caught someone fiddling with their air conditioner, they turned to a community for HVAC experts to help figure out what the person did. Since they suddenly stood up and left in the footage, the Redditor deemed it likely that they had finished what they were trying to do before they ran off.
As far as anyone could tell, the person had taken one of the locking caps on the unit, which is needed to pass inspection when installing a unit like this. However, it's unclear whether they were interrupted while trying to steal more parts for the unit or quickly "borrowed" that part while installing someone else's air conditioner. Either way, it's certainly suspicious.
A chilling appearance
Reddit user SCasie shared this photo sent by their mother-in-law after her brother's security camera caught sight of this person walking on his back patio. For the mother-in-law, the person's likeness stuck out in an eerie way because she was the spitting image of her mother, who had passed away about a decade prior.
While it's hard for the woman not to suspect that the ghost of her mother paid her brother a visit, there isn't exactly a comforting alternative to this possibility. After all, any confirmation that there isn't any paranormal activity going on here would indicate that a total stranger has been trespassing on the brother's property for an unknown reason.
The best thing they could have captured
While it's typically a little impractical for a security camera to have a view of the sky, it couldn't have paid off more for one person. They may not have caught any burglars, but they've seen a meteor shoot across at the sky.
That would have been a great sight on its own, but it got even better once that meteor exploded, as shown here. There's someone in every neighborhood who knows everything that happens in it, but only this person knows what's happening above it.
What an interesting philosophical question
While it's hardly unusual for a security camera to mistake its owner's cat for an intruder, it's likely even more common for a curious bird to end up on its radar. And from the looks of things, the camera is having as much trouble trying to figure out what it's looking at as the bird.
And while it's clear what the camera means, since it is likely asking whether it's recording a human intruder, it asks an interesting question. What makes someone a person? Some birds can have a lot of personality, but can one ever be a person?
They're lucky it wasn't Thanksgiving
One day, the owner of this security camera was amused to discover that two turkeys had apparently approached their back door. After some hesitation, the larger one stood at the door and pecked it as if it were knocking.
However, the owner of this house would never find out what it wanted because as soon as it made this noise, their dog started barking at the turkey. That scared both of them away so the owner wouldn't have to deal with any more peck marks on their door.
There's nothing anyone can do about that
When the owner of this security camera noticed their trash bins had been knocked over, they checked the footage to see who was responsible for this. But while they may have expected to see some local pranksters, an animal, or a disgruntled garbage collector, they saw none of the above.
Instead, it turned out that the wind had blown strong enough to knock them over. Moreover, it was blowing with such force that once the bins tipped over, they started circling each other on the sidewalk as if they were sharing a strange dance.
Not as scary as it seems, but not fun
At about 5am, Reddit user cadarn07's security camera emailed them to notify them of movement it detected in their house. And when they checked the footage, they were unnerved to discover a strange flying smudge hovering above their dining room table.
It's a little hard to see here but it looks a little like a spherical orb in the grainy footage. However, it seemed much more likely to commenters that the camera just detected a large bug. Still, that's a bigger bug to deal with than most people would want.
The cameras don't just watch strangers
Although security cameras are often installed to alert homeowners about anyone (or anything) who isn't supposed to be there, they are just as good as catching the situations that those who belong there end up facing. Unfortunately for this woman, that also includes their mistakes.
At first, there isn't much noteworthy activity going on in this footage but that changes when she gets to the door connecting the garage to the rest of the house. When she opened the door, she apparently forgot to get out of its way and just pulled it into a collision course with her face. Oops.
Nothing was broken but his pride
After a moment of calm, this man's security camera caught him awkwardly skidding down his stairs on his behind. And once he lands, the grimace on his face showed that he had taken a fairly nasty fall.
Still, it certainly could have been much worse, as he was able to get up and walk away with just some minor aches. This likely came as a great relief to his dog, who immediately followed him downstairs to see whether he was OK.
It wants to know the camera's secrets
Once this cat found its owner's security camera, it clearly saw something suspicious that it needed to get to the bottom of. Those big eyes weren't just curious, they appeared stunned to have this device suddenly appear in what is obviously this cat's territory.
From the looks of it, the only solution was to jam its face as close to the lens as possible. That's always the most necessary step of a thorough investigation. And it blocks the camera from getting any visual information besides fur and eyes. That's some effective counterintelligence.
Sometimes, it's all about what the camera doesn't see
Although anyone who's ever worked in a convenience store can attest to how blurry older security cameras often are, the muddled quality here is a little beyond the pale. Although a hallway seems to be faintly visible here, the random messages and fuzz seem to be overcrowding it.
That's because this is actually a newer camera that somehow found itself on its last legs. It's not supposed to look like this, but it's now easy to see how the makers of found footage horror movies got the inspiration for their jumpscares.
A constant, glowing presence
After they woke up, Reddit user BodhisattvaJones checked their security camera's overnight notifications and was stunned to see this glowing presence float in place for about an hour between 5 am and 6 am. Although it faded away, they were unsure what could have caused it.
Although their wife believed that it was a sign of her fallen grandmother — who had passed away close to that spot — the camera's inability to focus on it suggested to commenters it was a small object that had pressed against the lens. Either it was a caught strand of hair that blew away after an hour or the leg of an insect that finally moved out of frame.
Well, hello there
Although it's hardly unusual for the local fauna to get curious when somebody puts up a security camera, it can still be a little surprising to see which creatures show up in a given day. And on one special day, this red-headed woodpecker decided to stop by.
Unlike other animals who typically stare curiously into a security camera once they find it, this bird seems a little more smug about its discovery. "Get a load of this place," it seems to say as it pushes its head into the frame to give the camera the side-eye.
An eye-catching implement
After catching this man on their security camera, Reddit user AdditionalSeesaw5340 asked an open question as to what he was holding when he paid their home an unexpected visit. Since they didn't recognize it, it was hard for them not to be concerned that he would use it to break into their house.
However, what they learned was that he was holding a tool used for installing carpets. And while it's possible to use such a tool for a nefarious purpose, it's a little too cumbersome to double as a burglary tool. As such, the most likely explanation was that he had briefly been sent to the wrong house.
Not every camera lives to tell its tale
As Reddit user mkennedy350Olds told it, most of the birds in his backyard aren't terribly concerned with his security camera. Instead, they'd just rather eat. However, this European starling apparently feels much more strongly about its privacy.
After all, this camera wasn't filming it sideways when it arrived. Instead, it seems the bird attacked the camera until it fell over. Although it still worked after this happened, the owner was baffled that it took such an acute and violent interest in it.
A curious mystery involving a blunt object
When Reddit user AoifeSports2021 saw that the security camera in their basement had alerted them to something moving, they reviewed the footage and were perplexed by what they saw. A thick stick-like object seemed to be poking in and out of frame, but they weren't sure what it was.
Although one commenter suggested it could be a rodent's tail, AoifeSports2021 thought it moved too stiffly for that to be the case. As such, the most plausible theory is that it was a spider's leg that kept brushing up against the lens. Security cameras can be very useful, but they're not the greatest at depth perception.
They think nobody's watching
After this person brought a pet gecko home, they set up a security camera to let them check on its well-being. However, this camera also showed them what their new friend gets up to when the lights are off, and everyone's gone to bed.
And as shown here, it's a little hard to tell exactly what that behavior is. Is the gecko looking at something nobody else can see, or is it just treating the branches of its enclosure like it's Pride Rock?
Someone gathered evidence without even trying
Sometimes, the sights that someone captures on a security camera are serious enough that they warrant alerting the police. However, one camera captured a rare scene depicting somebody who they were clearly already interested in. After all, he wasn't subtle about it.
As shown here, this guy had done a fairly sloppy job of pulling into this driveway before he got out and started running. But considering what was following him into camera range, it's easy to see why he was in such a hurry. He obviously picked an unfortunate driveway to pull into since this isn't going to make his profile any lower.
A reason for suspicion
When Reddit user G_B_3_4 posted this blurry, oddly-framed photo that their cousin had apparently taken with his security camera, commenters found reasons to be suspicious. The fact that it was photographed from the viewfinder gave them the impression that the cousin was intentionally distorting the image to make it look more paranormal than it was.
Still, such accusations raised a persistent question: What is this this thing? While it would certainly be hasty to jump to the conclusion that it's an alien or a ghost, it has a hard face to identify and an even harder one to ignore. Perhaps it's a moth shown very up close and without the best image quality?
More wholesome than it seemed
At first, Reddit user 2daMoonVinny was nervous when he checked his security camera to see a teenager poking around his Mazda Miata. For a brief moment, it seemed like the entire reason someone would train a security camera on their car was unfolding right in front of his eyes.
However, he soon learned that the kid was merely checking the car out and admiring it. More specifically, he was looking at the front to see whether it was a Miata NA, which Motor Trend explained was the deeply respected original run of the popular car model. He seemed a little disappointed when he learned it was newer.
While electrical storms can be intense and downright scary for those who are outside when they happen, they're also often impressive to look at. But, of course, the nature of lightning makes it incredibly hard to photograph through traditional means.
Fortunately, that's not always such a big problem for those armed with security cameras that have a good view of the street. It certainly wasn't for this camera, which captured a massive fork of lightning at its coolest and most impressive.
If this is a ghost, it picked an ironic place to appear
It's hard not to notice that this house is full of skeletons, and that's because this mysterious figure standing next to one of them has appeared in a professional haunted house. And since its right leg is going through a solid iron fence, this can't simply be somebody who broke in.
That said, the low quality of the footage is such that this image of a person could very easily be a smudge or other object in the room that seems more eerie from this angle. Still, it's hard not to admit that this would be the perfect place for a genuine ghost.
Message received
Although security cameras can give their owners a lot of peace of mind, that's not always true for that owner's neighbors. Some of them don't particularly like having those cameras around, especially when they feel like they're the ones being watched.
However, it's rare that they react quite like this one did, who apparently thought they needed to pair their sentiment with a particularly grisly Halloween decoration. Their neighbor may not have been looking at anything before, but they're certainly looking at that now.
