Neighbor Treats Guy’s Gas Can Like A Free Fuel Buffet, Walks Right Into Revenge And A Police Car

Theft is not just take, it’s also give. The criminal gets away with your stuff, sure, but they also leave you holding a combo pack of vulnerability and powerlessness. So, if you can get the chance to take them down, would you walk away from it?

One guy decided he’d give confrontation a miss and go straight to revenge after he caught his neighbor swiping gas from his back porch. Using his own bodily fluids as bait, he set up a trap the thief would never trace back to him, then watched the chaos unfold.  

 More info: Reddit

There’s not a lot worse than being stolen from so, if you can take revenge on the thief, it’s pretty much priceless

Man sitting on grass near lawn mower, dealing with neighbor treating his gas can like a free buffet, leading to messy revenge.

Image credits: prostooleh / Freepik (not the actual photo)

One guy couldn’t figure out why his gas can, which he keeps in his backyard, kept running empty when he only used it to gas his mower

Neighbor treats guy’s gas can like free buffet leading to stinky revenge and police involvement after repeated gas thefts.

Text about suspecting neighbor using a gas can like a free buffet leading to stinky revenge and police involvement.

Man mowing lawn in backyard raising hand, illustrating neighbor treats guy’s gas can like a free buffet concept.

Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

To figure out what was going on, he set up his webcam with motion detection software and, soon enough, spotted his neighbor thieving the gas for his car and mower

Security camera setup captures neighbor treating gas can like free buffet, leading to stinky revenge and police involvement.

Text describing a gas can filled with urine as part of stinky revenge after a neighbor treated it like a free buffet leading to police involvement.

Text describing a staged scene of checking car fluids and pretending to pack bags for neighbor’s gas can revenge plan.

Person refilling lawn mower with gas can in grass, illustrating neighbor treats gas can and stinky revenge incident.

Image credits: ungvar / Freepik (not the actual photo)

So, for the next week, every time he needed to urinate, he used the gas can, then made a big show of going on a trip, hoping his neighbor would take the bait

Neighbor treats gas can like free buffet, leading to stinky revenge and a police car arriving at the scene.

Empty gas can on patio with text overlay about neighbor treating gas can like a free buffet leading to stinky revenge and police involvement

Text about neighbor's gas can theft leading to stinky revenge and a police car involved in the incident.

Image credits: MarchCompetitive6235

When he returned home feigning car trouble, he watched his revenge take root as his neighbor furiously failed to start his mower, then broke down a couple blocks away

The mystery began with a suspiciously thirsty lawnmower. Every time the original poster (OP) went to mow his lawn, his five-gallon gas can was mysteriously almost empty, despite his mower sipping fuel like it was on a diet. Cue the side-eye toward the neighbor and a sinking feeling that something shady was happening next door.

This was before Ring cameras ruled suburbia, so OP went full DIY detective. A laptop webcam, motion-detection software, and boom! Busted! The neighbor was casually strolling into his backyard and borrowing gas like it was a community pantry. Five minutes after OP left the house, no less. Bold. Too bold.

What followed was pure poetry. For an entire week, the gas can got a very… personal refill. Spoiler alert: it was his own pee. Still smelled enough like gas to fool a determined thief, OP reckoned. Then came the bait: fake trip prep, auto fluid checks, packed bags, neighbor watching it all. The trap was set, and karma was warming up for action.

An hour later, OP returned to chaos. The neighbor was violently yanking his mower cord, red-faced and furious. Then his car broke down a few blocks away. The gas can? Empty. And as a bonus twist, the neighbor turned out to have warrants and was arrested after OP ensured a sheriff’s ride-along mix-up. Suburban justice, served at body temperature.

OP’s hilarious double dose of justice was basically lowkey biological warfare. The best part? It was also completely untraceable. But what’s the deal with revenge anyway? And is it always worth it? Let’s jump in and find out.

Man on phone near broken car with open hood in autumn setting, related to neighbor treats gas can and stinky revenge.

Image credits: reportazh / Freepik (not the actual photo)

The pros over at Psychology Today break it down nicely: revenge is intensely personal, driven by raw feeling. While the motivation for it might at first be fueled by anger, it’s ultimately powered by anticipated satisfaction. Basically, the very tasty idea that taking revenge will make us feel better. Instantly.

David Webb from All About Psychology explains that ages before courts or written laws, revenge served a social function. Basically, a person who fought back against being wronged sent a powerful message: “I am absolutely not an easy target.”

The same circuitry that made revenge useful for deterrence also makes it deeply satisfying in the moment. It fires up the brain’s reward system, spiking dopamine and creating a fleeting sense of control. Sounds good, right? Well, not quite. 

Research tells us that the satisfaction we expect is often totally off the mark. In a study where participants were given the chance to punish someone who had wronged them, those who took revenge actually felt worse than those who didn’t lift a finger. Maybe think twice about your next dish served cold.

OP’s bodily fluid booby trap worked out perfectly and, by the sound of things, he has zero regrets. It’s not like he has anything to worry about – his neighbor is behind bars and probably too dumb to figure out his prank anyway.

Have you ever gotten revenge on someone who did you dirty? Did it feel good or bad, in the long run? Share your story in the comments!

In the comments, readers celebrated the guy’s sneaky revenge but warned him to maybe keep quiet about the ride-along thing

Reddit conversation about a neighbor treating a guy’s gas can like a free buffet leading to stinky revenge and a police car.

Reddit user explains gas can taken by daughter, shares caution about gas mix, neighbor treats gas can like free buffet in stinky revenge tale.

Reddit conversation about neighbor treating guy’s gas can like a free buffet leading to stinky revenge and a police car arrival.

Reddit comments discussing stinky revenge on a neighbor who treated a guy’s gas can like a free buffet.

Comment exchange about neighbor treating gas can like a free buffet, leading to stinky revenge and police involvement.

Screenshot of an online discussion about neighbor treating gas can like a free buffet and resulting stinky revenge with police involvement.

Poll Question

Total votes ·

Thanks! Check out the results:

Total votes ·

Newsletter

Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls

Subscribe

By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.

Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!

Follow Bored Panda on Google News!

Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda!