The Bizarre Doorbell Prankster Tormenting a German Town Was Actually a Slug
In Bavaria, residents were left baffled by a string of late-night disturbances. For hours, doorbells buzzed nonstop, making it seem as though pranksters were working in shifts to keep the neighborhood awake. Neighbors called each other in concern, but no one ever appeared at the door.
The tenants, convinced someone was deliberately targeting their building, eventually contacted the police. When officers arrived, they uncovered the unlikely culprit. It was not a mischievous human, but a lone slug inching across the doorbell panel.
Strange Noises Disturb Residents in Bavaria
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The episode took place in Schwabach, a town in southern Germany. After dark, apartment building occupants were repeatedly woken by loud buzzing. One shop assistant, Lisa, described trying to ignore the first ring, but soon her sister-in-law called to report her own doorbell buzzing uncontrollably upstairs. They realized the problem extended across several apartments. The sound came in bursts yet never stopped long enough for comfort.
Neighbors suspected kids from a nearby abandoned house, a usual hangout for late-night pranks. Yet no one was ever spotted near the doorway. As the buzzing dragged on, fatigue and unease spread through the building, and many began to feel they were being deliberately harassed.
With no answers and no sleep, the tenants finally called the police. By the time officers arrived, the buzzers still blared with no sign of any joker. What seemed like a routine disturbance developed into something entirely unexpected once the investigation began.
Police Face a Doorbell Mystery
The cause was not human, not even mechanical failure, but a garden slug moving slowly across the panel. Each movement pressed against the sensitive sensors and produced the noise that tenants mistook for deliberate mischief. The officers’ presence confirmed the disturbance was ongoing and genuine, but the culprit revealed itself only after close inspection. Residents and police alike witnessed the small mollusk’s path marked clearly in a trail of slime left across the surface.
After identifying the perpetrator, the authorities released a statement that described the slug as “brought down to size, taught about its territory boundaries, and placed on a nearby stretch of grass.” The report mixed official formality with a touch of wit. The slug was carefully carried out and set down at a safe distance to prevent a repeat performance.
How Slugs Interact with Technology
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Slugs are not usually associated with electronics, yet their soft bodies and constant moisture make them capable of interfering with sensitive equipment. When a slug crosses a surface containing sensors or electrical contacts, its glistening residue can act as a conductor and trigger signals unintentionally. This explains why the Schwabach slug managed to activate multiple doorbells at once.
Similar cases have been reported with slugs crawling into garden lighting systems or outdoor sockets that have led to short circuits. Because slugs are most active during damp nights, equipment positioned near ground level is especially vulnerable. Motion detectors and touch-sensitive panels are more easily fooled by their slow movement than cameras, which explains the confusion in this case.
Keeping Slugs Away from Homes
Preventing slugs from reaching door panels or outdoor wiring requires a combination of barriers and environmental adjustments. Copper strips placed around door frames can discourage slugs, as the material creates an unpleasant reaction when they attempt to cross it. Maintaining clean entryways, free of leaf litter and damp debris, also reduces hiding places.
For those dealing with repeated problems, feel free to adjust outdoor lighting or watering schedules, which can make the area less attractive, since slugs thrive in moist conditions.