Disturbing Things Discovered On Ring Doorbells

Ring doorbell cameras provide added levels of security by giving homeowners an extra set of eyes, whether they're out of town or upstairs with headphones on (via the New York Times). This smart security feature has taken off in recent years and with good reason. After all, people want to feel safe in their homes, and they want a clear picture of what's going on at their front door even when they don't feel like answering or can't because they're at another location. Think of doorbell cameras as the ultimate guard against solicitors, pranksters, and everything in between.

That said, sometimes these cameras catch more than homeowners bargain for. Some very frightening videos have emerged over the years. From attempted home invasions to disembodied voices, creepy clowns to shootouts, Ring doorbell camera videos can prove entertaining, bizarre, and even frightening. And that's just the beginning. There have also been unlikely visitors, including bears, cows, and even wreath raiders.

Check out the wild and wacky footage that doorbell security cameras have captured in recent years. But be forewarned that these videos can prove alarming, disturbing, and fascinating.

In Oakland, California, one homeowner narrowly escaped an invasion and would never have known what happened had the incident not been caught on his security camera (via YouTube). Because he was listening to music on headphones, he remained oblivious to a man in a hoodie ringing his doorbell twice around 2 pm.

Unknown to the homeowner, this doorbell ringing served one purpose. To see whether or not the house proved empty. A quarter of an hour later, the man in the hoodie returned. He had a friend with him this time, and they didn't wait around for someone to answer the door.

Instead, the sweatshirt-wearing would-be burglar attempted to kick in the door. The sound of his boot colliding with the door created an audible and feel-able jolt that the homeowner finally registered. In response to the percussive noise, the homeowner let out a loud yell. Fortunately, this spooked the wannabe home invaders, scaring the two assailants away.

Sometimes it's what you don't see that proves the most chilling. Such is the case with this unknown visitor captured on film and shared on YouTube. The video lasts for a mere 30 seconds and shows the entryway of a residence, complete with Halloween decorations, including two plastic skulls sitting in a houseplant pot.

What makes the video so chilling? A gravely, sinister voice captured on camera speaking in an unintelligible language. Even more frightening, no figure appeared at the front door, making the voice appear disembodied. Yikes!

Because of the time of year, some YouTube commenters have declared this incident a Halloween decoration mishap. But the jury's still out, with one commenter noting that the angle of the video and the fact that Ring doorbell cameras get activated when you press the doorbell button makes the whole thing a little spine-tingling. And as for what the voice says? We think it would be best to call in a priest to handle this spooky proclamation. What did the homeowner have to say about the incident? They describe it simply as a "strange occurrence with my Ring doorbell one night."

Amanda Nowack of Las Vegas, Nevada, captured a skinny, bearded man walk up to her front door. According to Too Fab, he repeatedly knocks while saying, "I just have a couple of questions for you. Are you sure?" He appears to be talking to himself, saying these phrases over and over again methodically and in the same disturbingly calm tone of voice. Then, he turns to walk away, cutting a wide path of creepy along the way.

At this point, Nowack's husband, who was away from home at the time but alerted by the Ring doorbell to the man's presence, used the voice feature to demand the stranger identify himself (via YouTube). That's when things get next-level horrifying. The man calmly responds to the male voice, "I'm going to rape and kill the girl that's behind this door when she lets me in. I want to rape her and kill her. I have a knife and a gun."

Throughout the episode, Nowak stayed hidden alone within the residence, and we can only imagine the fear she felt. Fortunately, the man eventually walks away. But his strangely calm demeanor and intentions left locals on edge. A call to 911 brought out law enforcement, and the man was later arrested in downtown Las Vegas after locals identified him from a photo posted on social media.

If you've got coulrophobia (fear of clowns), you may break out in a cold sweat when watching what one homeowner captured on their Ring doorbell camera. A freakish clown approaches their doorstep for a quick peek before disappearing once more into the night. Of course, Halloween tends to bring out the spooky in people, and the YouTube video has a posting date of October 27, 2018. Coincidence? We don't think so!

That said, adult trick-or-treaters approaching the door prove far more threatening than the average ragtag bunch of kiddos in search of candy. And the fact he shows up four days before the big event also seems a bit concerning. What do others have to say about this strange doorbell camera video? Viewers of the footage had far-ranging comments, from references to Pennywise to evocations of 1988's "Killer Klowns from Outer Space."

What's more, there appear to be many more videos in the same vein, including a creepy clown-masked character, caught sneaking around homes in San Antonio, Texas (via ABC News 4). Clearly, coulrophobia remains alive and well thanks to the documentation of Ring doorbell security cameras and anonymous individuals who seek pleasure from dressing up like deranged circus performers.

Ring doorbell cameras are good not only for the videos they catch, but also for their audio recordings. For example, on October 6, 2021, gunfire from a quadruple shooting on Annunciation Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, exploded into the relative afternoon calm (via WDSU New Orleans). A nearby security camera recorded the percussive sound of the quadruple shooting.

According to first responders, two employees of GroundWork New Orleans, an infrastructure company, died from gunshot wounds at the scene, and two more ended up in the hospital. The four shooting victims got gunned down while wrapping up work at the New Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church on a drainage system.

Eyewitnesses to the event testified that the gunfire sounded like a "loud nail gun" going off. They also expressed shock and sadness about the incident, which proved out of character for the relatively quiet neighborhood. As the audio recording of the Ring camera reveals, more than 60 bullets were fired. As one stunned resident related, "It's just mind-boggling that this would occur in the parking lot of a church."

The Persuaders got it right when they crooned the 1971 hit "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" (via YouTube). If you think about it, bad breakups are the fodder of many musical hits, from Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" to Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together." Fortunately, pet dogs don't usually get in the middle of souring romances, and that's a good thing. One woman in Slidell, Louisiana found this out firsthand via her Ring doorbell camera, as reported by Too Fab.

The security camera captured footage of her ex-boyfriend, Shane Michael Mitchell, choking her Doberman, named Rubyjean. The situation escalated after a fight between the two former sweethearts when Mitchell grabbed Rubyjean and refused to give her back. Then, he stood outside the woman's home arguing with her. At the height of the violence, the camera shows him lifting the dog by her leash into the air.

Although Mitchell ran from the scene as local law enforcement arrived, he wouldn't stay free for long. Despite "refusing to cooperate with authorities," a tip from an anonymous source led to Mitchell's apprehension. He faced charges of animal cruelty. Fortunately, Rubyjean and her owner are safe and sound, thanks in part to the evidence captured on the doorbell camera.

On August 26, 2021, a doorbell camera caught footage of a woman setting fire to a condo building on Reading Road near Avondale Avenue in the Cincinnati suburb of North Avondale, Ohio, according to WCPO Cincinnati. The video shows her squirting the building with lighter fluid before setting it on fire around 9:30 pm. But her strange and dangerous behavior doesn't stop there.

After her first act of arson, she seems to disappear before returning to douse the area with more lighter fluid. As she does this, the flames explode skyward, catching other areas of the building on fire. Once she's confident the blaze is well established, she flees in an SUV. Not only would this video footage ensure local law enforcement found the perpetrator, but it also alerted some residents of the condominiums that something was amiss.

According to Newport Fire Department's Lieutenant Jake Silvanti, the first alert for those living in the condos had came by way of the doorbell camera footage. He explains, "The homeowner that had the Ring doorbell app saw the house was on fire through her app, and she called the occupants inside the house that was still home."

At roughly 4:20 am on July 16, 2021, a ring doorbell camera captured the moment shooters opened fire in front of a house on Woodside Avenue in Charlotte, North Carolina (via Wavy 10 TV). After pulling up in a four-door sedan, you can see the driver turn off their headlights before gunfire erupts, shattering the early morning peace of the neighborhood.

After dozens of rounds are shot into the residence, the sedan makes a getaway, its headlights still turned off. The house was left riddled with bullet holes and shattered windows. A car parked nearby was also left with a bullet-shattered back window. Fortunately, no one inside the residence was injured.

While the Charlotte-Mecklenberg Police didn't have an immediate answer regarding suspects and a motive for the crime, neighbors voiced their concerns. They also noted that this is the second shooting the home has endured.

Whether you think of bears as cuddly creatures or terrifying killers you don't want to cross paths with on a hike, chances are finding one on your doorstep isn't high on your priority list. And if you've seen Leonardo DiCaprio's ordeal in "The Revenant," then coming close to anything from the Ursus family will likely cause your heart to skip a beat (or two).

So, imagine the horror that Naples, Florida, residents felt after reviewing footage of a bear nosing around their property (via ABC 10 News). Sure, it's not all fear-inducing. Some of the critter's antics prove downright adorable, but damage did follow in the bear's wake as it knocked over Christmas decorations, chewed on decorations, and even took a bite at the wreaths and garlands on the front door.

The bear also appeared curious about the security camera, nosing it thoroughly before taking off. To top it all off, the furry trespasser rang the doorbell. As you might have guessed, answering the door wasn't an option for the homeowners. The only thing that may top this scary bear encounter is footage of a black bear enjoying a dip in a hot tub in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, posted on YouTube.

Nothing says autumn or the start of the holiday season like a festive wreath. It's one thing to admire your neighbor's curbside appeal, but quite another to walk up to their front door to steal their wreath. Yet, that's what a doorbell camera captured in Alamo Heights. Texas, according to KENS 5.

The stunning footage shows a blonde woman with her hair styled in a bun brazenly approaching the homeowner's front door to snatch their decoration. The autumnal-themed wreath had a value of $300, as reported by the homeowner.

The wreath stealer never hesitates as she snatches the item and then runs from the door, disappearing into the night. It makes you wonder how many other wreaths this smooth criminal has stolen during her exterior home décor burglary spree. For those living in the San Antonio area, display this year's fall leaves and Christmas greenery at your own risk!

When an Australian man's doorbell rang at 2 am, he immediately checked his security camera footage to see what was up. According to the Mirror, the horrifying result was the stuff of nightmares. A gigantic eight-legged huntsman spider crawling across his Ring camera lens. Can you say arachnophobia?

The footage begins with an empty camera frame showing the man's porch. But then hairy, thin legs appear over the camera as the spider crawls atop it. Huntsman spiders are native to Australia and earned their name for their incredible speed and ability to snatch prey. While the massive eight-legged creeper has people around the globe shuddering, the homeowner has grown accustomed to phantom rings from the hairy arachnids.

He describes the unwanted, albeit benign, house guests this way, "Huntsmen aren't poisonous. They're just big, creepy looking and fast, which is even more creepy if you're trying to get it out of your house. They just hang around and eat bugs." We don't want to see what size insects these giant spiders snack on.

While a family in Albuquerque, New Mexico, lay sound asleep, an intruder lurked outside their front door for six hours, as reported by WGN 9 TV. Maris Lopez says she caught the figure while reviewing doorbell camera footage and was horrified to find him spend much of the night snooping around her home.

According to the video, the man arrived at the house around midnight and spent the night smoking cigarettes, pacing back and forth, and even exposing his nether regions. What disturbs Lopez the most is the sense of security the video has shattered. Other neighbors have also seen the transient man, which has made them rethink assumptions that their neighborhood is safe from potential criminal activity.

To help deter future visits from the loiterer, Lopez changed how she arranges her patio furniture. Speaking of her lawn chairs, she noted, "I used to stack them when I first bought them, and then I thought, you know, I am in a really good neighborhood, and I don't need to do that. Now I'm stacking them again."

Sometimes the knock at your door comes from a truly improbable source. One family in Texas found this out after reviewing security camera footage of their front door, according to Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth. To their surprise, the family watched footage of a cow coming up to their entryway and "knocking" a handful of times with its nose.

After tapping on the door, the cow hesitates for a moment before turning around and exiting the homeowner's front yard. While there's no way to know what the cow wanted, one commenter of the video hypothesized "she apparently had some kind of beef with the homeowner."

Others noted that its visit gives new meaning to the idea of "old school milk delivery," and one even gave a shoutout to Chik-Fil-A, arguing that the cow left a note reading "Eat Mor Chicken." One thing's for sure, had the homeowner answered the door, they would've been in for a big surprise.