Having your stuff stolen sucks. Sometimes the suck is small, like when your lunch gets pilfered from the office fridge, and sometimes the suck is more serious, like when your car gets stolen. Either way, neither is ideal.
One person whose car was about to be stolen caught the thieves red-handed and managed to scare them off. It wasn’t long before they were back trying to make their getaway in another stolen car, only to be served with instant karma. The person shared their tale of revenge with an online community.
More info: Reddit
Having your car stolen sucks, but this person wasn’t having any of it, even if they were only wearing their underwear
Image credits: Niklas Puehringer / Pexels (not the actual photo)
They heard their car trying to start, and rushed outside to confront the thieves, yelling into the dark
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The thieves ran off, but by this point, the person’s whole household was awake
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Not long after that, the thieves were back, trying to make their getaway in their own car
Image credits: Traindodger2
Without skipping a beat, the person and their roommates threatened the thieves again, leaving them to beat a hasty retreat on foot
One night, the sound of a struggling engine jolted OP awake. It was their trusty ’95 Honda Civic. Luckily, the thief couldn’t figure out the hidden anti-theft switch. So, wearing nothing but their underwear, OP rushed outside, yelled into the dark, and two would-be carjackers bolted into the night.
A short while later, OP heard engine noises again. This time, backup arrived: their roommates in pajamas, wielding a bat and a skateboard. As the crew stood yelling from the porch, a voice called out, claiming it was their car. Spoiler alert: it really wasn’t. That’s when OP decided to fight fire with fire.
Without missing a beat, they shouted, “No, that’s MY car now!” The thieves, clearly not ready for pajama-clad chaos, awkwardly backed off, gave up, and beat a hasty retreat on foot. Honestly, OP’s audacity and the bat probably helped. No punches thrown, just strategic shouting; the night rescued by nerves of steel and sleepwear solidarity.
The cops arrived soon after, confirmed the thieves’ getaway car, also a Honda, was stolen, and returned it to its rightful owner. Thanks to a smart kill switch and a ridiculous but effective defense squad, everyone’s cars (and dignity) remained intact. Moral of the story? Always secure your ride… and maybe pick roommates who won’t hesitate to charge to your aid in nothing but briefs and boxers.
Image generated by Bored Panda using ChatGPT
OP’s bold moves scuppered the nefarious plans of the would-be thieves, not just once, but twice. It could have been risky considering they didn’t even know whether the bungling thieves were armed or not, but in the shady scenario, their gut chose confrontation, and it worked out perfectly for them, underwear and all. Just what is the science behind fight-or-flight responses, though? We went looking for answers.
In her article for VeryWellMind, Kendra Cherry writes that the fight-or-flight response, also known as the acute stress response, refers to the physiological reaction that occurs when in the presence of something mentally or physically terrifying. This response is triggered by the release of hormones that prepare your body to either stay and deal with the threat or to run away to safety.
The fight-or-flight response is recognized as part of the first stage of Hans Selye’s general adaptation syndrome, a theory describing the stress response. According to Cherry, the three stages of fight-or-flight are the alarm stage, the resistance stage, and the exhaustion stage. Physical signs that can indicate your fight-or-flight response has kicked in include dilated pupils, pale or flushed skin, rapid heart rate and breathing, and trembling.
According to the Cleveland Clinic website, the fight-or-flight response is a critical reaction that we all have and need, but it’s meant for authentic stress and danger. If you find that your body is constantly reacting to everyday stress with a fight-or-flight response, you can learn to regain more control.
“I recommend carving out time to write down your signs and symptoms of stress,” says registered psychotherapist Natacha Duke. “For some people, it might be poor sleep, for others, it might be irritability or stress eating. Understanding your stress signs and symptoms is an important step for improving your levels of stress because you can intervene earlier.”
Image credits: rawpixel.com / Freepik (not the actual picture)
Bored Panda turned to psychologist Dr. Deborah Hecker to ask her what could have been going through OP's mind when they decided to take on two car thieves in nothing but their underwear.
She had this to say, "There are several reasons why this person decided to confront the thief rather than fleeing the scene. People have a strong attachment to their property. They had a need to protect their car, a motive that overrode fear. The initial surge of adrenaline in a fight-or-flight can fuel fear or aggression. In this case, their anger became dominant, resulting in a fight response,"
Hecker went on to add, "They did not perceive their life to be in imminent danger. Perhaps they judged the thief (consciously or not) as not a big threat, and that they could win by scaring the thief off. They might have experienced the situation as unjust and decided to 'fight' on moral principles,"
Hecker concludes that OP's fight response kicked in because they felt capable and justified to act and perceived the situation as one they could ultimately control. There’s no doubt that OP chose “fight” that night, while the dastardly thieves responded with “flight”—twice. Proof that, even if you’re only wearing pajamas, you can still fight (some) crime.
In the comments, readers praised the original poster for their bold action, while others shared their own stories of thwarting would-be robbers
