My neighbors and I are basically family: we swap babysitting, share occasional dinners, and watch each other’s houses when someone’s away.

This time they got a last-minute holiday invite and had to pack in a rush. Right after they left, they called with a “quick favor”: could I please wrap their front-door handle in aluminum foil?

I didn’t even ask why—just grabbed the roll and did it, feeling like the village idiot while hoping no one spotted me.

For days I kept wondering: superstition? Anti-burglar voodoo? Some weird European custom I’d never heard of?

When they got back, I casually asked about the foil. My neighbor burst out laughing.

“It’s our low-tech tamper check,” he said. “If the foil’s torn or crumpled, someone tried the door. If it’s perfect, we know the house was left alone.”

I smiled, thinking that’s what Ring cameras are for, but since they hadn’t installed any yet, shiny kitchen foil was their DIY security system.

Honestly? Genius in its simplicity. And way cheaper than the cloud subscription I pay for.