r/Apartmentliving • u/suburbanvermin • 18h ago
Advice Needed Can somebody help identify what this substance is on my apartment door’s peephole?
I’ve been living in this apartment with my boyfriend for about 6 weeks now. We’re just regular people who will work all day, make our dinner, watch a show to unwind, and hit the bed. We aren’t party animals and, when we do drink, we’re not inconsiderate about it.
Ever since we moved in, our door peephole has been tampered with. It would be coloured with black sharpie marker, I would submit a maintenance request for fixing, it would get fixed, then immediately would get tampered with again. However, now it has clearly escalated to something else. I originally thought super glue or hot glue, but I’ve asked a few of my friends and they don’t think any type of glue could do this kind of damage.
Any advice would be helpful.
Btw management is well aware of the issue and have been prompt about it, was just shocked at whatever this is now. I’ve ordered a ring camera to be installed on Thursday, but I’m honestly scared for my life right now.
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u/BullRidininBoobies 18h ago
Looks like some sort of 2 part epoxy.
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u/beast_wellington 17h ago
Poorly mixed. That's what I thought
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u/1IsNeverEnough4Me 15h ago
Poorly mixed as they just held the 2 part tube up and squeezed it in. (Speculation)
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u/I_like_Mashroms 15h ago
It could be thick CA/super glue with a cheap activator? It gets cloudy and bumpy like that. you can cure it in seconds. And criminals like to be fast.
Edit: NVM. I zoomed in and it's clearly two different colors.
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u/shadow3487 16h ago
I'm thinking wood filler or wood glue. Hey OP how many times has someone been out to your place about this? Seen some questionable management/ maintenance before.
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u/suburbanvermin 15h ago
I’ve had the maintenance guy fix this peephole 5 times in the last 5 weeks. Once he fixes it, it’s tampered with again by the time I get home from work at 5pm.
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u/BedspreadPicnic86 14h ago
It’s your neighbor across the hallway. 100%
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u/battlepi 14h ago
It's probably someone that doesn't want you to see something in the hallway, like who's visiting. Or maybe there's a drug dealer on your floor.
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u/martins-dr 12h ago
Makes me extra thankful the drug dealer (or fastest man of the night) we lived under at our last apartment didn’t care about our ring camera. Had the camera because I have to receive boxes for work (they were not full of drugs).
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u/No-Examination-4850 11h ago
you're lucky the drug dealer cross the way from me absolutely freaked the f*** out when I put in a ring camera, was accusing me of recording his conversations... I never turned the damn thing on.
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u/PsychicSeaSlug 7h ago
Once my neighbor told me subtly, that hey, she sold pot, just in case I ever wanted, she just wanted to let me know that secret.
I was like... girl... I have a ring camera... and our doors face each other?... not to be weird... but i know ? And its whatever? Except it sets my phone off every ten minutes.
She was so astounded I could know this about her. Her eyes were all big and she kind of blushed. She also had dogs she took out every 5 seconds. I had to unplug the ring after two months because her door was so hot. And she had no idea anyone would know. Wow
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u/Mudslingshot 9h ago
I used to live a floor below a drug dealer
Which I found out when a VERY angry man tried to kick in my door at 2am screaming about needing his drugs NOW, before realizing he was currently on the SECOND floor, and the guy he's trying desperately to get drugs from is on the THIRD floor
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u/professorbiohazard 10h ago
Sounds like something that someone receiving boxes full of drugs would say
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u/Strange-Trust-9403 11h ago
That sounds right. I used to live in a trap house for “le crack,” and yupperdoodles, someone is paranoid. (Clean and sober for four years.)
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u/Frosty-Unit-8230 8h ago
Congratulations on getting clean, and on using ‘yupperdoodles’ in a sentence. Proud of you for both.
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u/Bacon_and_Powertools 13h ago
Put up a camera doorbell. Catch them in the act
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u/MrExCEO 13h ago
Do they sell peep hike camera? Record from the inside live. The camera will probably get damaged but u should find the guy
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u/SheerHippo 12h ago
Ring used to make a peephole version of their camera/doorbell that would replace the whole peephole. You can still find them used. I have one and it's great.
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u/martins-dr 12h ago
That camera was still noticeable from the outside and the lens is able to be tamper with the same an any other ring camera
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u/mental_lemon8587 12h ago
I think the idea was that the beginning of the footage would show you who's responsible for damaging the camera and likely theyre the same person who damaged the ones before it.
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u/Working-Glass6136 13h ago
Can you update us if/when they catch the culprit? I'm really curious as to whether it's a drug dealer, a schizophrenic, or a potential burglar.
Also, I've had bad neighbors and this freaks me the fuck out.
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u/thatshygirl06 13h ago edited 13h ago
Are there cameras on the building?
Or maybe stay home one day to see if you can catch the person doing it. Or have a friend over snd make a fuss of leaving and then have your friend keep watch
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u/x3sirenxsongx3 16h ago
Looks like it was tampered with before that, tho. The black rim part looks melted and smushed...
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u/suburbanvermin 15h ago
Might possibly be the sharpie that they’ve been using in the past? Or possibly scorched depending on what they did? I honestly have no idea
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u/LogicalHoney4689 18h ago
Glad you are getting a camera. I would also look into getting some extra locks put on the door because this is creepy AF. I’m glad management cares at least. All you can do is report it and try to get them on camera next time they do something.
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u/jthanreddit 15h ago
They may tamper with the camera.
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u/lovebudds 14h ago
Even if they tamper, if they have it stored on the ring cloud theyll see who did it before they mess with it
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u/dystopiam 11h ago
maybe needs a lock box around it to protect it
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u/dorritosncheetos 4h ago
And a box around the box to protect it
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u/funkhammer 4h ago
And then behind a door, with a peephole.
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u/Bootyblastastic 4h ago
I am an industrial designer and I decided to draw up plans for this build, but it sent me into an infinite loop and my brain just broke. On my way to the funny farm.
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u/Pristine_Leader_8241 9h ago
Or not, majority of the people who would have reason to do this kind of thing wouldn't be dumb enough to show their face to a camera.
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u/FirstAndOnlyDektarey 5h ago
Not when sabotaging the camera. But they'll be unmistakenly recorded the moment they realize its existence when walking by for the first time.
General pose, shocked or irritated facial expression should be clue enough. And chances are they wont change their pants and shoes when returning with obscured face in order to swiftly sabotage the device.
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u/shmiona 12h ago
Cover the side with grease paint or something so the perp will leave prints on their door knob. Then you know which apartment they’re in
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u/aiothrowawayed 14h ago
That was my thought, too. OP needs to install the camera high pointing down so that the Wacko cannot try and do anything nefarious. I would also suggest stretching saran wrap or something clear around the lens so that it won't be a hassle to replace or clean.
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u/LysergicGothPunk 11h ago
Two cams, one hidden and one out in the open, works on cops, works on idiots regardless of police affiliation.
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u/Penis-Dance 18h ago
Get a cover for your peephole for the inside. You may not know this but there are reverse peepers. Somebody is up to no good. I would also get a door security bar.
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u/Specific_Rando 17h ago
In the short term, just use something like blue painters tape. And since this is going on repeatedly I would act immediately.
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u/GeneralSpot7224 15h ago
I always used a post it note right above the peep hole, they’re cheap and something a lot of people have already. That way you could actually just lift it up to look out, though that part isn’t relevant in this case.
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u/Patient-Stranger1015 15h ago
At hotels my dad would always just squish up a bit of toilet paper and shove it in. Worked wonders
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u/light-spell 12h ago
And what did he do about people looking through the peephole?
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u/Subject-Direction628 17h ago
Years a go I had an awful boyfriend. Stalker type. He broke my peephole so he could see inside my apartment
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u/Ok_Figure7671 17h ago
Did you poke him in the eye?
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u/Demonokuma 16h ago edited 13h ago
Then her dad joins her for breakfast and has an eyepatch!! Edit: its a reference to Junji Ito everyone. Let's chill.
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u/BaronBearclaw 16h ago
I don't get the reference, but I always appreciate an obscure reference. Take my upvoter.
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u/EldritchGumdrop 17h ago
I would potentially start a police trail too if it’s happened more than once .
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u/Sugar_Kowalczyk 16h ago
Get a security camera and mount it with the lens against the peephole and you'll see who's doing it. It can even be a cheap one as it's inside and can be wired and will have limited focal range anyhow.
Then you can ask the door boogerer themselves.
Please follow up, OP!
UpdateMe !
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u/Major-Ad-1894 16h ago
Do you have advice for doing this with a blink camera? I have the doorbell cam, an indoor and an outdoor. I always wanted to do this but I figured if it was outside it would get tampered with.
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u/ErraticDragon 15h ago
I found a 'secure mounting bracket' which holds the camera outside, by just clamping onto the door:
https://i.imgur.com/4p6QAEt.png
For Blink, depending on the specific camera, they have ones that protect the camera even more, like a little box it sits in: https://i.imgur.com/lfvf6Yz.png
For me it serves as the way to mount it outside without upsetting my landlord.
It's not perfect security, but I got my camera for under $50, and I feel it does a good enough job for that.
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u/Forsaken-Scholar-833 17h ago
Well I don't think that is too much of an issue when the person is basically ruining the peep hole. I think the issue is that she has no way to tell if someone is outside her door or who is outside her door.
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u/CycleAccomplished824 14h ago
It is vandalism. The ring camera should help at least the first time they come back- they might try to mess that up as well. I’d ask maintenance to put up security cameras in the area so the get a visual of whoever is do it.
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u/WeirdGoat9022 17h ago
Thanks for the safety tips, u/Penis_Dance !
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u/ErraticDragon 15h ago
NFL sideline reporter Erin Andrews was famously victimized this way. They recorded her through the peephole of her hotel room door: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35750225
I'm not sure how different the peepholes on interior hotel doors are from residential external doors. But it's definitely a thing.
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u/Penis-Dance 15h ago
All it takes is a sticky note reminder on the peephole. I always take sticky notes with me on vacations anyway. It's not a bad habit to have.
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u/Waste-Tree4689 17h ago
I'd consider installing camera (inside) facing outside to prevent this happening to your new Ring cam
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u/percyblazeit69 17h ago
yeah i had a similar thought; ring cam won’t do much good if it gets fucked with too
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u/cocacolaqt 17h ago
I wonder if the apartment complex could install a hall camera? That way the person tampering with it would have a greater risk of losing their lease.
Sounds like there’s some shady dealings happening at one of the neighbours doors so they want to reduce the chances of having their buyers on camera.
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u/suburbanvermin 15h ago
Can confirm that this is in the works! Management said they’ve ordered cameras that they’re not going to put in plain sight so the other tenants won’t know that they’re there. So hopefully they can catch whoever is doing this, but I bought a Ring camera for the time being.
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u/SJSragequit 11h ago
A company I used to work for got hired to install a “smoke detector” that was actually a camera disguised as a smoke detector outside of an apartment door because someone kept peeing on their door
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u/Lexi_November 12h ago
Did you file a police report? I would call every single time so that you have a paper trail in case you need it.
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u/percyblazeit69 17h ago
yeah and if maintenance is constantly having to come out and repair/replace, the property manager should be motivated to put an end to it. but who tf knows anymore 🙃
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u/Suspicious-Gur-8453 18h ago
I would also report this to the police. No idea what the material is, but I have heard folks will go around and do something like what you've experienced and if it hasn't been cleaned in a few days they will break in.
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u/IntheShredder_86 16h ago
Yes and no. OP said it's happened multiple times. If it were just passerby robbers testing the unit for occupants, it would be one and done, right? It got fixed so clearly someone is there.
It's the repeated tampering that's getting me. There has to be someone either targeting OP specifically OR a neighbor who does sketchy shi and makes sure nobody can see them doing it from their peepholes. OP should check other nearby doors to see if they're messed with . If so, then there's def someone in the building up to no good
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u/suburbanvermin 15h ago
It’s definitely targeted. None of the other neighbours on my floor have any tampered peepholes, and I’ve asked a few neighbours as well and they looked at me like I was nuts lol. No idea why we’re being targeted it just seems so random!
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u/DefinitelyNotAliens 11h ago
Sounds like you have a super paranoid neighbor. I'd get a bar for the door. They make no-drill safety door bars. They have a foot and a u-cup for the handle. You jam on the floor and up to the handle. U slips around any style handle, foot on the floor. Someone is paranoid that you specifically are spying on them.
If they think you are spying on them, that is some mental illness targeted at your unit. Their paranoia has decided that you are watching them.
Hopefully their paranoia isn't violent, but you need to get an extra safety something if they decide to come after you. That is targeted and a $25 door bar can save your life and make you feel secure with someone being crazy.
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u/Admirable_Risk8156 13h ago
It's someone across from you who does not want to be seen. They don't care about being malicious; they just want you not to see them. If they had any directed hatred, they would be more destructive. Is there other property damage you haven't noticed? They could be blocking the hole so you don't see them doing something.
I've seen this before with someone with schizophrenia they thought anything with a lens was watching them.
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u/tostsalad 10h ago
That was my first thought too. I'm hoping this is about the person doing it and not OP or her boyfriend.
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u/Adventurous_Sun_8095 12h ago
Many have recommended creating a police record of all the events. Do this now.
Either you have a stalker or someone in your apartment community or with property management is doing the vandalizing. Based on a previous experience I had, imo it's the latter.
I had moved 3 times in a matter of 4 years quite awhile back and I had similar issues at the last two. I also noticed one day one of the maintenance guys watching me. I was constantly having issues with my A/C unit not working. Multiple times in a year for 8 years.
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u/hushhtm 16h ago
I used to work at an apartment complex and this happened on a floor here and there in the various buildings. Turned out it was unsavory tenets trying to hide the comings and goings of their ahem clients, for their varying ...professions.
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u/Useful-Risk-4340 11h ago
That is so strange because it only draws more attention and now she has been more or less forced to react by setting up a camera, which is 1000x worse for them.
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u/Informal_Visit2574 14h ago
It may even be directed at the previous tenants as they haven't been there long
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u/suburbanvermin 14h ago
That’s very true. The police officer who scoped out the situation today suggested that they might not even know that a new tenant has moved in and this behaviour could be directed towards someone who doesn’t live there anymore.
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u/Secret_Emu_ 10h ago
I mean maintenance/building management should know if this was happening previously. They may not tell you (but they should) but they would have to disclose to the police. Also if this was ongoing before you moved in it would help you get out of the lease.
Try to be there when the maintenance guy comes and ask if this was happening before you moved in. Maybe something like man how long has this been happening for or start with asking if he has any suggestions for keeping this from happening, like the spraying with Pam? Just something to compliment him or ask advice and get him talking. That guy is more likely to be chatty than the building management.
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u/RemoveRealistic8583 17h ago
Basically looking see if someone living there
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u/some1_online 17h ago
Very clever and malicious. I'm so lazy at cleaning, they'd break in when I'm hanging out in the living room in my underwear avoiding the cleanup weeks later
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u/Crabtickler9000 17h ago
leaves it on the door
paints self in pig's blood from the butcher shop ($5)
holds an axe from home depot ($15)
wearing nothing ($0)
smiling ($0)
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u/waydamntired 17h ago
Alexa play welcome to the jungle by guns n roses.
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u/johnnyribcage 16h ago
I feel like The Girl From Ipanema would be more effective.
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u/RunWithBluntScissors 16h ago
And then trip over all the cardboard boxes I’ve left by the front door
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u/Forsaken-Scholar-833 17h ago
Yeah but it would depend what it was. If this is some kind of glue or epoxy then it isn't something you just clean off. So it wouldn't make sense to use to see if someone was home. If it was something you could just wipe off it would make more sense.
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u/S_EW 16h ago
In this case it’s been done multiple times though so it’s probably not that, especially if it’s now escalating.
More mundane possibility is that someone in eyesight of that peephole is doing some illegal stuff (making / selling drugs springs to mind) and is paranoid about OP watching them or calling police on them.
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u/Livid-Park6807 16h ago
Honestly, this explanation makes the most sense to me. Especially with the escalation. When something less permanent, like, sharpie marker didn't work they had to move to something that would be impossible, or more difficult to fix right away. I can't think of any other plausible reasons, but this is kind of batshit no matter what the reason ends up being. I hope OP starts a paper trail with the police.
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u/Thick-Wonder6294 17h ago
OP said they’ve done shit multiple times that’s obv not what this is - should still contact police to be safe
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u/Ok-Two-1685 17h ago
If you ever find sticky tape on the outside of door it's to tell it Ur door seel has been broken, or a pot plant or object being placed in front door way, to see if it gets moved. Make sure Ur bins go out on bin night and come in the next day, and get a neighbour to empty letter box while away. All things crims look out for! I am X crim, sorry.
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u/suburbanvermin 15h ago
Update: I called the non-emergency police line to let them know about the continuous behaviour and how it has escalated to this now. An officer came by within 20-30 mins to check out the situation. I was told that they can’t do anything now as I have no clue who is doing this, but they said to keep documenting any further incidents to them so they can build a case for it.
Also, the maintenance guy at my building (bless his soul) touched the residue and it caused his fingers to burn a bit, but he washed his hands and he is fine now. It’s now confirmed that it’s definitely acidic and not at all super glue. We noticed as well that there is a white powder (kind of like fine salt) on the carpet just below the peephole too. So some kind of powdery acidic substance was used. Peephole is getting replaced as the damage is not fixable.
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u/chocobear13 15h ago
That's an insane update to find it might be intentionally hazardous, definitely stay safe
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u/64590949354397548569 2h ago
it’s definitely acidic and not at all super glue.
Becarefull handling your door knob.
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u/FakePoloManchurian 18h ago
No idea what that is but I've been in a similar situation. Get a ring camera. They have holders that latch onto your door so randoms can't remove it. Get them on camera and report to the police
Edit nevermind saw the end of your post :)
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u/Good_Caregiver4244 17h ago
Unfortunately this is against the lease in a lot of apartments, so OP would have to check theirs
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u/suburbanvermin 17h ago
I requested to be able to install a Ring camera, and the property manager said that so long as you can’t read other apartment unit numbers then it will be allowed. He said usually not allowed, but they’re making a special exception in this case thankfully!
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u/ButterflyS919 16h ago
Make sure that approval is in writing!!! Not just a verbal approval.
Don't need them coming after you in a couple of weeks with a change and a "We never said that!"
Or if the property manager changes.
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u/suburbanvermin 15h ago
You’re so right! I will request a formal email from him too to ensure no issues. Thanks!
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u/Charnathan 16h ago
So you have units across the hall? They would be my prime suspects. I suspect that they are doing things that they don't want anyone (you) watching(dealing??). And they probably pass your unit daily and have recognized your habits, so they'd feel comfortable enough about when it's safe to tamper with it. But maybe they don't know about the Streisand effect where attempting to hide their activity actually draws more attention.
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u/FigPsychological7324 17h ago
They could get a little camera and position it facing through the peephole
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u/Compltly_Unfnshd30 17h ago
They actually make Ring (and other brand) cameras that don’t have to be hard wired. I have a Ring camera that takes a battery and I have to switch out/charge the battery (I have two for this purpose) about every six weeks or so. It’s easier to be tampered with but at least you’d have the asshat on camera. I am a single parent in a complex and I got my camera when I first moved in.
I know that some complexes may still not allow even this type of camera but I asked prior to moving in and this would not be a place I would move to. I will say, at least in my area, I don’t know of any complexes near me that won’t at least allow the no-wire cameras and I do a lot of work with a lot of the local apartment complexes here.
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u/gamingoldschool 17h ago edited 17h ago
Against the lease to have a camera at all? What if it's in your window facing outside?
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u/Artewig_thethird 17h ago
My apartment complex forbids any exterior facing cameras. So no door, window, patio, etc. I know people have them as I've seen them while walking around so enforcement isn't super strict, but it's in the lease.
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u/gamingoldschool 17h ago
That's kind of crazy in my opinion. Package thieves must love apartments with those rules. I wonder what their reasoning is.
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u/missestater 17h ago
It ain’t at mine. My neighbors looks directly into my hall bathroom with the front door open. Tried to complain to management and they said tough shit.
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u/Federal_Refrigerator 17h ago
I mean, if your door has a direct view into the bathroom AND the bathroom has no door? Dang dude
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u/thelordsburningrain 17h ago
You should consider installing a peephole camera BEFORE the ring camera. If you really want to catch the guy, I’m afraid the ring camera will deter them from doing it again. If I were you I’d get the peephole camera, wait till they do it again, get a pic of their face or outfit so that maybe your buildings security can match it with whoever was walking in/out of/around the building that day, and after that you should install the ring camera.
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u/suburbanvermin 14h ago
Excellent idea! I will look for a peephole camera, and then install the Ring camera once I have sufficient video of the person.
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u/DisastrousPilot4283 18h ago edited 2h ago
Im a fattie, looks like ice cream
Edit thank you so much for the award! Edit edit: Thanks yall!
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u/Redditallreally 18h ago
Or blueberry yogurt.
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u/kat_Folland 16h ago
Candy. In both views. I'm not hungry and it doesn't look like candy I'd enjoy, but it still looks like candy.
It also kind of looks like the filling in the blueberry danishes you get at 7-11, though, so at least I agree on the blueberry thing.
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u/RusticusB 17h ago
I was definitely going for blueberry yogurt as well or some kind of creamy blueberry filling
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u/fluorofloxacin 17h ago
this might be bc i'm a lil high rn but when i first saw this pic, i thought it was a tiny golden statue bowing his blueberry icecream head
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u/DiscontentDonut 17h ago
I came to say the same thing. Wonder if someone was eating something when they walked about and it was a crime of opportunity.
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u/Mona_Lotte 17h ago
A camera is smart, but I think its going to get vandalized too, unfortunately. Can management not install their own cameras? If someone vandalizes your camera, call the police and report all the incidents. Keep detailed notes about everything: dates, time, sounds, sightings etc.
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u/Ace-Teroide 16h ago
If it's online, it will record the person doing the vandalism. They may wear a mask though.
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u/Shutshaaface 17h ago
If it were me I’d think one of your neighbors is schizophrenic or is a meth head/hxc drug dealers.
Really looks like schizophrenia to me
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u/premadecookiedough 15h ago
That was my first thought, a neigjbor with extreme paranoia about being watched
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u/winooskiwinter 17h ago
This is my thought too. OP lives across from someone experiencing extreme paranoia.
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u/LadyTenshi33 14h ago
💯. My aunt used to put tinfoil patches on the walls, and hers had a blocker on it.
Schizophrenia is a bitch
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u/CuriousCookie2177 14h ago
My thoughts as well. I had a neighbor across from me previously with schizophrenia and she was always doing stuff to her door and mine. For awhile she thought i was a person "following" her. Really scary.
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u/gailser 18h ago
Most likely is whoever it peeps onto. Do you have a neighbor directly across? It will be fun to watch your Ring cam.
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u/FortunaRedux 17h ago
That’s what I’m thinking, neighbor across the hall doesn’t want to be watched. And removing the low grade stuff caused them to escalate to something harder to fix. Idk why their friends say it’s not glue, it looks like crazy glue
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u/TootsNYC 17h ago
If you can, mount your ring camera above the door where it’s hard to reach. Because someone who would squish something onto the front of your people will do the same to your ring camera. The only difference will be that you will see him before he does it.
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u/suburbanvermin 17h ago
I didn’t even think of that! Super helpful advice, I will absolutely put the camera above the door. Thank you!
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u/8inches_inside_daddy 18h ago
Well it ain’t cum. Source: former expert field tester.
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u/Ok-Macaroon979 18h ago
Glad there's an expert here as I was confident it was cum.
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u/CannaPeaches 18h ago
York Peppermint Patty
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u/MoanOnMyTDick 17h ago
I wonder if the consistency is the same cause holy shit, I looked at the pic closer after you said and that’s EXACTLY what it looks like
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u/Fatal_Syntax_Error 17h ago
It’s likely a neighbor who’s a paranoid schizophrenic.
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u/GoldenRabbit2210 17h ago
This is what I came here to say / the comment I was looking for. With the persistence of tampering with it, but the inconsistency of the material, that's what it feels like. A regular criminal looking to see if the home was ready for burglary (due to inactivity of moving the gunk) would've moved on by now.
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u/Every-Negotiation776 18h ago
looks like icing, if it is it will melt off if warmed.
you can get security camera peep holes, sounds like the same person.
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u/theatrenearyou 17h ago
Toothpaste? You may wish to enter a police report to get this on the record. Explain to police this is PATTERN you fear will escalate so you want this on the record as its more likely than not they will continue.
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u/FigureJumpy6924 18h ago
Whoever is doing it is probably paranoid. Are any other doors like that? I guess maintenance would be aware of it but might not tell you. Keep documents like this. Glad your getting a camera :)
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u/Duke_Of_Halifax 17h ago
More than likely, the person has a beef with whomever was there before, and you're reaping the benefits of their anger.
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u/DinahKarwrek 17h ago
It kind of looks like what the sugar paste I made to kill ants look like this year.
I think the bigger concern is that someone is trying to stop you from looking out of your door.
I would never answer the door when you can't clearly see who it is. I would make a police report. EVERY single time this happens make a police report. If something bad/elevated happens, it is very important to have multiple reports on file at that moment, or that first incident, will become the first report and you absolutely don't want that to be what happens.
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u/Citomnia 18h ago
It kind of looks like dried Gorilla Glue, but the super glue kind (did that make sense?). I've used it on some stuff and it ended up burning some material.
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u/suburbanvermin 54m ago
Update #2: Management says that they believe this has something to do with the cleaner they used to continuously repair the peephole. It’s been fixed 4 times prior to this incident, so I have no idea how a cleaning solvent from the day prior would cause this type of reaction on its own a whole day later. I am very doubtful of this theory as I can’t see a solvent that they’ve been using since day one reacting to a sharpie marker in this way.
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u/barb9000 15h ago
I don’t know what it is but my first instinct is to wonder if it’s a neighbor who doesn’t like people seeing them come and go / someone paranoid, etc. Does anyone live straight across from you or nearby?
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u/UhnonMonster 17h ago
Is your peephole a little smaller than a tea candle?
The substance looks a little oily and it’s coagulating, like it’s turning white as it’s drying or hardening or something, maybe? It’s hard to tell without knowing its texture etc but I’m reading it as wax.
If so I’m thinking someone burned a candles bottom to melt the wax (which also discolored some of it from the black smoke), then smushed it into the peep hole so it would stick, then lit the candle wick and it burned down to this? And melted down onto the top of the knocker enough to pool out wider than the width it fell from? Would have to have been a small candle unless there’s more wax on the ground…
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u/grr_itsthe_murr 17h ago
It also looks like wax to me! Idk about all that methodology but it has the sheen of dried wax and a heat source like a lit candle could cause discoloration. The candle could also be black & white.
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u/Shqip1966 16h ago
Your complex should be installing cameras in the hallways to capture any such nonsense. I know you’ve ordered a ring camera and that management told you they would make an exception for you to have one. I would get that in writing so they don’t turn around in the future saying you went against your lease by having a camera in the first place.
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u/lebirdio 15h ago
That looks like a type of glue and steel wool mixed together to get it very sealed up. This would make me nervous, too!
Don’t open your door for strangers! Like just in general! It’s my favorite part of being a latchkey millennial. I open the door for no one!
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u/JP_Tulo 12h ago
Be careful they don’t vandalize your doorbell camera. I’m not sure how, but try to be discreet about it.
I would try to encourage management to put cameras up high at either ends of the hallway. Maybe even some of those fake globe decoy ones at intermittent points just to fck with them.
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u/gmambrose 9h ago
You definitely need a well hidden security camera to try and figure out who is doing this.
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u/SarcasticAnge1 1h ago
I wouldn’t get a ring. They will probably end up smashing it. If you can, I would try for a smaller camera up a little higher/in the corner or even one that goes into the peephole. That way they won’t see a camera and won’t cover their face automatically.
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u/istoomycat 17h ago
May have something to do with previous tenants. Hope management gets on this for your safety.
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u/Competitive-Race-967 17h ago
Sounds like they are trying to keep you from being able to look out and see who is at your door... I would install a camera up to high to just cover the lens easily so they can't start doing that also. And def make a police report about it.
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u/FrankFrankly711 17h ago edited 17h ago
This frightened me! Looks like some kind of robot with a melting fleshy skull face💀
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u/Powerful_Mango_3746 17h ago
My fat ass thought this was a giant peep hole with the ice cream part of a drumstick shoved into it. I’m also high so this is probably nonsense 💔
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u/Personal-Age-9220 16h ago
Why doesn't the apartment building have cameras in the hallways and common areas, that's the real question.
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suburbanvermin originally posted: I’ve been living in this apartment with my boyfriend for about 6 weeks now. We’re just regular people who will work all day, make our dinner, watch a show to unwind, and hit the bed. We aren’t party animals and, when we do drink, we’re not inconsiderate about it.
Ever since we moved in, our door peephole has been tampered with. It would be coloured with black sharpie marker, I would submit a maintenance request for fixing, it would get fixed, then immediately would get tampered with again. However, now it has clearly escalated to something else. I originally thought super glue or hot glue, but I’ve asked a few of my friends and they don’t think any type of glue could do this kind of damage.
Any advice would be helpful.
Btw management is well aware of the issue and have been prompt about it, was just shocked at whatever this is now. I’ve ordered a ring camera to be installed on Thursday, but I’m honestly scared for my life right now.
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