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usonian

(20,601 posts)
Mon Sep 8, 2025, 10:50 AM Sep 8

Doorbell prankster that tormented residents of German apartments turns out to be a slug

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/08/doorbell-prankster-that-tormented-residents-of-german-apartments-turns-out-to-be-a-slug

Inhabitants of an apartment block in Bavaria, southern Germany, who called police to investigate the relentless buzzing of their doorbells late at night were surprised to find the culprit was not a teenage prankster as they had suspected, but a slug.

The slug had been sliding up and down the bell plate, creating havoc in the building and tearing angry residents out of their beds long after midnight when they could not sleep for the noise.

At first they had suspected the so-called klingelstreich (bell prank), a sometimes popular pastime among German youths. Ding dong ditch, knock-a-door run, or knock-down-ginger as it is variously referred to in English, it typically involves children or youths ringing on a doorbell then running away before they are caught.

But when the ringing continued even after the arrival of two police officers, despite the fact that no one was at the door and a motion detector had failed to activate, a closer look at the metal bell plate revealed the presence of the slug, or nacktschnecke in German – literally a “naked snail”.


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Doorbell prankster that tormented residents of German apartments turns out to be a slug (Original Post) usonian Sep 8 OP
That slug would have been shot in Florida. sop Sep 8 #1
Just leave out a tray of beer. usonian Sep 8 #2
nacktschnecke klingelstreich underpants Sep 8 #3
Gesundheit! usonian Sep 8 #4
I feel a song coming on. Harker Sep 8 #5
I'd be a little pissed. I mean, after being woke up constantly, my mood would not-be-nice. chouchou Sep 8 #6
They need a door buzzard to eat the slugs muriel_volestrangler Sep 8 #7
Well, that was a find. usonian Sep 8 #8
The door buzzard is a Lounge Christmas tradition muriel_volestrangler Sep 8 #9
Thanks. I spend way too much of my time on DU, so I avoid the lounge (OMG!) usonian Sep 8 #10

usonian

(20,601 posts)
2. Just leave out a tray of beer.
Mon Sep 8, 2025, 10:58 AM
Sep 8

They die happy. 🍺

Pacifists can leave out a tray of delicious weeds to keep them busy.

chouchou

(2,361 posts)
6. I'd be a little pissed. I mean, after being woke up constantly, my mood would not-be-nice.
Mon Sep 8, 2025, 12:08 PM
Sep 8

The pissy part is: "So you installed doorbells that are NOT the push-button variety...but the type that a leaf or slug or bug
sets off the noisy thing while sleeping? Gee Thanks!"

usonian

(20,601 posts)
8. Well, that was a find.
Mon Sep 8, 2025, 05:13 PM
Sep 8

Longest thread I've seen since following slashdot.org (which I mercifully stopped doing)

Longest at Hacker News (I void all others) is 1201 replies today.
https://news.ycombinator.com/best

Shall I kick it?
I must choose wisely!

And why not a door dingo? I hear they eat everything.

usonian

(20,601 posts)
10. Thanks. I spend way too much of my time on DU, so I avoid the lounge (OMG!)
Mon Sep 8, 2025, 05:50 PM
Sep 8

Anything to avoid straightening up the kitchen.
Thanks for the tip.

The butler quit!!

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