The Engineering Dads' Pickpocket Trap Is an Arduino-Powered Screamer to Surprise Thieves
Inspired by the "attenzione pickpocket" video series, this pickpocket trap makes its feelings known at top volume.
Pseudonymous maker "Aquaman," of the YouTube duo Engineering Dads, has built an Arduino-powered device designed to deter pickpockets from lifting your wallet — with a hearty digitized scream.
"I don't know about you, but for the last few months my social media page has been flooded with a lady going around Venice screaming [warnings about pickpockets," Aquaman explains of the project's inspiration.
"She's doing God's work making sure people like you don't get your crap stolen, and I couldn't wait to come home when I was over there and work on my first project, which was taking her home with me — or at least her voice."
Aquaman's gadget, designed for deployment in a pocket, is simple enough: a speaker and amplifier are connected to an Arduino-compatible microcontroller with a light-dependent resistor (LDR). When lifted from a pocket by anyone unaware of the LDR, it triggers playback — screaming at the top of its electronic lungs that it's being stolen.
"It's completely powered by a rechargeable lithium[-ion] battery circuit," Aquaman notes of the 3D-printed security tool, "so you can take it with you on the go. Unfortunately, pickpocketing is actually a very big issue in Europe, and it's very hard to prevent. This lady has een doing a very good job of catching it out, so part of our solution involves spreading her legacy across the world.
More details on the build are available in the video above, while 3D print files are available to those backing the Engineering Dads channel on Patreon.