When you’re going about your usual morning routine, the last thing you expect is to find something suspicious on your front door. That’s exactly what happened to one woman who noticed red wax in the keyhole of her home. What seemed like an odd, possibly harmless discovery quickly turned into a concerning warning—and now she’s urging others to be alert and take action.

In a now widely shared Reddit post, a user uploaded a photo showing a red wax-like substance oozing from her front door’s keyhole. “I don’t have anything on my key that would do this,” she wrote, explaining that she only noticed the wax residue after locking the door earlier that morning. “A little concerned that someone may have been messing with my lock last night.”

As expected, the online community immediately jumped into the comments, offering a variety of theories—some lighthearted, others alarming.

At first, a few commenters suggested innocent explanations. One user asked if she might have accidentally melted lipstick in her purse. Another joked about mischievous kids: “Any kids nearby? My special spawn would stick crayons in everything. Everything.” While those possibilities may seem reasonable, not everyone was so quick to laugh it off.

That’s when the thread took a darker turn. Several users pointed out that melted wax—or more specifically, crayon wax—might be used in an illegal technique. One commenter warned, “If you push a red crayon into a lock, it can create a mold or ‘crayon key’ that can be 100% duplicated. You need to change your locks right away.” Another agreed, writing, “Change the lock. They’re trying to make a copy key.”

One particularly chilling comment came from a user who goes by the name Atllas66. He recalled a similar experience while working in real estate: “I was flipping houses when I found melted wax in the keyhole of a door. At first, I thought it looked like white lipstick. But then I noticed the same thing on neighboring houses.” He decided to call the local crime check hotline. The response? It’s a common trick used by burglars or squatters to figure out which houses are still being actively used. If the wax is disturbed or removed, the criminal knows someone is using the door. If it’s still intact days later, the home might be vacant—making it a potential target.

That seemingly insignificant blob of wax might actually be a surveillance tactic used by intruders to monitor a neighborhood’s activity in secret.

So what should you do if you notice something strange in your lock—or around your home in general?

Here are some important steps to protect yourself, your family, and your property:

1. Document and report it:
If you spot any unusual substance like wax or find your lock tampered with, take clear photos. Whether or not a crime has occurred, report the incident to your local police department. This helps law enforcement keep track of suspicious activity in your neighborhood and may prevent future incidents.

2. Upgrade your home security:
Install smart locks that are harder to tamper with and can notify you of attempts to access your home. Consider adding doorbell cameras, motion sensors, or other smart surveillance tools that allow you to keep tabs on your property from your phone.

3. Improve outdoor lighting:
Motion-sensor lights around your front door, back entrance, and driveway can scare off would-be criminals before they even get close.

4. Communicate with neighbors:
Let your neighbors know what you’ve discovered. If one home is targeted, others might be as well. When communities look out for each other, everyone becomes safer.

5. Make it look like someone is always home:
If you’re going away for a few days, use timers to turn lights on and off at normal intervals. Leave a car in the driveway or ask a neighbor to park there for you.

6. Keep entryways visible:
Trim bushes, shrubs, or trees near doors and windows. This eliminates hiding spots and improves sightlines for both you and any surveillance cameras you have installed.

7. Stay aware of suspicious signs:
Watch out for chalk marks on mailboxes or walls, unfamiliar tape or stickers on door frames, or odd items left near your property. These can be subtle signals left behind by criminals to communicate with each other.

In today’s world, criminals are often clever and subtle in how they choose their targets. That’s why a small detail—like red wax in your keyhole—should never be brushed off as a fluke. While it might just be a prank or an accident, it could also be the sign of something more serious. Don’t panic, but don’t ignore it either.

By staying vigilant, upgrading your home’s defenses, and communicating with your neighbors and authorities, you can take control of your safety. A little caution goes a long way when it comes to protecting your home and your loved ones.

Spread the word—share this story with others so they know what to watch out for. Sometimes, the smallest signs can help stop a crime before it happens.