Food leftovers were once found at a woman’s front door. She initially assumed it was a joke, so she was greatly surprised when a police officer explained what it meant.

Maria Celino-Straker from Manchester, United Kingdom, received the unwelcome surprise of seeing food on her door. When she observed that someone had thrown a can of red beans on her doorway, the woman assumed that one of the neighborhood kids or young men had played a prank on her.

However, a police officer clarified that there might be a reason behind the gesture that not many people would have considered. The woman was more than shocked to learn what it was about.

When a woman discovered food leftovers at her front door, a police officer explained what this might indicate.

While cleaning up, the British woman found it difficult to forget what had happened. Later, she related what had happened to a relative (who also happened to be a former police officer). After learning more about the incident, the law enforcement officer said that the sign was intended to be as serious as possible and wasn’t just an amusing gesture.

Food scraps or other items left at a house’s entry, in accordance with the information provided by the former police officer, can be an obvious indication that a thief has his eye on the property. The perpetrator checks to see if the debris or other items left behind are removed to confirm that the owners have left. Otherwise, the burglar acts while being aware that nobody is home.

Maria Celino-Straker made the decision to share this information with her Facebook followers after becoming alarmed by what she learned. In order to alert others to a potential threat, the woman posted what happened to her and what she learned from the police.