In this article, we’ll discuss something that I’m sure your high school teachers and driving instructors never told you about: the danger of finding a plastic bottle stuck in the open space between your tire and your car’s body, also known as the wheel well.

If you encounter this, proceed with caution. If you don’t approach this correctly, there could be severe consequences. As I’ve gone on, you might be feeling a little stressed. Read on for all the details about the “bottle on the car tire trick.”

If you find a plastic bottle between your car and one of its tires in a parking garage, it could mean someone is trying to target your vehicle.

So, why is it wrong to find a plastic bottle in your wheelwell? First of all, the bottle needs to be recycled correctly.

But more importantly, it means that someone probably put it there purposefully. Could you take a moment to think about it? A strong gust of wind can’t hurl a bottle into a space that tight. And before you ask, have you ever seen a squirrel that agile?

The reality is that a person (or perhaps a group of people) placed it there. Guess what? We can all agree that this person(s) is up to no good.

In the video below, Did You Know? Explains the idea behind the trick and notes that it was first reported in Limpopo, South Africa. After that first incident, a video made in Mexico, which warned others about the dangerous act, quickly went viral. However, as much as the footage informed drivers of this act, it also gave wannabe thieves a strategy.

I’ll explain how the “bottle on the car trick” works.

A criminal or criminals will target an unattended parked car. Then, they’ll put a plastic bottle inside the gap between the tire and the wheel well. The criminal may then go back into hiding while watching the car.

When the driver returns to the car, there’s a good chance they won’t notice the bottle (let’s be honest, do you inspect your car’s tires every time you drive?). Eventually, the driver will start the car and try to pull away but will likely stop and panic once that plastic-cracking noise begins. Oh, please stop!

The driver will probably leave the keys in the engine, open the car door, and go around to the passenger side to find the tire causing the problem.

While the driver is down on the ground trying to get the bottle out, the criminal might get back in the car and drive away, or they might steal some of the driver’s belongings and run away.

Is this far-fetched? Maybe so. While some doubt has been cast on these cases, the strategy makes sense if someone tries it out. Plus, there are some situations where this could work, like if it’s dark out, the weather is terrible, or the driver is elderly.