25 Things That Feel Suspicious But Are Not Illegal

When you see someone purchasing a specific set of goods at the store, it may tell you what that person is about to get up to. Like a person having friends over for a party will buy lots of chips, dips and paper cups, whereas a person having a date may buy chocolates flowers and perhaps something more to indicate their intentions.  But what if you see someone buying yards and yards of rope, garbage bags, a flashlight, some duct tape and a shovel? Our thoughts immediately jump to nefarious activities these items could be used for. So when someone online asked, “What is suspicious to own but not illegal?”, folks were quick to share their hilarious observations on purchases that may look criminal in nature but are in fact quite innocently hilarious when you know the backstory.

#1 A closet grow tent for... tomatoes.

Image source: wolfgang187, Karolina Kołodziejczak

#2 "(...)You need at least sixteen pigs to finish the job in one sitting, so be wary of any man who keeps a pig farm."

Image source: love-boobs-in-dm, Amber Kipp

#3

Image source: sightlab I got pulled over late at night and when the cop shined his light into the cargo area of my station wagon the most visible objects were a shovel, rope, gloves, and the giant tarp-wrapped bundle of yard refuse I was bringing to the town compost in the morning. Surely there was at least one roll of duct tape or gorilla tape back there. At least he had a sense of humor about it when he strolled up to my window: "So we're off to bury the body under the cover of night, huh?"

#4 3 phones

Image source: indepen-variable, Iurii Laimin

#5 I was at home Depot with a shopping cart full of PVC stuff, and this cop standing in line behind me says "building a potato cannon, huh?". I actually *was* building a potato cannon.

Image source: Conch-Republic

#6

Image source: Regractoolstu, Valentin Petkov For me water. My neighbors had well water and would dry up. They asked if they could run a hose and put it in there well they would pay what was owed. Did this alot last summer no big deal they paid. Then they bought a big above ground pool. Filled it for them they always paid my part was always around the same so I wasn't bent out of shape. One day the water meter guy knocked with an officer wanting to know why I was using so much water. I explained showed the many hoses to reach my neighbors and they were there to help explain. They explained to me that much water usage was throwing a red flag. So they were sent out to investigate to make sure no marijuana growing was happening.

#7 I had all my baby teeth saved in a little container at one point, as an adult. Just never threw them away. I got rid of them when I watched the season of Dexter where there is a serial k**ler who kept a collection of his victim's teeth and it made me think "yeah this could look weird."

Image source: HashDefTrueFalse

#8 A flamethrower.

Image source: Casca_In_Red, Tali Despins

#9 I lost the key to my crawlspace's padlock once, and went to the hardware store to buy bolt cutters, so I could replace it. I told the cashier why I was buying them (without being asked) and he was like "it's funny, everyone that buys bolt-cutters feels like they need to tell me why they are buying them. I think they just want me to know they aren't about to do something illegal."

Image source: FackleGracks, Tekton

#10 Loads of money in cash

Image source: Bataguki, Pixabay

#11 A "ritual" dagger, as he described it. My one college roommate had one displayed and would occasionally need the room to himself. I opted for a place where I had my own room next year.

Image source: TheSexyMicrowave, Anis Rahman

#12 a collection of other peoples' hair

Image source: Less-Cake-5692, Paul Siewert

#13 It’s not illegal to go to Walmart and buy trash bags, a saw and cleaning supplies at 2am but I’ve seen enough true crime stuff to say it is mighty suspicious.

Image source: Nippon-Gakki, Caique Morais

#14 An old beat up van with, "Free candy" painted on the side.

Image source: Tobutch, Wikicommons

#15 I got stopped and questioned at airport security because of my jewellery scales and grinder.. until I showed them my coffee beans and Aeropress.

Image source: TripleDistance, Nathan Dumlao

#16 a very sensetive scale

Image source: spinning-disc, Lina Kivaka

#17 Lock picks. They're seen as thieves tools but lock picking isn't uncommon for a hobby

Image source: Prestigious_Water336, Ariel

#18 Multiple pad locks on your basement door.

Image source: SprinklesMore8471, Anita Jankovic

#19 A tank. Most states don't prohibit you owning one because it's just something you don't expect someone to have... but I'd find it really suspicious if one was parked in my neighbors driveway

Image source: mcknightrider, Kevin Schmid

#20 Human skull.

Image source: Reynolds_Live, Audrey Amaro