History Main / BreakInThreat

** The scientists were required to lock their documents in desk drawers whenever they weren't using them to keep them out of the hands of potential spies. Feynmann discovered the locks were easily picked. As with the hole in the fence, he reported it and nothing happened. To draw attention to it, whenever he needed a documents that his colleagues had, he broke into their desks and just took them, then enjoyed the looks on their faces when he returned the documents later.

* In the film ''{{Copycat}}'', as Dr. Helen Hudson comes out of the shower, she finds her red suit lying on her bed. This is already an indication that someone has broken in, but the fear factor increases when Helen realizes that the suit is the one she was wearing when she was attacked by a serial killer one year prior. The message is doubly frightening--"I know where you live, and I'm going to finish the job that he couldn't".

* In the film ''Copycat'', as Dr. Helen Hudson comes out of the shower, she finds her red suit lying on her bed. This is already an indication that someone has broken in, but the fear factor increases when Helen realizes that the suit is the one she was wearing when she was attacked by a serial killer one year prior. The message is doubly frightening--"I know where you live, and I'm going to finish the job that he couldn't".

Compare IfIWantedYouDead. Also compare {{Gaslighting}}, where the goal is to make changes without the victim knowing it, whereas here you make changes specifically to scare or taunt the victim.

* The SherlockHolmes story ''Literature/AStudyInScarlet''. John Ferrier is being threatened by a Mormon cult and wakes up one morning with a note pinned to his chest telling him he has thirty days to give in to their demands. After that, no matter how carefully he secures his property or stays up all night on watch, every morning there's a message somewhere in the house counting down how long he has left.

* ''Film/{{Colombiana}}''. The protagonist is sent to kill an embezzler, who wakes up amidst his PaidHarem to find the word THIEF and an orchid (the assassin's CallingCard) painted on his chest. He then finds all his bodyguards have been murdered. It gets worse.

* The SherlockHolmes story ''A Study in Scarlet''. John Ferrier is being threatened by a Mormon cult and wakes up one morning with a note pinned to his chest telling him he has thirty days to give in to their demands. After that, no matter how carefully he secures his property or stays up all night on watch, every morning there's a message somewhere in the house counting down how long he has left.

* One of the Manson Family's less violent hobbies was "creepy-crawling", or breaking into houses at night, preferably with the residents home, and doing things like moving furniture.

* ''SleepingWithTheEnemy'': While bathing, Laura notices that the bathroom towels have been arranged the way her abusive husband insisted. She freaks out, but upon noticing that nothing else is out of the ordinary, dismisses it. . .until she returns home from her date and finds her tub overflowing (a possible reference to the way she faked her drowning death?), the ''kitchen'' towels rearranged (they were not like this before, and her cupboard arranged the way he always wanted it. Rather than some long, drawn-out stalking, he almost immediately reveals himself to her.

* In the first season of ''{{Dexter}}'', the Ice Truck Killer sneaks into Dexter's apartment several times, and leaves calling cards each time (dismembered dolls, smiley faces). However, Dexter's reaction to the intrusion subverts the trope: he realizes that it isn't a threat, but rather an invitation to "play."

* In the novel ''The Client'', young Mark is attacked in an elevator by a hitman who warns him not to talk to the FBI (shortly before committing suicide, a man had told Mark where the body of a missing politician was buried). To emphasize the seriousness of his threat, the man shows Mark a picture of his family, which Mark instantly recognizes as having been on his coffee table.

* The SherlockHolmes story ''A Study in Scarlet''. John Ferrier is being threatened by a Mormon cult, and walks up one morning with their sign painted on his chest.

Though the good guys can be the sneaker, it's a lot rarer than the other way around.

* In ''Series/{{Babylon 5}}'', an assassin leaves a black flower in Ambassador G'Kar's bed, as a warning that he has been targeted by the assassins' guild.

* In ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' season 2, the vampire Angelus sneaks into Buffy's bedroom while she's sleeping and draws a picture of her, which he leaves for her to find in the morning. (Buffy had previously [[VampireInvitation allowed Angel into her home]], and hadn't removed the permission after Angel turned into Angelus. Once she became aware of this, she had Willow perform a spell to uninvite him.)

* SleepingWithTheEnemy: While bathing, Laura notices that the bathroom towels have been arranged the way her abusive husband insisted. She freaks out, but upon noticing that nothing else is out of the ordinary, dismisses it. . .until she returns home from her date and finds her tub overflowing (a possible reference to the way she faked her drowning death?), the ''kitchen'' towels rearranged (they were not like this before, and her cupboard arranged the way he always wanted it. Rather than some long, drawn-out stalking, he almost immediately reveals himself to her.

* In the Tess Gerrittsen, ''The Surgeon'', as the titular character returns to her office, she notices some minor items are not where she left them, but dismisses it. But when the threats against her begin, she realizes that the criminal has already been stalking her and that the out-of-place things were meant to start rattling her piece of mind.

* This happens in ''TheGodfather'' as a result of the title character's offer being refused. [[spoiler:Jack Woltz wakes up with a horse head in his bed. Bonus points for said horse being his prize horse when it was still alive]].

* This happens in ''TheGodfather''. [[spoiler:Jack Woltz wakes up with a horse head in his bed. Bonus points for said horse being his prize horse when it was still alive]]

* In an early episode of ''BurnNotice'', someone sneaks into Michael's apartment and leaves surveillance photos all over his floor...and each one is of Michael, at various points when he was on a job or pulling some scheme. Along with all that is a card that says "Welcome to Miami" and a handwritten note that says something to the effect of "We'll be watching you".
* In ''{{Babylon 5}}'', an assassin leaves a black flower in Ambassador G'Kar's bed, as a warning that he has been targeted by the assassins' guild.

* TheBible: In a rare reversal, David pulls this one on Saul. However, it's closer to a warning than a threat, as David was so close to Saul that he could've easily killed him, instead choosing to take away his pike and water bottle. After sneaking out of the camp, David then stated to the guard captain that he was able to sneak right into the camp before holding a small speech to Saul. Saul, however, [[IfIWantedYouDead didn't get the message]] and kept the war going.

-->[A] woman who had elaborately burglar-proofed her midtown Manhattan apartment... returned home one day to find her furniture rearranged. Nothing was missing, but she happened upon a chilling note which read: "If we want to get you, we will."

* The SherlockHolmes story ''A Study in Scarlett''. John Ferrier is being threatened by a Mormon cult, and walks up one morning with their sign painted on his chest.

* In an early episode of ''BurnNotice'',someone sneaks into Michael's apartment and leaves surveillance photos all over his floor...and each one is of Michael, at various points when he was on a job or pulling some scheme. Along with all that is a card that says "Welcome to Miami" and a handwritten note that says something to the effect of "We'll be watching you".
* In ''{{Babylon 5}}'', an assasin leaves a black flower in Ambassador G'Kar's bed, as a warning that he has been targeted by the assasins' guild.

* In ''{{Following}}'', The GentlemanThief Cobb steals more ForTheLulz / ForTheEvulz than out of need, and he sometimes doesn't take anything, but will go throw keepsakes and make sure the people there know it, in order to disrupt their lives.