It’s generally agreed that ghosts, if they indeed exist, were once living, breathing human beings. And, unfortunately, human beings are more than capable of committing crime. So it may follow that ghosts also seek to transgress against their (former) fellow men. In this top 10 crimes list we examine ten alleged offenses that allegedly sprang from beyond the veil. True ghostly perpetrators or just garden‑variety criminals trying to dodge justice? You be the judge.
10 Ghost Indecent Exposure
Imagine walking into your own living room only to discover two translucent figures locked in a passionate embrace. That’s exactly what Dianne Carlisle of Euclid, Ohio claims happened in her house. According to her, the apparitions were not shy; they were clearly copulating, complete with the lady’s high‑heeled shoes visible in the spectral tableau. Dianne isn’t new to eerie encounters—her late sister once left a voicemail that simply read “I love you,” and she’s spotted phantoms in mirrors and even seen them playing with her daughter, De’Onna. The ghostly lovers were caught in the act by her four‑year‑old granddaughter, Kimora, who was fiddling with a cell phone when she saw the scene. Dianne, bewildered, exclaimed, “I’ve never seen anything like this… I mean, ghosts still have feelings? They’re having sex?” She adds that the paranormal activity hasn’t waned; if anything, it’s gotten more frequent.
9 Ghost Theft
Former police officer Joseph Hughes of Mount Gilead, Ohio, found himself on the wrong side of the law in 2011 when a massive theft case landed on his doorstep. He claimed the stolen items—air conditioners, a generator, and other goods stashed in his basement—were placed there by a ghost. Hughes told the court, “It sounds ridiculous, but we believed there was some kind of paranormal presence in the basement.” Prosecutors were skeptical, and despite his spectral defense, Hughes was convicted on 18 of 20 counts. The courtroom drama left many wondering whether a ghost could really be a mastermind thief.
8 Ghost Vandalization
Lisa and Phil Rigley of Clifton, Nottingham, installed home cameras after a spate of mysterious attacks on their vehicles. In the dead of night—around 1:30 a.m. on August 1st, 2012—a camera captured a glowing white orb, resembling a child spirit wearing a hoodie, leaping over the roofs of their cars. Phil, a self‑confessed skeptic, admitted, “I am cynical about ghosts because I don’t believe in them but this footage is strange.” Lisa echoed his astonishment, describing the apparition as a four‑ or five‑year‑old child. Their dog, normally quick to bark at intruders, remained silent, adding to the mystery. Though no physical damage was found, the Rigleys decided not to pursue legal action against the spectral vandal.
7 Ghost Harassment
A Saudi Arabian family grew so exasperated by unseen torment that they sued the “genie” they believed was pestering them. The alleged spectral harassment included threatening voicemails, stolen mobile phones, and even stones hurled at the children. The family’s legal battle pushed the courts to grapple with the difficulty of verifying a claim against an invisible, undead aggressor. While the case highlighted the challenges of prosecuting paranormal harassment, it also underscored how relentless, unseen bullying can drive a household to extreme measures.
6 Ghost Disorderly Conduct
In 2006, 18‑year‑old Thomas McGair of Glasgow, Scotland, was arrested after swearing at police officers and causing a public disturbance. His defense? A disembodied pirate ghost. McGair shouted, “It wasn’t me, it was the pirate!” while being handcuffed. Sheriff Rajni Swanney expressed intrigue, and McGair’s lawyer, Andrew Kennedy, argued that his client was “in a state of agitation because he claims he had just seen a ghost.” Although McGair admitted to breaching the peace, he denied intoxication and insisted a spectral voice had spurred his outburst. His sentence was ultimately deferred, leaving the case open‑ended.
5 Ghost Assault
A French family from Mentque‑Nortbecourt reported that the spirits haunting their home escalated from eerie noises to outright physical assault. One family member suffered a facial injury after a chair was flung at him, while another was struck in the back by a soap tray. A visiting friend was hit by stones allegedly thrown by the angry entities. Local authorities took the claims seriously, evacuating the family to a nearby campsite and arranging temporary housing. The household enlisted a local church’s exorcist, who now makes regular visits in an attempt to cleanse the residence of its hostile apparitions.
4 Ghost Domestic Abuse
In Wisconsin, Michael West’s marital argument over finances turned violent, prompting his wife to call the police. She reported being beaten, punched, and strangled. When officers arrived, they found her in tears with blood staining the front of her shirt. Initially, West claimed his wife’s injuries resulted from repeated falls, but later altered his story, blaming a ghost for the assault. The police dismissed his supernatural explanation, charging him with strangulation, battery, and disorderly conduct. West was taken into custody, leaving his wife to seek medical care and presumably therapy.
3 Ghost Kidnapping
A burglar in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, claimed he was abducted by a “supernatural figure” after breaking into a home. The homeowner’s family returned from vacation to find the intruder dehydrated, exhausted, and unable to leave because the entity repeatedly pushed him to the ground. Police official Abdul Marlik Hakim Johar confirmed the victim’s condition, noting the homeowner’s shock at the scene. The would‑be thief was rescued and taken to hospital, likely reconsidering any future break‑ins after such an otherworldly ordeal.
2 Ghost Rape
Between 2005 and 2009, over one hundred women in the Manitoba Mennonite colony of Bolivia reported waking with genital injuries, severe headaches, and tangled rope in their hair, accompanied by semen stains on their sheets. The youngest victim was a three‑year‑old child. Initially, the isolated community dismissed the reports as overactive imaginations. As the assaults persisted, locals turned to a supernatural explanation, attributing the crimes to demons. Even after nine men were arrested and convicted in 2011 for drugging and raping households, the violence reportedly continued, reinforcing the belief that otherworldly forces were at play.
1 Ghost Murders
Naiyana Patel of East Asheville, North Carolina, was arrested in August 2011 for the brutal murder of her two daughters, eight‑year‑old Jiya and four‑year‑old Piya. According to investigators, Patel’s husband, Lalo, discovered his wife wielding a hatchet, striking herself while the children lay bloodied on the floor. Despite frantic 911 calls, Jiya was already dead and Piya later succumbed to her injuries at a hospital. When questioned, Patel claimed the “ghost killed her children,” insisting she didn’t want to live and refusing medical treatment for her self‑inflicted wounds. Lt. Wallace Welch, interim police chief, described the incident as a “terrible, terrible incident.”