HGTV's Erin And Ben Napier Have Had Some Scary Incidents At Their Home
Ben and Erin Napier have a lot of special connections to their hometown of Laurel, Mississippi, from their alma mater Jones College to the Scotsman Co. woodworking shop Ben owns. That love led to the launch of their popular HGTV series "Home Town," in which they take on renovation projects in the area. Their updates bring a fresh sensibility to the dwellings while still maintaining the beauty of Laurel's historic homes. But the Napiers' efforts are more than just cosmetic; thanks to the show and the additional support of their friends and townspeople, the once-crumbling city has undergone a renaissance to become a tourist destination.
Talking to HGTV about filming the 100th episode of "Home Town," Ben said, "Having the Bush sisters film a 'Today' show segment in our store, plus the numerous articles written about our town make it seem famous, but to us and the locals, it's still the same great town it always was." Still, life being what it is, bad things happen to good people, even ones from homespun Southern communities. The Napiers have found this out the hard way on several occasions. They've endured property theft and a security threat, but they have no intention of letting a few bad apples spoil their efforts or their love for Laurel.
The Napiers got ghosted on a hot tub
Erin and Ben Napier take pride in doing much of their renovation work themselves, and they work with trusted experts for the jobs they can't do themselves. Still, they can't predict what may happen in the midst of a project. In January 2024, a hot tub created BTS headaches for the Napiers as they were doing a makeover for client Mike Terrell. "For Mike, we used luxury finishes and simplified modern lines, darker color, bits of brass, and lots of bold art from his collection to change the personality of this low-country style bungalow," Erin reported on Instagram. Their plan included an outdoor deck complete with a stainless-steel hot tub, but disaster struck during the build, as Erin explained: "The original hot tub was stolen en route to delivery and the truck driver ghosted us!"
The Napiers quickly ordered a replacement, but because of the special nature of the tub, it didn't arrive until some weeks later, holding up the production and the reveal. "Mike was such a good sport about the delay," Erin wrote. Better late than never, as the project came out beautifully, and Erin feels their reno also honored the original owners, who had been friends of theirs. Followers agreed, though one had an interesting question: "How is the steel on the hot tub treated so that it doesn't get crazy hot to the touch in direct sun??!" A reply added, "That was my first thought when I saw it. Ouch!"
Ben's cherished vintage car was (briefly) stolen
In early February 2024, Ben Napier became one of the millions of victims of auto theft. According to a Facebook post from his friend W. Dale Keyes, a suspect was caught on the Napiers' home surveillance camera early that morning making off with Ben's vintage gold-and-cream 1987 Chevy Blazer SUV, which was parked in the carport. Ben and Erin were reportedly away from home at the time.
To the couple's relief, justice was done in short order. The Blazer was recovered at a local mechanic shop several days later, and Laurel police investigators identified the culprit as a man with a long rap sheet of auto thefts. In fact, at the time, he was already at the police station being questioned about a different stolen car. The suspect appeared in court, where his bond was set at $80,000. Laurel Police Department Chief Tommy Cox praised the arresting officers and noted that Napier's Blazer "came back in the same condition it was in," per the Laurel Leader-Call. As vintage cars go, Ben's ride is fairly modest; J.D. Power & Associates rates the '87 Blazer as being worth roughly $26,000-52,000 in good condition. But any Southern man worth his salt will tell you that you don't mess with his car, especially one with sentimental value.
The Napiers had yet to comment on the theft or recovery as of this writing. Presumably, Ben has healed from his recent shoulder injury enough to get back behind the wheel.
The Napiers' neighbors alerted them to a scary threat
Ben and Erin Napier's Laurel neighbors showed their true hometown colors back in May 2021. As Erin explained in a 2022 Instagram post, they were filming an episode of their show when local residents flooded Ben with text messages warning him about a man who had just bought a house just a block away from theirs. He had been seen around town wearing a "Star Wars" stormtrooper costume and an ankle monitor. Worse, the man had reportedly been talking about "protecting" their three-year-old daughter Helen, and even kept a few used toys at his home in case "Helen comes over to visit," he allegedly said.
Recalling the incident, Erin told People, "Everybody was trying to keep it from me because I was pregnant and stressed out," she says (she was due to give birth to her second daughter any day). "And then when we got in the car and [Ben] told me what was going on, it scared me to death, gave me chills." The couple hired round-the-clock security guards for protection; Erin added that they went to court, presumably to get an order of protection. After two weeks, the man was sent back to his former residence.
The experience prompted the Napiers to start a nonprofit called Osprey, which is aimed at keeping young children social media-free. They also refrain from showing their daughters' faces online. "It further validated what I already knew: protect your kids in the online world much as you can," Erin wrote.