11 ms·
I've had fantasies of much worse punishments for package thieves, like a paint gun sentinel. I'd buy this if he'd manufacture it.
by binarymax 8y ago
I've had fantasies of much worse punishments for package thieves, like a paint gun sentinel. I'd buy this if he'd manufacture it.
- onemoresoop 8y agoWhile all we can do to revenge is sometimes a fantasy, I'd say be rational when you turn your fantasies to reality, you might end up paying the hospitalization for the package thieves.
- cphoover 8y agoNah... that's not the way the law works. I would love to see a thief try and bring that case... EDIT: NAL but... It's my understanding that the likelihood such a case is brought is small 1. Because it pretty much guarantees the alleged perpetrator will have charges brought against them and 2. Contributory negligence would make that case very hard to win. It is my understanding that yes there have been cases where such cases are brought before a court, but they are infrequent, and not easy to win.
- lukev 8y agoBurglar traps are definitely not legal. Where are you getting your information?
- SmellyGeekBoy 8y agoHome Alone
- techopoly 8y agoOh, well, carry on then.
- jki275 8y agoCan you cite a law that says they're not legal? Certainly if you caused someone harm using one it would be illegal in the sense that causing someone harm is illegal anyway, but a harmless trap like this one doesn't seem to me that it would be illegal. I'm not a lawyer though, so I'd be interested to see if there is some law I'm not aware of.
- bduerst 8y ago>Can you cite a law that says they're not legal? The Geneva convention, for starters. It's also a five second Google search: https://definitions.uslegal.com/b/booby-traps/ https://definitions.uslegal.com/b/booby-traps/
- JibJabLab 8y agoThe Geneva Convention applies during wartime, does it not? AFAIK, we aren't in an actual war against theives...
- dragonwriter 8y ago> The Geneva convention Which Geneva Convention applies to non-state actors not acting in the context of international or internal war? Please quote specifically the relevant provisions making it applicable to that case. > It's also a five second Google search Well, yes, that that's all the effort you devoted does explain the rather giant hole in your argument.
- bduerst 8y ago>The Geneva convention, for starters. Is the full statement. Individual state laws vary but it's important enough to be international law was the point. From the article: >If a person sets up such a trap to protect his/her property, he/she will be liable for any injury or death even to an unwanted intruder such as a burglar. It is illegal to set a booby trap on one's own property to prevent intruders.
- 8y ago
- 1024core 8y agoIn America, burglars have been known to sue in such cases.
- vorpalhex 8y agoIANAL but my understanding is that it's generally illegal to have any kind of "booby trap". The concern (and also legal test) is whether or not it would be likely to spring on a first responder. If you have your house fill with knockout gas whenever someone enters and a fireman needs to kick in your front door, you're going to jail. Someone entering illegally such a burglar still can bring a suit around a booby trap (but could also still liable for prosecution for their illegal entry, etc).
- notacoward 8y agoSeems like a package trap that triggers on opening would pass that test. First responders aren't going to open a package. The only way they'd be likely to interact with it at all would be to kick it aside.
- zamalek 8y agoMy brothers friend was sued for medical expenses by a perp who broke something falling over toys the kid hadn't packed away. More than a decade ago, but it does confirm your understanding of the situation.
- jakobegger 8y agoThat sounds like an urban legend.
- zamalek 8y agoIt could well be.
- magic_beans 8y agoI do not believe this. Or if your friend WAS sued, I wouldn't be surprised if the case was thrown out.
- electrograv 8y agoI know "theft traps" are not legal (even ultimately harmless ones, like the paintball idea mentioned above), but for some reason it feels bizarrely backwards (or ironic?) that a proportionately harmless response to a thief (caught in the act) would be more likely to see prosecution than the act of theft itself.
- gear54rus 8y agonot exactly harmless if it gets you in the eye..
- weberc2 8y agoI just could not have less sympathy for a thief who injurs himself while stealing. It's bizarre that we live in a world where this is controversial.
- txcwpalpha 8y agoNoone said anything about sympathy. And lack of sympathy is irrelevant to legal liability.
- weberc2 8y agoOk, let me spell it out: that the law protects criminals and punishes innocent citizens in such cases is indicative of a problem with the law. And yes, defending your property from theft is categorically "innocent".
- stanleydrew 8y agoIf your defense against theft ends up killing the thief do you think you shouldn't be liable? The point is that at some point an "innocent" citizen crosses a line and is no longer innocent. We are just debating where the line should be.
- 8y ago
- ddorian43 8y agoBooby traps are illegal
- b_tterc_p 8y agoSounds like you hypothetically need something which is inherently dangerous (scorpions) but not purposefully dangerous to the person who opens it (drone scheduled to attack package owner). As an aside, I don’t know if it legal to ship scorpions.
- EvanAnderson 8y agoThis adds nothing to the conversation but I absolutely cannot resist sharing this gem that I ran into a few days ago: https://dollarscorpionclub.com https://dollarscorpionclub.com (It just seems too appropriate not to share.)
- hossbeast 8y agoBut is it legal to store them in a box on my porch?
- snovv_crash 8y agoWhat about a big box of 'roaches? And the camera of course, that would be comedy gold.
- modeless 8y ago> I don’t know if it legal to ship scorpions That's easy, simply refer to Exhibit 526.5: Restrictions on Mailing Live Scorpions https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c5_008.htm#ep203359 https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c5_008.htm#ep203359
- b_tterc_p 8y agoHow wonderful, yet disappointingly sufficient. Coincidentally, as suggested in the rules, writing “Live scorpions” will probably deter people anyway.
- belorn 8y agoI strongly doubt that there is any rational risk for prosecution given the police response to the first crime, but I would worry more of escalated revenge from the criminal.
- zaarn 8y agoPersonally, if I could legally, morally and practically, I'd probably use chemical deterrents like cadaverine or butter acid (though the later is possibly dangerous). Dump 100mg of cadaverine in the thiefs car and they'll never use that car again. And possibly the clothes they wore at the time. Or other chemicals. It would be most exciting to find chemicals that yield strongest short-term effects without any damaging long term effects.
- dunham 8y agoHaving once had a package thief open/dump packages in my back yard, next to the house, I would prefer you don't do that. The packages were some rolls of vinyl, a box of sealed granola snacks, and some inexpensive jewelry, all rejected by the thief. If the person was homeless, I'm surprised they ditched the food, it was nutritious and shelf-stable. (I redelivered the packages.)
- zaarn 8y agoSome part of me is prepared to pay that price.
- PyroLagus 8y agoIf you want to be really evil, you use Thioacetone: https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2009/06/11/things_i_wont_work_with_thioacetone https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2009/06/11/th... As far as I'm aware, it's the worst smelling chemical known to humans and has no damaging long term effects. You just have to be veeery careful about it unless you want to stink up the whole town by accident.
- justwalt 8y agoThis reads like an urban legend. I’ll have to shake the rust off my OChem lab experience and try some synthesis. Kidding of course, but I it makes wonder how easy this would be for an amateur to synthesize. The consequences being making an entire town nauseous makes this whole thing pretty enigmatic.
- 8y ago
- usermcuserface 8y agoBear in mind... these people know where you live.
- quotha 8y agoHard to believe how many people are concerned by that. So a cowardly thief gets glitter bombed and you are worried that they will come back!! Imagine how much worse it would get for them.
- 49531 8y agoI don't think someone being a thief makes them cowardly, and thus not open to coming back and throwing a brick through your window in retaliation. A thief is already open to the idea of invading your personal space for gain, why not revenge?
- quotha 8y agoThe man spent months and months developing this thing, is that not revenge? I don't understand why everyone thinks the homeowners are helpless and just waiting to be robbed/vandalized/whatever.
- stcredzero 8y agoThink of it this way: You have made a 100 to 200 pound large hairless ape angry at you. This creature has human intelligence, and no interest in your feelings or your safety. Rather, it wants to make you suffer. It's more capable than the most advanced robot, and may hold onto its grudge and plan revenge over the next several months or a year. Who wants to sign up for that?
- quotha 8y agoYou do realize it was a glitter bomb right?
- stcredzero 8y ago