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[smigenboger]

You could possibly call it a 'prolonged citizen's arrest'?

[Virex]

Question: would it still be illegal if you put up clear warning signs?

If an area was clearly marked as dangerous or obviously dangerous to anyone, then it probably doesn't fill under this, or else people couldn't guard their property with an electric fence or a fence with spiked tips. This legislation deals with situations in which the trespasser couldn't have conceived the danger. It's the difference between a barbed wire fence and caltrops hidden in the lawn. This first one will hurt if you don't watch out but it's obvious, while the second one is there with the intent to harm people and isn't directly obvious and avoidable. (A sing saying "warning caltrops" would probably not suffice, though clearly marking it with a tape around the area probably would)


In conclusion, if you want to safeguard your house, make it obvious to the thief that he's going to get hurt if he tries to do anything on your lawn.

[Dr. Melon]

I suppose automated motion-sensitive infrared-sighted minigun turrets are out of the question?

[scriver]

Actually, I think you'd be better of locking the burglar in a closet/the basement than having a "cage"/detention cell designed to hold people. As in, the more it is obvious you've build the thing to keep the burglar there (not only with locks, but with things like water and food supplies and other "comfortables"), the less likely it is to be legal.

[Phmcw]

"You cannot harm someone, unless he is a proven threat to you" is more or less the spirit of the law in most countries.
The debate on shooting intruder was more or less whether broking into your home was a sufficient proof of the intruder's intend to harm you.
The trap fall obviously outside of the whole "proven threat" so it's logically illegal.

[Nikov]

Uh, that refers the Nikov, not Grakelin.

Let's say a burglar does break into your house, and you do shoot him to death.  Doesn't what you've said in this thread demonstrate that such a killing was not in self defence, and was in fact a premediated murder?

No. I think that is a pretty strange logical jump. I mean, if I had "Trespassers Will Be Shot" posted on my front door, and someone kicked it in wearing a ski mask, they can't come back in court and say the sign proves I was premeditating murder of him. Its an issued warning, not a death note.

I don't think this is that far off topic, or trolling. But if the OP objects, I'll mosey on.

[Duke 2.0]

Legally marry them and send them on their way!

The perfect trap.

[alway]

I suppose automated motion-sensitive infrared-sighted minigun turrets are out of the question?

But automated motion-sensitive infrared-sighted paintball gun turrets may not be (depending on town ordinances). Or at the very most you would be cited for minor town ordinance violations. Hook up a few of those and the burgalar would either be forced to leave or look ridiculous for the next couple days as his entire body is covered in red welts. Which would probably make apprehending him a good deal easier for the police.

Although it would also need software to ensure the target was human, as paintball guns may be lethal to smaller animals like pets or wildlife; and killing a neighbor's pet would be very bad, as would needing to clean 2 dozen dead birds and squirrels off your lawn every morning.

[Virex]

This makes me wonder if covering someone in Thioacetone would constitute "harm"...

[Grakelin]

What would any of us need to protect that would require the use of millions of dollars of infrared equipment?

[Virex]

Millions of ollars of infrared apperature of course, silly...

[Armok]

Relevant: http://www.ted.com/talks/nathan_myhrvold_could_this_laser_zap_malaria.html

[quinnr]

My laptop. I love my laptop.

I take it everywhere, and it's saved it when our house was robbed while we were on vacation. Twice.

[Soadreqm]

I would say that anything with warning signs on it telling what it does can't be considered a trap, pretty much by definition. Of course, having the Descending Spike Ceiling Room in your house easily accessible and with no emergency stop button on the inside probably violates some industrial safety guidelines.

[quinnr]

I shall make my cage trap and call it art. Beautiful art of beautifulness.