CDZ Yes or no....should a Porch Pirate's victim be prosecuted if

[justoffal]

He places rigged packages on his porch that have a harmless boom mechanism built into them to scare off the scum bag thieves who do this thing in the first place?

I watched a Hilarious news piece the other day of a guy who had so many of his packages stolen that he started making boom boxes that exploded when lifted and carried for a short distance. He had this on his home surveillance footage and I'm telling you it was a scream. It was all pressurized air and confetti for the most part...pretty much harmless.

But let's say the porch pirate had a weak heart and died from fright due to the attempted theft....is the householder criminally responsible for this?

Yes or no?

JO

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Nope.

If you die while committing a crime....too bad.

 

[justoffal]

Nope.

If you die while committing a crime....too bad.

Yeah those are my feelings also.....it just occurred to me that it is only a matter of time before some asshole has a heart attack when a boom device like that one goes off in the middle of his heist and the family tries to sue the householder......you know this is coming.

JO

 

[Ringel05]

He places rigged packages on his porch that have a harmless boom mechanism built into them to scare off the scum bag thieves who do this thing in the first place?

I watched a Hilarious news piece the other day of a guy who had so many of his packages stolen that he started making boom boxes that exploded when lifted and carried for a short distance. He had this on his home surveillance footage and I'm telling you it was a scream. It was all pressurized air and confetti for the most part...pretty much harmless.

But let's say the porch pirate had a weak heart and died from fright due to the attempted theft....is the householder criminally responsible for this?

Yes or no?

JO

Unfortunately it's a grey area in law, in some states/localities yes the homeowner could be held be criminally liable. The real problem is the homeowner could most likely be held civilly liable meaning the family of the deceased could sue for wrongful death and have a high probability of winning. I think that may be changing though due to the passage of Castle Doctrines (Laws) yet even in that area of law this type of resultant death may not be fully covered under Castle Laws, again another grey area.
Personally I believe that any person committing a crime that dies in the commission of that crime due to what is defined as non-lethal deterrents should be held solely responsible for their own demise and not the property or business owner.

 

[ReinyDays]

Well, it is illegal whether we like it or not ...

A little air pressure and confetti is, at worst, simple assault ... probably not worth a police officer's time ... so go ahead and have fun but remember, if the pirate has a heart attack and dies, you could be up on murder charges ...

The problem is some jack-wagon will figure air pressure and some broken glass is better idea ... or some gunpowder and broken glass ... or a lot of gunpowder and common nails ... or rig a 12-gauge shotgun ... scraping the Americium out of old smoke detectors ... a slippery slope indeed ...

The big problem is how to have our booby trap only select for pirates; and not EMT's, firemen or 5-year-old children? ... or yourself ...

The alternative is a lock box ... the delivery person puts the package in and snaps the padlock closed ... problem solved ...

 

[SavannahMann]

The best prank packages is this.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Well, it is illegal whether we like it or not ...

A little air pressure and confetti is, at worst, simple assault ... probably not worth a police officer's time ... so go ahead and have fun but remember, if the pirate has a heart attack and dies, you could be up on murder charges ...

The problem is some jack-wagon will figure air pressure and some broken glass is better idea ... or some gunpowder and broken glass ... or a lot of gunpowder and common nails ... or rig a 12-gauge shotgun ... scraping the Americium out of old smoke detectors ... a slippery slope indeed ...

The big problem is how to have our booby trap only select for pirates; and not EMT's, firemen or 5-year-old children? ... or yourself ...

The alternative is a lock box ... the delivery person puts the package in and snaps the padlock closed ... problem solved ...

A lock box isn't going to stop a thief from stealing it too......just like they steal ATM or vending machines. It might slow them down, but won't stop them.


If a homeowner with a dog, that bites a thief in the ass can be prosecuted, even have the dog put down for it....so could a boom box. Or a homeowner with a gun that shoots the offender.

Unfortunately we can't protect our selves or our property/possessions.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Well, it is illegal whether we like it or not ...

A little air pressure and confetti is, at worst, simple assault ... probably not worth a police officer's time ... so go ahead and have fun but remember, if the pirate has a heart attack and dies, you could be up on murder charges ...

The problem is some jack-wagon will figure air pressure and some broken glass is better idea ... or some gunpowder and broken glass ... or a lot of gunpowder and common nails ... or rig a 12-gauge shotgun ... scraping the Americium out of old smoke detectors ... a slippery slope indeed ...

The big problem is how to have our booby trap only select for pirates; and not EMT's, firemen or 5-year-old children? ... or yourself ...

The alternative is a lock box ... the delivery person puts the package in and snaps the padlock closed ... problem solved ...

so go ahead and have fun but remember, if the pirate has a heart attack and dies, you could be up on murder charges

What if the item he's stealing is too heavy and he has a heart attack?
Am I liable because a 20 lb package caused cardiac arrest?

 

[ReinyDays]

A lock box isn't going to stop a thief from stealing it too......just like they steal ATM or vending machines. It might slow them down, but won't stop them.
If a homeowner with a dog, that bites a thief in the ass can be prosecuted, even have the dog put down for it....so could a boom box. Or a homeowner with a gun that shoots the offender.
Unfortunately we can't protect our selves or our property/possessions.

Somebody is going to back up their rig to your porch, chain up the lock box and yank it free ... in broad daylight ... now, ATM's and vending machines contain money, why would someone be getting packages full of money? ... yank that lock box free and it's likely to have a summer dress or clean diapers ...

No ... grabbing a loose package is convenient ... sledge hammers and logging chains aren't ... a crook is better off throwing a brick through the window and grabbing the jewelry ... just depends on how bad their drug withdrawals are at the time ...

No system is perfect ... a lock box won't inspire the crook to set your house on fire ... maybe a glitter bomb will ... meth does that to people ...

 

[ReinyDays]

so go ahead and have fun but remember, if the pirate has a heart attack and dies, you could be up on murder charges

What if the item he's stealing is too heavy and he has a heart attack?
Am I liable because a 20 lb package caused cardiac arrest?

What's the criminal intent on your part here? ... I'm talking about setting booby traps and why it's illegal ... what are you talking about? ...

 

[boedicca]

No.

Any more questions?

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

If you're worried about a lawsuit just load it up with dirty diapers or dog shit.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

it's likely to have a summer dress or clean diapers ...

then why steal it in the first place??? Hard to fund a drug habit with dresses or diapers

 

[iamwhatiseem]

If you're worried about a lawsuit just load it up with dirty diapers or dog shit.

Funny you say that... Youtube has a vid where a lady did exactly just that. Filled 3 boxes full of dirty diapers and garbage... and they took them!

 

[ReinyDays]

If you're worried about a lawsuit just load it up with dirty diapers or dog shit.

If you're getting packages worth the cost of filing a lawsuit, maybe you should consider insurance ...

BTW ... love your "location" ... ha ha ha ... Texans have the biggest hearts anywhere in the world ... can't fool me ...

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

If you're worried about a lawsuit just load it up with dirty diapers or dog shit.

If you're getting packages worth the cost of filing a lawsuit, maybe you should consider insurance ...

BTW ... love your "location" ... ha ha ha ... Texans have the biggest hearts anywhere in the world ... can't fool me ...

You have to be there and sign for expensive packages for the most part.

We can be the most hospitable and friendly people in America.
Or the most hostile under certain circumstances.

 

[ReinyDays]

then why steal it in the first place??? Hard to fund a drug habit with dresses or diapers

I don't know ... if I was to be a addict, I'd be addicted to Cessnas... and that's a brick through your window and your jewelry is gone ...

 

[Ringel05]

Well, it is illegal whether we like it or not ...

A little air pressure and confetti is, at worst, simple assault ... probably not worth a police officer's time ... so go ahead and have fun but remember, if the pirate has a heart attack and dies, you could be up on murder charges ...

The problem is some jack-wagon will figure air pressure and some broken glass is better idea ... or some gunpowder and broken glass ... or a lot of gunpowder and common nails ... or rig a 12-gauge shotgun ... scraping the Americium out of old smoke detectors ... a slippery slope indeed ...

The big problem is how to have our booby trap only select for pirates; and not EMT's, firemen or 5-year-old children? ... or yourself ...

The alternative is a lock box ... the delivery person puts the package in and snaps the padlock closed ... problem solved ...

A lock box isn't going to stop a thief from stealing it too......just like they steal ATM or vending machines. It might slow them down, but won't stop them.


If a homeowner with a dog, that bites a thief in the ass can be prosecuted, even have the dog put down for it....so could a boom box. Or a homeowner with a gun that shoots the offender.

Unfortunately we can't protect our selves or our property/possessions.

According to the police with porch pirating the vast majority is opportunistic as opposed to design/planned so heavy or securely mounted lock boxes would eliminate a huge majority of the problem

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

so go ahead and have fun but remember, if the pirate has a heart attack and dies, you could be up on murder charges

What if the item he's stealing is too heavy and he has a heart attack?
Am I liable because a 20 lb package caused cardiac arrest?

What's the criminal intent on your part here? ... I'm talking about setting booby traps and why it's illegal ... what are you talking about? ...

What's the criminal intent on your part here? ..

Setting off a "boom" box involves criminal intent?

 

[Circe]

This is why Amazon deliverers now take a photo of the box on your porch before they leave. To prove they actually delivered it before the porch pirates get it.

You can opt to have all packages you've ordered that week delivered on a given day. That would be a good option for people who live in theft-prone areas.

Also motion-activated video cameras that film any activity on your porch or in the front yard. I've read you end up filming a surprising amount of wildlife that way, but it would identify the porch pirate.