Why is a box that goes boom "proof of criminal intent"?
Generally speaking, here in the United States it is illegal ... also, here committing a crime is proof of intent ... this isn't hard to figure out ... if you intentionally put a boom box on your front porch, and it's illegal to put a boom box on your front porch, then clearly you intended to break the law ...
ETA: Major redactions, noticed the "clean debate zone" tag ... my humble apologies ...
Generally speaking, here in the United States it is illegal ...
Link?
Booby Traps are
Illegal
Perhaps the most important reason to avoid an attempt to
trap a burglar is the fact that it is
illegal. ... In essence, if you set-up such a
trap to protect your property from intruders, you will be liable for any injury or death even to an unwanted intruder such as a burglar.
Why You Shouldn't Set Traps for Burglars | Protect America
A box set up to explode in any fashion would fall under the "booby trap" law. In fact, I had problems with someone bashing my mailbox with a baseball bat. I wanted to get back at them so I was going to get a mailbox, fill it full of concrete and set it out there. Let them hit that. Good chance they'd get hurt. And I found out, good chance I'd get sued. Why? Because a mailbox full of concrete is no longer a functioning mailbox and is thus a booby trap to anyone hitting it. The cops told me if the guy hits that mailbox and gets hurt you will be sued because it's no longer a mailbox. Basically the guy expects it to be an empty mailbox when he hits it with a bat. But when he hits it and its full of concrete and gets hurt, thats considered a booby trap.
I don't agree with this shit but it's the law.