Gothamist: Homemade Booby Traps Lead to Arrest

cucarachita

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:20:52 -0500

This guy is obviously a sick puppy, and we'll all be laughing out the other side of our mouths when he actually does kill someone someday. That said, I do hate Verizon.

The Edge

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 11:49:47 -0500

This is shades of Death Wish.. I forgot which one.

JacqueMehoff

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 10:59:49 -0500

Yeah, wasn't there a case where a homeowner attached an electrical cord to a metal grate and caught a burglar?

LinkMan

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 10:35:34 -0500

Just about every first year law student learns that booby traps are a bad idea. See Katko v. Briney, where a burglar won $20k after he was shot in the leg by a spring-loaded shotgun. It's an Iowa case, not New York, but the principle is pretty consistent across states. See also Wikipedia's entry for spring gun.

EricRoberts

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 10:14:06 -0500

@Chimbles, his name is spelled MacGyver and he is my best friend.

likesrudylikesbooty

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:55:02 -0500

You at least have to give him credit for being semi-sympathetic. He offered a crutch for the intruder to hobble away. Now if he can rig a mannequin hand to rotary dial 9-1-1 and snap a few pics with a disposable camera, it would be complete.

Rocknrope

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 09:37:19 -0500

I guess I'll have to disassemble my "Shotgun Crutch" now....

eyekantspel

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 08:44:16 -0500

Why is it illegal for people to booby trap their own homes? only burglars are gonna get killed. it's been illegal for some time now. The theory is that if cops or fireman or people with legitimate reason to enter your home, by force if necessary, would be injured. You can only use deadly force when it is necessary to protect your life, not your property. In this case, super is allowed access to the apartment, and could have been injured by this device.

gimme

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 07:28:05 -0500

yeah you can't booby trap your own place anymore? what kind of police and nanny state are we living in? some asshole burglar who is coming in to rip off your hard earned shit should feel some pain, grow some cajones people

zstone

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:56:45 -0500

Points for ingenuity.

gregroth

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:33:38 -0500

what a character!

ribaldry

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 02:58:24 -0500

guess he doesn't like Verizon too much.

babyhitler

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:36:31 -0500

wait. Why is it illegal for people to booby trap their own homes? only burglars are gonna get killed.

r_friend

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:09:54 -0500

Coming soon to a weapons retailer near you—the Crutch Knife® (patent pending) I can also see it being sold on a late-night infomercial... Buy one, get the second one free.

Armchair_warrior

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 23:56:52 -0500

wow what a moron. he could of done a better job and what sob the super is for rating the man out LOL.

JacqueMehoff

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 23:50:34 -0500

wow, someone actually took my advice! I love the bungee cord, much better than the X files episode "home". I was thinking a rube goldberg contraption with a pulley and bowling ball.

Chimbles

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 23:23:54 -0500

Indiana Jones kind of contraption with a McGiver kinnda twist... LOL crutch with a knife... you gotta do what you gotta do to protect your treasures. I wonder what kind of punishment he will get...

Dave Hogarty

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 23:16:04 -0500

Well, if you can't release a guy on bail who regrets not killing people with his knives, who can you release? I'm sure this will work itself out perfectly.