welcome mat for burglars

[tonybloke]

[attachment=1] ;)

[tonybloke]

[Emagggie]

Ouch!

[sheddie]

Yeah - and rusty too for a bit of added kick - nice!.. ;D

[manicscousers]

sod's law, I'd tread on them  :-\

[ACE]

I bet you did not know that you could be taken to court if you use it.

I was cautioned for my 'theft prevention' device. A trip wire that fired a blank cartridge. Which you can buy at an agricultural suppliers. But when you fill the cartridge with salt. It is a weapon and is too far up the scale of 'reasonable force'.

[Flunky]

http://www.protectingyourself.co.uk/using-barbed-wire-glass-intruder-prevention-methods.html

[redimp]

What you need to be most wary of is setting a trap and that legally is the same as we understand the word.  Any anti-entry device needs to be made obvious.  Thus a small mat that can be walked round is useless.  Yours might be OK if you surround the area to be protected with it, make it too wide to jump over and put up big signs warning it is there. Oh, and make it very difficult to lift up.  If you propose hiding it (and not being able to see it in the dark is the same as hiding it) with the hope that any burglar will step on it, then you are going to be in trouble - and in my opinion, rightly so.  The idea of deterrants, is to make them decide not to gain entry - not to punish those who do.  Of course a deterrant will punish those who do, but it will have been the illegal entrants choice to take that risk and not yours.

[tonybloke]

it's kept inside a locked shed.

[redimp]

You still need a warning sign on the outside or it will be classed as a trap.

[tonybloke]

will I have to illuminate the sign? the burglars might not have a torch!!

[Patrick King]

just like cctv, you have to have a sign that they can see or you cant use it in court/police.

didnt some one stand on it when you had a break-in? then the tost it onto the plot next door.
EDITED:

One of them has a sore foot today, my Nail-infested welcome mat had been thrown across the plot! (i put it inside door to discourage rats, 2 or 4 legged types)

[SamLouise]

So if a burglar bill steps on your 'trap' and punctures his foot (poor soul - or should that be sole?) could you not whip the mat away and just pretend that you must have had some nails lying about on the floor?  ;) ;D  Although Patrick does have a point, if the mat is tossed where an innocent person might harm themselves, then it's not a good idea  :(