markv@dartvax.UUCP (Mark F. Vita) (07/17/85)
<...>
I have a question for the legally-minded net-users out there. It has
been pretty well established that "booby-trapping" your car stereo (with
razor blades or whatever) can result in the would-be thief successfully
suing you for damages. My question is: isn't such a lawsuit tantamount
to a confession of attempted larceny? If so, which offense generally
receives a harsher penalty: "booby-trapping" or theft? Will the car
owner come out ahead in the end, or will the thief get a better deal,
in general?
--
Mark Vita
Dartmouth College
USENET: {decvax,cornell,linus,astrovax}!dartvax!markv
ARPA: markv%dartmouth@csnet-relay
CSNET: markv@dartmouthran@bentley.UUCP (RA Novo) (07/17/85)
I'm not sure of the exact details surrounding a case like this (booby- trapping a car stereo, prosecution of owner vs. thief). But I do know that in the case of the vigilante subway shooting of a few months back (Bernhard Goetz), one of the would be muggers was offered immunity in exchange for his testimony against Goetz's handgun charge. Too bad he was arrested for rape while Goetz's case was pending... -- Robert A. Novo "Captain! They put creatures AT&T Bell Labs in our ears! They made us say Piscataway, NJ things that weren't true!" ...bentley!ran
bwm@ccice1.UUCP (Bradford W. Miller) (07/18/85)
In article <3357@dartvax.UUCP> markv@dartvax.UUCP (Mark F. Vita) writes: ><...> > > I have a question for the legally-minded net-users out there. It has >been pretty well established that "booby-trapping" your car stereo (with >razor blades or whatever) can result in the would-be thief successfully >suing you for damages. My question is: isn't such a lawsuit tantamount >to a confession of attempted larceny? If so, which offense generally >receives a harsher penalty: "booby-trapping" or theft? Will the car >owner come out ahead in the end, or will the thief get a better deal, >in general? > What do you think? Attempted theft is a wrist slap. Cutting off someone's fingers can run into millions, if you are shown to be liable. Brad Miller -- ..[cbrma, ccivax, ccicpg, rayssd, ritcv, rlgvax, rochester]!ccice5!ccice1!bwm
jlw@ariel.UUCP (J.WOOD) (07/19/85)
> suing you for damages. My question is: isn't such a lawsuit tantamount > to a confession of attempted larceny? If so, which offense generally > receives a harsher penalty: "booby-trapping" or theft? Will the car > owner come out ahead in the end, or will the thief get a better deal, > in general? > Mark Vita The car thief throws himself on the mercy of the court since he's now injured and (possibly) handicapped. :-) Joseph L. Wood, III AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Holmdel (201) 834-3759 <ariel!>titania!jlw
kek@mgweed.UUCP (Kit Kimes) (07/19/85)
Another thing to consider: Breaking in to your car is a criminal offense. You can't sue for breaking in to you car (although you might be able to sue for the damage that was done). So, even if the criminal admits to breaking into your car, they will probably get a short prison term or probation. When they get out, they will have your $100,000 waiting for them. They will probably be way ahead if they hurt themselves on your bobby-trapped car than if they just got your stereo. Should I use a :-) here? Kit Kimes AT&T Information Systems Montgomery Works Montgomery, Il. 60538-0305 ..!ihnp4!mgweed!kek
smk@axiom.UUCP (Steven M. Kramer) (07/21/85)
>> suing you for damages. My question is: isn't such a lawsuit tantamount >> to a confession of attempted larceny? If so, which offense generally >> receives a harsher penalty: "booby-trapping" or theft? Will the car >> owner come out ahead in the end, or will the thief get a better deal, >> in general? >> Mark Vita > >The car thief throws himself on the mercy of the court >since he's now injured and (possibly) handicapped. :-) > > Joseph L. Wood, III ... and he sues because he can no longer carry out his trade. :-) -- --steve kramer {allegra,genrad,ihnp4,utzoo,philabs,uw-beaver}!linus!axiom!smk (UUCP) linus!axiom!smk@mitre-bedford (MIL)