one good british judge

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Originally Posted by thirdfey

"booby traps" are not allowed because if you are not home and your trap kills someone then what is the justification for their death? Obviously your life was not in danger because as far as the law is concerned that person was just their to steal your TV and by law their life is for some reason worth more than that TV so you used excessive force by killing that person.
Could you just injure the person instead? Sure, but then the law is going to argue that the injuries sustained could of been life threatening so refer back to the beginning of this post.
You are given the responsibilty to protect yourself (not material possessions) until the law arrives if you feel your life is "indanger." You have many options open to you whether it be a weapon, stronger locks, alarm system, living in a "good" neighborhood, or the hope that nothing bad ever happens to you.

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I've left it to the cops for the last 8 years. In that time I've had car #1 broken into, garage broken into so many times I've lost count, numerous lawn mowers and tools and everything else you can think of being inside a garage stolen. Car #2 stolen and trashed. Work van broken into once. House broken into in broad daylight while a very loud alarm system blared away. Work van broken into a second time. Personal truck broken into via smashed driver side window so they could steal a cd player that didn't even work. Motorcycle stolen from a now very well fortified garage with three deadbolt locks on the door. Motorcycle heavily damaged and now worth thousands of dollars less.

I don't make a crapload of dollars per year, I barely make enough to live off. Of all of these times I've been robbed, insurance has paid a total of 232 dollars combined. How is that possible? Deductibles...the only thief that was caught was when my car was stolen, they caught him driving it the next day but all they could charge him with was possession of stolen property. Two months in jail, 500 dollars out of my pocket.

This was a fairly nice neighborhood when I originally moved here, but it's fast turned into a place where you better have iron bars over every opening to your house and a large dog in the yard. I would LOVE to move to a nicer neighborhood, but I can't afford it. Glad to hear our economy is improving tho. That's great news.

Not sure if you've ever had anything stolen from you or had someone come into your house and violate your feeling of safety, but let me tell you it really really sucks and it changes the way you feel about thieves. The cops don't do anything to find burglars. Nothing. Even if there are several hundred obvious fingerprints from the burglars, they fill out paperwork and give you the case number and that's that. Then your insurance company tells you that since the total losses are just over your deductible, it's not worth you filing a claim because your rates will either go up or they will drop you altogether.

It's more than just property that they are stealing. It really sucks that I have to take on extra jobs in the evenings and on weekends just to make up for this stuff and keep from going further in the hole. More people need to shoot thieves.

You get charged with assault here if you go after the crook, but if you can prove that he swung first you may use equivalent force. Therefore until he shoots you and you survive you can't shoot back with out looking at charges.

Unlike the USA possession is not 9/10 of the law so you can’t really legally defend your property if it’s being taken from you. Only if your person is being threatened may you take action.

It's stupid; the cops are always getting charged with excessive force because of these same rules when they are just doing their job, this being the case what will the courts do to the home owner?

There was a guy in Lethbridge that placed a board with many nails sticking through it in the "landing zone" of any one climbing over his 10 foot fence. A would be criminal landed on it and promptly filed a complaint with the cops. As he never broke in he was only tresspassing, but the home owner was charged with unsafe premisis due to the "lawful" complaint, "kids playing could get hurt!"

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Originally Posted by imaeditedbysowulo

Not sure if you've ever had anything stolen from you or had someone come into your house and violate your feeling of safety, but let me tell you it really really sucks and it changes the way you feel about thieves. More people need to shoot thieves.

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When I was a lot younger my family's house was broken into. The thief/ves moved some stuff around but stopped when they found an envelope containing a lot of cash labeled money for Disney World. That's all they took which make sense. We luckily still went to Disney World that year :) My brothers car was broken into two nights in a row but so far I have been lucky. I live in Pinehurst, NC and nothing bad ever happens here except for the occasion shanked golf ball which makes this place quite :bor: unless you live here on 2 wheels :devil:

UK law is utterly screwed up, it's all there for the benefit of the criminal.

Burglars suing the people who's homes they broke into.
Illegal immigrants being allowed to commit any crime they want, because they might seek asylum and drive the statistics up.
CCTV being inadequate evidence to commit shoplifters, but utterly fine for a motorist doing 5mph over the limit on an empty motorway.
Druggies sending kids stealing because they can't be charged.

Hate this ****ing country.

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Originally Posted by Outcoded

UK law is utterly screwed up, it's all there for the benefit of the criminal.

Burglars suing the people who's homes they broke into.
Illegal immigrants being allowed to commit any crime they want, because they might seek asylum and drive the statistics up.
CCTV being inadequate evidence to commit shoplifters, but utterly fine for a motorist doing 5mph over the limit on an empty motorway.
Druggies sending kids stealing because they can't be charged.

Hate this ****ing country.

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We're right there with ya. The reason is that they can good money out of a 5mph speed limit ticket. Most people will just send the money right in without any fight whatsoever. We are trained very well....

They can't get any money out of a burglar. As a matter of fact, if they catch the burglar they have to provide him free room and board and cable tv for at least a few months. Few more years you can probably add broadband internet to the list.

My parents business in VA has been broken into 4 times, but only once successfully. The other three times it's been thwarted by a combination of dogs and a .410 shotgun with #8 shot. It might not kill ya but it will sure burn your arse. The last time was 1988 by a distant cousin who as far as I know still can't sit on his left cheek correctly. https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2005/03/1.gif

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Originally Posted by Outcoded

UK law is utterly screwed up, it's all there for the benefit of the criminal..

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Nope ... most of the laws here are just fine, its pissing liberal Judges & government sentencing 'guidelines' (bollocks 'guidelines' btw ;) - all the 'guidelines' from the Home Secretary are near enough mandatory as a Judge will be pushed off the court circuit if he fails to adhere to them & need to seek the Lord Chancellor's over-rule to get back to work - & I'm sure they were after getting rid of that to tighten up government control) - so it Tony 'my pants are on fire' Blair at the root of it, with his 'lets be tough on crime' pooh, whilst he saves no end of money by letting folks out of prison after a fraction of their sentences under the guise of community service :rolleyes: ..

I've gotta though agree with the bit about them currently using motoring offences as another 'tax' :thumbs: - I really hate all those god damned speed cameras with a passion :(

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Originally Posted by imaeditedbysowulo

Few more years you can probably add broadband internet to the list.

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Because to do anything else would be inhumane and a violation of their rights. Pretty soon putting criminals in jail will be inhumane
:drink:

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Originally Posted by thirdfey

Because to do anything else would be inhumane and a violation of their rights. Pretty soon putting criminals in jail will be inhumane
:drink:

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Which is why booby traps should be legal. No thieves left alive = no worries about whether they are treated humanely. I would even go for hard labor as an alternative to death. You steal from me and you have to mow my lawn for the next 2 years every week and maybe pull some weeds and pick up trash left by passing motorists or plant flowers or maybe put new shingles on my dying roof. There are many alternatives to giving them free room and board and college education.

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Originally Posted by imaeditedbysowulo

... There are many alternatives to giving them free room and board and college education...

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Just popping his 'for the sake of arguement' hat on for a moment ;) ..

What would you have done with prioners then ? - educating them is a way to help them get jobs on release that they couldn't get before & so 'in theory' lessening crime stats as a man with a job has much less 'need' to steal ..

I do some work with the probation service here on IT literacy - not just for ex-prisoners but also potential 'offenders', all the 'do gooders' there are utterly convinced that this is the way forward for 'many' (sure even they say not all ;)) - I'd venture an opinion on whether it helps or not, but I've only been doing this particular thing for a month, so I haven't formed any opinion yet ..

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Originally Posted by confus-ed

Just popping his 'for the sake of arguement' hat on for a moment ;) ..

What would you have done with prioners then ? - educating them is a way to help them get jobs on release that they couldn't get before & so 'in theory' lessening crime stats as a man with a job has much less 'need' to steal ..

I do some work with the probation service here on IT literacy - not just for ex-prisoners but also potential 'offenders', all the 'do gooders' there are utterly convinced that this is the way forward for 'many' (sure even they say not all ;)) - I'd venture an opinion on whether it helps or not, but I've only been doing this particular thing for a month, so I haven't formed any opinion yet ..

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Maybe they could get the education and job skills and computer access the first time they are in jail, or maybe the first two times in jail but lose those rights on the third imprisonment. Maybe some types of work could be subcontracted out to the prisons and they could learn a particular trade by doing it while imprisoned. That would serve a dual purpose by giving some lucky company nearly free labor, all they would have to do is train them to do the job.

There's a sheriff in Arizona that built a tent city prison in the middle of the desert. The prisoner's are forced to work and their life is basicall crap. It's a very successful prison and very few inmates return. I think it's a good idea to make prison a harder life than working 8-5. It's the only way to keep people out of prison. I'm not against giving them some skills while they are in, but if they are gonna be in and out their entire life it's pointless to coddle them the entire way along. It's also a huge waste of money.

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Originally Posted by imaeditedbysowulo

... I'm not against giving them some skills while they are in, but if they are gonna be in and out their entire life it's pointless to coddle them the entire way along. It's also a huge waste of money.

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:thumbs: .. I think even 'do gooders ' if they are honest might agree with this ;), thats pretty much the in-between the lines interpretation I've come to anyway.

If a burglar decides to enter my house with me in it then he will leave in a stretcher. Agree with me or not, but I couldn't live with myself if I didn't badly hurt the b*****d. It's the only justice they'd get in this fine country.

I'll be honest here. If someone breaks in my house with me in it, forget a stretcher, they'll never find the thieving *****ds body.

Two wrongs don't make a right, but even if I'd like to be all moral & correct about this, I'm hypocriotical, if I don't tell you this tale, as I did exactly what you are proposing ..

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Originally Posted by gazzak

If a burglar decides to enter my house with me in it then he will leave in a stretcher..

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Last one that tried that with me did ! :thumbs: - caught him with my VCR under his arm, & whacked him 'good' - clean out of a first floor window ! He got 12 weeks worth of hospital treatment for his efforts, & I got charged with section 21 wounding (thats near enough attempted murder), the police couldn't have been more apologetic about having to charge me if they'd tried, one of them 'accidentally' drilled me with the 'mortal fear' line & about 30 seconds after the duty solicitor arrived he had me out & once fingerprints & statements etc were collected the CPS dropped the case.

As a postcript though on our crazy country & its 'do gooderness' with no regard to common sense - I know this particular guy is now getting invalidity allowance for his bad back :rolleyes: