Why you shouldn’t set traps for burglars

Home security is an important factor to consider in your house, apartment, business etc. Many people think it may be wise or even fun to set a booby trap in order to possibly catch a burglar in the act! But there are a number of legal reasons and dangers involved in attempting to trap a burglar. Here are some reasons that might make you think twice before setting a trap for a burglar:

Booby traps are illegal – The most important reason to avoid attempting to trap a burglar is the fact that it is illegal! A booby trap is a concealed or camouflaged device designed to cause bodily harm when triggered by and action of a person making contact with the device. This term includes guns, ammunition, explosives, nails, spikes or toxic fumes and gases.

You probably believe that you can act in self-defense if an intruder enters your home, but it often happens that people who do just that find themselves facing legal action. So basically if you set up a trap to protect your property from intruders you will be responsible for any injury or death even if it is of a burglar.

You are putting yourself in danger – It may be tempting to try and catch a burglar in the act, even if the trap has no harmful effects. However, there really is no way to know how effective your trap will be in the event of a break-in.  Let’s say you decide to make a trap for a burglar and someone breaks into your home, there is a huge possibility that the trap might fail horribly and the burglar will be irritated and aware of your presence!

So you will never know how effective your trap will be until you test it out in real life, but why would you want to do that and put your family at risk? Instead it would be wise to consider a professional home security system from SIS – Security & Investigation Services. Always remember that even the best home designed trap isn't going to be as effective as a security system provided by a company specializing in home protection.

Leave it up to the professionals – While there are some safety precautions to deter burglars, use them in addition to a home security system monitored by a 24/7 professional monitoring team. Additional burglar deterrents include:
- Installing motion detecting lights outside your home
- Locking your doors and windows
- Placing security signs and decals on the exterior of your property
- Having a dog or a “beware of dog” sign
- installing fake or real security cameras around your home

Nonetheless, some individuals still decide to design and set their own traps for burglars. No one’s saying you shouldn't defend yourself from intruders. You just shouldn't set a premeditated trap for what you suspect might happen.

There are countless solutions to deterring criminal activity on your property, the main one being a monitored home security system. Contact SIS – Security & Investigation Services for a professional, reliable home security system.

Written By: Christine Romans