To Catch A Thief...

[jshell]

Can I string up some fish hooks across a dark section my closed-gated driveway at night to try to catch the that is trying to steal my builders tools from my garage at 4am?

Would I be prosecuted?

I've seen him on cctv, so I know he's gonna come back sometime.

[V8forweekends]

Of course you can. In theory the thief can sue for compensation if he's injured by stuff you've left about. Not sure what you'd be prosecuted for though.

ETA

This -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-ord...

[askew]

Sensible-ish option: wait up for him - perhaps leave the garage door ajar -, then lock him in while calling the police?

[SistersofPercy]

Can you not mark out a new planting bed on your drive with the aid or wire and stakes? Obviously when he falls headfirst over these you haven't done anything wrong as you were merely setting boundaries for your new alpine style rockery

[jshell]

askew said:

Sensible-ish option: wait up for him - perhaps leave the garage door ajar -, then lock him in while calling the police?

Probably get done for false imprisonment, or impeding his progress or some other shyte.

I don't want to seriously injure him, but I would like to see him caught with minimal fuss that doesn't see me spending long nights in the garden!

He'll be tooled up but if I carry a 6-cell maglight I know who would be the easy target for the state.

Forget it.

[Bigyoke]

A couple of Dobermans or similar along with a sign warning they are roaming about. Burglars etc. tend to take the path of least resistance, so unless there's something they specifically need or want on your property, making it more bother than it's worth can be enough to make them go elsewhere. The prospect of an angry dog taking a lump out of them could be enough.

[PAULJ5555]

Watch Home Alone - should give you sone ideas.

[anonymous-user]

Mandown46 said:

Considered maybe telling the Police?

Yes because they're overrun with resources and will send someone to sit outside your garage

[Rude-boy]

Why do I have that bit of the Simpsons with Sideshow Bob stepping onto a rake every time he tries to take a step

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbd4t-ua-WQ

[MrBarry123]

Did he pay £15k for these tools and you're now refusing to give them to him as he didn't reply to your messages asking for shipment details?

[askew]

Bigyoke said:

A couple of Dobermans or similar along with a sign warning they are roaming about. Burglars etc. tend to take the path of least resistance, so unless there's something they specifically need or want on your property, making it more bother than it's worth can be enough to make them go elsewhere. The prospect of an angry dog taking a lump out of them could be enough.

Heh, this.

Get a screen-cap from your CCTV and stick a 'Wanted' poster up on lamp-posts up and down the street.

[liner33]

My dad had a piece of wood with fish hooks attached to it with varying lengths of line , he used to hang it above the door on his shed after a series of break ins

He heard a ruckus in the garden one night and rushed down to find his shed broken into and the piece of wood halfway down his drive.

This was 15 years back and the shed hasnt been broken into again

[mp3manager]

[jdw100]

mp3manager said:

That really made me laugh!

[39sl]

How about one of these instead...you can trip him up with the wire and scare the sh!t out of him when he hits the ground

http://www.williampowell.com/Shooting--Dogs/Game-B...

[ikarl]

Tie two dogs together and let them run about in your garden?

That should scare him away!

[jshell]

39sl said:

How about one of these instead...you can trip him up with the wire and scare the sh!t out of him when he hits the ground

http://www.williampowell.com/Shooting--Dogs/Game-B...

Wow. Is that actually legal to use in the UK?

[anonymous-user]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gate-Fence-Shed-Trip-Lin...

Legal.

Lucking foud.

Good luck.

[Eclassy]

You can erect an illuminated sign that says this ^^

Not sure if legal though.

[jshell]

OpulentBob said:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gate-Fence-Shed-Trip-Lin...

Legal.

Lucking foud.

Good luck.

Ace. Thanks!

Can I just use a cut-down 12b shell (got plenty), or just how easy are 12b blanks to get?