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Pod Pilferers and the Law

Howdy all

My question is likely coming from a different direction than you might expect.

I live smack dab in the middle of a tiny city (~20k) surrounded by miles and mile of corn/soybeans. There's no part of my yard that isn't visible from the street or the alley adjacent to my home. I have zero concern about someone coming in the dark of night and stripping my plants of pods (just not that kind of town). I do somewhat wonder about... what if some passerby, maybe someone stumbling home from the bar, or a neighborhood adolescent, notices some interesting pod hanging on a plant, wanders into my yard to pluck it, and ends up burning their face off.

Can I be held legally responsible or liable for the outcome?
 
Depends on the laws of your state, but I'd say no, if trespassers get into peppers, poison ivy, whatever it's their fault. You seem to be a paranoid person :lol:
 
if you have the stuff clearly signed, you should be okay. Make a warning sign and put it in the yard. "Your honor, i have my garden clearly signed showing how dangerous these plants can be if misused."
 
Well it would be the equivalent of pepper spraying whomever was messing with your plants so legally you are fine :lol:
 
Well... just to be devil's advocate a bit, are you legally justified in pepper spraying an unarmed trespasser who poses no threat to your person? ;)
 
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I think that falls into the same category as the thief who breaks into your house, trips over something, gets injured, and takes you to court.

It's BS, but depending on the jury, and some wacky attorney trying to make a name for himself...it's definitely a possibility.
 
I don't suffer creatures trying to steal my produce - ask a groundhog. Wait, you can't. He's waiting to be picked up by the dead animal removing crew - and stinking to high heaven.

Not that I would shoot without warning but I wouldn't hesitate to put a six-inch hole in someone I find in my backyard and when told to stop and put his hands in the air, tries to reach in his pants or shoe.

I get irate every time I see that commercial where a guy goes down to see if someone is breaking into his home, sees the thief then runs into his bedroom and locks the door. I'm carrying a gun with me and the only way I would be running is toward the jerk.

Mike
 
DevilDuck said:
I think that falls into the same category as the thief who breaks into your house, trips over something, gets injured, and takes you to court.

It's BS, but depending on the jury, and some wacky attorney trying to make a name for himself...it's definitely a possibility.

ditto! with our F'ed up society/laws/lawyers anything could happen.
but I'd think most normal people (& I stress normal people) would just say something like "damn I'm never touching their plants again nor eat any of them"

BUT you have lawyers & morons that make laws to protect idiots & criminals. like owners get sued because a tresspasser losses a leg in a railyard, you shoot a robber because they threaten you in your house, etc... the list is endless.
 
Yep, I would get the baseball bat, and I'm a peaceful guy. I've had stuff stole out of the garden before. If I was there when it happens.....let's just say the person wouldn't hear me coming and would wake up in the jail hospitle.
 
I think this is actually a good question. Over here you couldn't just let potentially dangerous stuff lay around even on your private property. If you own guns (and hardly anyone may do that) you must lock them up and not just in your closet etc.... Putting up warning signs would help and at least put some responsibility on the invader. Luckily, most people breaking into someone's place and eating sth far too hot for their buds would report that because it doesn't make them less liable for their actions!

We have joked a lot about potential pod or plant thieves. I hope if anyone decides to snag a pod he picks an ultra hottie!!! I'd probably find half the pod down the street, the spat out remains of the other half two meters further and the guy or gal hanging over some fence puking and crying. :)
 
I chased thieves out of my greenhouse with a bat one night last year. I almost got the young bastards but they were fast. I was running down the gravel road with only my undies on screaming at them to get a job/life and almost got close enough to throw my bat at their get-away car.
 
As IGG said, I am a perfectly peaceful guy, too but as much as I am peaceful I'd hate some scumbag stealing my plants (or whatever) and I'd definitely try to make him remember this as a "I should've stayed at home and watch a gangster movie instead"....
 
POTAWIE said:
I chased thieves out of my greenhouse with a bat one night last year. I was running down the gravel road with only my undies on.....

Don't suppose it was caught on CCTV anywhere, I for one would love to watch it.
 
wordwiz said:
I don't suffer creatures trying to steal my produce - ask a groundhog. Wait, you can't. He's waiting to be picked up by the dead animal removing crew - and stinking to high heaven.

Not that I would shoot without warning but I wouldn't hesitate to put a six-inch hole in someone I find in my backyard and when told to stop and put his hands in the air, tries to reach in his pants or shoe.

I get irate every time I see that commercial where a guy goes down to see if someone is breaking into his home, sees the thief then runs into his bedroom and locks the door. I'm carrying a gun with me and the only way I would be running is toward the jerk.

Mike

AMEN!
 
chilehunter said:
ditto! with our F'ed up society/laws/lawyers anything could happen.
but I'd think most normal people (& I stress normal people) would just say something like "damn I'm never touching their plants again nor eat any of them"

BUT you have lawyers & morons that make laws to protect idiots & criminals. like owners get sued because a tresspasser losses a leg in a railyard, you shoot a robber because they threaten you in your house, etc... the list is endless.

I know this sounds screwed up, but it's true. A dead robber can't sue;)
 
POTAWIE said:
I chased thieves out of my greenhouse with a bat one night last year. I almost got the young bastards but they were fast. I was running down the gravel road with only my undies on screaming at them to get a job/life and almost got close enough to throw my bat at their get-away car.

Messing with Potawies plants!!.............They are lucky to have gotten away!:lol:
 
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