I understand that in most jurisdictions, it is illegal to place booby traps, even on one's own property. What about leaving signs indicating that booby traps have been placed, without any actual traps? For example, would it be legal to put a sign on a door that says "If this door is opened, a bomb will detonate," with no actual bomb?
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Even if it isn't a crime, it might give rise to civil liability in various ways.
For example, it might invalidate your homeowner's insurance coverage if the sign caused the fire department to delay their response to a fire on your property.
It might give rise to personal injury liability if it prevented emergency services from making a timely response to an injured persons condition.
It might result in you being charged for the cost of federal agents at whatever the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) is called these days, or a local bomb squad responds, since having a bomb on your property is illegal without a proper demolitions license.
The sign would also, no doubt, provide probable cause to arrest you for illegally possessing a bomb without a license, or using a bomb in an illegal manner, even if those charges ultimately get dismissed when the facts come out.
It might aggravate criminal charges if it was used with an intent to slow down a police response to other crimes on the premises (e.g. drug dealing).
ohwilleke
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In most jurisdictions, bomb threats are a crime even on the own property, not just in airports or similar places.
o.m.
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