Farmer charged for booby-trapping field

A Russian farmer may get a four-year jail term for protecting his field with booby-traps. His approach proved efficient when a trespasser triggered one.

Aleksandr Skopintsev resorted to homemade bombs as a precaution against burglars while he was away, he later told police, according to RIA Novosti news agency.

In July, the farmer placed three booby-traps on his land, which is located in the Primorsky region in Russia’s Far East. The precaution apparently was well grounded – on August 5 an intruder triggered one of the bombs, receiving mild injuries.

The man’s approach to defending his property was not appreciated by local prosecutors, however. The farmer was arrested and charged with illegal manufacturing and handling of explosive devices. The case is now being reviewed by the court. The maximum penalty for this kind of crime in Russia is four years in prison.