Booby trapping your own property should be absolutely legal, and society should normalize it. If you steal someone’s lunch, you’ve forfeited your right to complain about what’s in it. The moment you put your hands on something that isn’t yours, you’ve accepted whatever consequences come with it.
The legal reality is completely backwards — in many jurisdictions, the person who set the trap can face more liability than the person who committed the theft. That’s insane. We’ve created a system where the victim has to absorb the loss quietly or risk being the one in trouble.
This is no different than a burglar suing a homeowner because they hurt themselves breaking in. At some point we have to stop extending legal protection to people in the act of victimizing others. You don’t get to steal from someone and then demand they be held responsible for your experience of stealing from them.
People have a fundamental right to defend themselves and their property. If you choose to take something that isn’t yours, you own every outcome that follows. The only person who had any control over this situation was the thief — and they made their choice repeatedly. Whatever happens next is on them.