Is it illegal to steal a snowman?

1. 61

   DrNajposted 13 years ago

   Is it illegal to steal a snowman?

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2. 64

   wingedcentaurposted 13 years ago

   Generally, snow is public property. I suppose it depends on where you steal the snowman from. If you steal it from the sidewalk or the street, I think the snowman is fair game.
   
   Now, there may or may not be copyright issues, in that you have to change the snowman to make it an 'original' work of 'art.' If you improve the snowman by making it better, how can anyone consider it stealing?
   
   If you steal it from someone's yard, I suppose the snow is still public property. If you do steal a snowman from someone's yard, be sure you do not actually touch any non-snow covered ground in the yard. If you do, the public property of snow will not cover you and then you might be legally liable. I hope that's helpful. I am not a lawyer.
   
   Good Luck.

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3. 59

   JayDeckposted 13 years ago

   I agree, in large part, with wingedcentaur, however, watch the trespassing violations and, if you do "improve the snowman" it will have to be significant to avoid copyright infringement. Is the result largely your work comprising theirs or vice versa? Another method may be to create a new snowman of your own that makes some sort of statement or critique of the other snowman; stand them side by side and stealing the other snowman may be considered "fair use."
   Good Luck!
   -J

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4. 59

   evvy_09posted 13 years ago

   If no one's looking it's fair game. Just make sure they don't already have a patent on that particular snowman because trust me, you will have to pay a fine...

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5. 59

   wytegarillazposted 13 years ago

   That would be mean, imagine how hard the kids have worked on it ,to find it missing would be very upsetting , if you changed it tho would be hard to use unless they could reconise things used on it like a carrot or hat etc

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6. 59

   Porshadoxusposted 13 years ago

   Not sure about the legality of stealing the snowman (although the word 'stealing' should be a clue here), but it should be easy to hide the snowman once you have it- melt it. Of course, at that point it loses its 'snowmanness'.
   
   Since snow is water, are you violating any wetland laws by taking the water away? Are you stepping on the toes of the water company by bypassing their supply? These questions could go on forever.

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