I randomly came across a company called “burglar bomb”.

Their product is a thing that sprays a small amount of pepper spray into the room that’s been intruded, making it pretty unbearable for a burglar to stick around. I think they say it’s not technically a booby trap, because it doesn’t intend on causing harm or even targeting the burglar (just targets the room and makes it really smelly for a while).

The rationale is, burglars know security systems don’t really do much (by the time the police get there, if they show up at all, the crooks are gone, and the police mostly won’t do anything beyond getting your statement and a link to your camera footage of someone whose face is almost certainly covered). But if you make it stinky and unbearable to breathe in there, they’ll just ditch, which has a better chance of actually protecting your valuables.

1) Is it legal in the US?

2) Is it effective? Anyone have experience with it?