A crook thought he was in for an easy ride when he decided to try and steal a goat from a 79-year-old San Diego County resident, but he got a lot more than he bargained for.
The young would-be robber planned to pay the elderly homeowner a visit and leave with his goat.
Instead, he left the property with a bullet in his gut.
A 79-year-old man and his 60-year-old wife keep goats and dogs outside their home near Coronado Hills Drive in San Marcos, California.
Just before 3:30 pm, the couple heard their animals making unusual noises and when to inspect what was rattling them.
According to Lieutenant Michael Arens of the San Diego County Sheriff’s San Marcos Station, the couple went outside to check for peace of mind.
However, they were surprised to see 36-year-old Alexander Belinksy attempting to abscond with one of their goats.
The couple attempted to intervene, but Belinsky allegedly threw them to the ground.
The 79-year-old may have regarded goat theft to be a matter suited to remedy by bare hands.
However, an assault on his wife crossed a line and apparently gave him cause for a constitutionally-protected riposte.
Exercising his Second Amendment rights, the old-timer went inside his home and, fearing for his wife’s safety and his own, grabbed his rifle.
According to Arens, as the homeowner went to grab his gun, Belinsky loaded the goat into the front passenger seat of a dune buggy that was sitting on the property.
With the creature riding shotgun, the suspect prepared to drive away.
The old man burst out of his house, readied his rifle, and once again confronted the would-be goat wrangler.
Arens indicated that Belinsky got out of the dune buggy and charged the homeowner.
Belinsky apparently thought he was going to disarm the geriatric.
But this homeowner wasn’t ready to concede control over his fate and domain to some trespasser.
Refusing to roll over and become just another victim, the 79-year-old fired his rifle.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the bullet struck Belinsky in the stomach.
Deputies soon arrived on the scene and arrested the suspect for robbery, elder abuse, attempted vehicle theft, residential burglary, animal cruelty, and battery.
Belinsky was taken to hospital with a non-life threatening injury.
The 60-year-old woman was uninjured.
As for the 79-year-old, the cost of keeping his life, his wife, his gun, and his goat, was a few cuts on his hands.
Thankfully, the goat was unharmed.
