Keeping records and company goods protected is one thing. But this owner took things a step too far.

Joseph Lord had $3,000 worth of scrap metal stolen from his machine shop. For some unexplained reason, he expected them to return and kept his loaded shot gun close at hand.

His wait paid off because the thieves returned a few days later, in broad daylight.

He probably did more damage to their 2008 F-250 pickup then what they stole from him. He shot out their tires, windshield and radiator — making their escape vehicle unusable.

With no vehicle, the thieves resorted to fleeing the crime on foot, but officers quickly tracked them down.

Lord told police he accomplished what he wanted: to disable the get-away vehicle. The officers weren’t too keen on his use of a weapon, even though they understood Lord’s frustration. They just don’t want anybody getting hurt over property.

The owner of the truck is charged with breaking and entering and theft, while his accomplice still has charges pending.

Tags: Breaking and entering, Burglaries gone wrong, Fraud protection, Theft