Some punks messed around by breaking into Joe Howard Teague's home to rob him, and hoo boy did they find out.

From ABC:

The retired plumber, identified as Joe Howard Teague by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, turned the tables on the group of home invaders early Wednesday when he grabbed his gun and confronted them inside his house in Moreno Valley, the sheriff's office said.

The thieves literally threw things at him to try to protect themselves from bullets.

They obviously didn't realize that the boomstick is the great equalizer.

"I approached them to put them under citizen's arrest. They wouldn't adhere to that and then one of them came at me with a fishing pole," Teague told reporters outside his home Thursday.

He said the suspects, who entered his home after kicking open his door, began throwing things at him as he tried to hold them at gunpoint.

Old Joe was so confused. He had a gun and they were coming at him with a fishing pole.

It's almost like he felt embarrassed for them.

"It was just like somebody comes to a gunfight with a pocketknife, you know," Teague said.

This gang didn't know what they were getting into when they decided to pick on Joe.

Teague tried to hold them under arrest, but they simply ignored him and fled.

Teague called 911 at about 12:30 p.m. and reported a burglary in progress at his home, the sheriff's office said in a statement. As deputies responded, Teague told a dispatcher he was holding several suspects, according to the sheriff's department.

Teague said the suspects included at least one woman.

When deputies arrived at Teague's home, they found one of the suspected burglars suffering from a gunshot wound.

A witness told deputies that several people were seen fleeing Teague's home on foot prior to the arrival of deputies.

The wounded suspect, identified as Joseph A. Ortega, 33, of Moreno Valley, was hospitalized in critical condition, according to the sheriff's department.

It doesn't seem likely that Teague will be charged in this clear case of self-defense. But it is California, so nothing is out of the realm of possibility!!

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