Not exactly the purr-fect crime.
A former Australian soldier with full tactical equipment reportedly broke into an animal shelter with an assault rifle and tied a worker in a failed attempt to recover his kitten, according to a report on Wednesday.
Tony Wittmann, 44, was reportedly so furious when workers at Lost Dogs’ Home in Melbourne said he needed to wait a day to catch the animal, he is accused of threatening a 23-year-old worker with the gun in the facility’s parking lot. according to ABC Australia.
“Do as I say and listen to me, I will not shoot you,” he reportedly told her, in a court heard this week. “Don’t try anything or I’ll shoot you.”
Wittmann guided the worker into the building with a firearm that looked like “something a SWAT team in the cinema would use,” said the unidentified worker, according to the vehicle.
He supposedly ordered the frightened girl to direct him to the cats, then demanded that she kneel and tied her with bows.
“The accused said: ‘I will close this door. If I see you, I’ll shoot you, ‘”Chief Detective Jo MacDonald said at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
“On this occasion, he acted to regain possession of a cat, of which he would only stay for possibly 10 hours.”
But Wittmann – who served in the Australian army before being discharged for not providing efficient service – ended up leaving empty handed.
He was accused of kidnapping, private imprisonment and armed robbery, without bail.