A man in Newberry County, South Carolina, was accused of using a stolen bulldozer in an act of revenge.
On June 9, officials with the Newberry County Sheriff’s Office responded to Jollystreet Road, where deputies spotted a bulldozer sitting on top of a shed, WIS 10 News reported Monday.
In a social media post, the law enforcement agency said its tracks were still moving, but a deputy got on the bulldozer, took it out of gear, and switched the engine off.
It was determined the bulldozer had been stolen from a construction site and driven to the residence, the post continued:
The bulldozer was aimed in the direction of the house, which caused extensive damage to the side porch, a carport, and then a block shed at the rear of the house. Sheriff Foster said, “Investigators collected forensic evidence that developed the suspect for this isolated crime.”
Officials took 41-year-old Robert Fred Robarge into custody on Friday without incident. The suspect was charged with attempted murder, malicious injury to property, and grand larceny.
Following the incident, a magistrate denied bond regarding the charges.
A photo showed the yellow and black Cat bulldozer parked on top of the structure:
According to Foster, “Our investigating Deputies determined this was act of revenge for allegations made in a previous case. This was a very dangerous and costly act of vengeance that could have cost the life of the person inside the house or someone traveling on Jollystreet Road in the early morning darkness.”
“This criminal act shows just how far a defendant will take actions to destroy the lives of others, which will not be tolerated,” Foster continued.
The Newberry County’s crime prevention webpage said the sheriff’s office was committed to preventing crime in the area.
“We believe that by being actively engaged with our citizens, we can proactively prevent crime rather than simply respond to it,” the site read.