News - Riding a bicycle while carrying a goat.

Bad debt leads to theft of Taunton goat
Suspect claims he was owed money for work he had done

By Sharon Holliday
ENTERPRISE CORRESPONDENT
Posted Sep 17, 2008 @ 02:36 AM

TAUNTON — The lack of a debt payment got a local man’s goat, literally. And police nabbed the goat-theft suspect before his getaway could get in gear.

A 50-year-old Rhode Island man was arraigned Monday at Taunton District Court on theft charges after he was accused of stealing an Elm Street resident’s goat as payment for a debt.

Seekonk police responded Sunday at 8:17 a.m. to the Elm Street residence of Alberto DaSilva after his daughter, Tania DaSilva, reported seeing Anthony L. Pereira of Pawtucket, R.I., ride away from the residence on his bicycle, but holding one of their goats.

DaSilva said that after Pereira rang the doorbell and received no response, she watched as Pereira walk toward the rear of the property, where a barn is located. A short time later, she saw was Pereira riding down the driveway on his bicycle, holding one of the goats that were kept in the barn.

Pereira was stopped by police at Elm Street and Taunton Avenue in Seekonk, while riding the bicycle and still carrying the goat.

He told police he took the goat because DaSilva “owed him money” for work he had done at the property.

Police walked him back to DaSilva’s residence, and the goat was returned to the barn. Pereira was arrested on three warrants and charged with breaking and entering for a misdemeanor and larceny over $250.

On Monday, Judge Kevan J. Cunningham ordered Pereira held at Bristol County House of Correction in lieu of $100 cash bail or $1,000. The cases were continued to Oct. 14.

http://www.enterprisenews.com/news/x883257702/Bad-debt-leads-to-theft-of-Taunton-goat

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When I read stories like this I always wonder "Just what was he thinking?". After I get past the amusing image of someone trying to ride a bicycle and carry a goat at the same time this story does disturb me a little as an animal owner myself that someone could possibly think it is OK to take another person's animal right out of their barn for any reason and then be brazen enough to actually do it in broad daylight and on a bicycle no less. I am just glad to see that this story does have a good ending, the owners got their goat back and the thief got punished for his stupidity.