Picture this: two masked thieves sneak up on a luxury Audi in a quiet suburb, thinking they’ve found an easy target. But what they didn’t expect was the homeowner’s wild response: a full-on dog impersonation, complete with barking and flailing arms. Well, it worked. The would-be carjackers fled in confusion and fear, leaving their target behind.

As soon as the homeowner heard the engine, he didn’t hesitate

Instead of calling for backup or confronting the thieves face-to-face, he charged outside, shouting threats and woofing like a dog.

It’s a tactic you don’t see every day, but it clearly did the trick. One thief even scrambled onto the car’s roof before hopping over the fence to escape, while the other bailed from the driver’s seat and ran off as well.

The whole scene played out in Brighton, an affluent neighborhood in Melbourne, Australia. The area’s known more for calm streets than dramatic standoffs.

The man’s vocal warnings (laced with some “colorful” language) combined with his unhinged dog act seemed to spook the thieves more than any direct fight might have

A local political figure, Victorian opposition leader Brad Battin, later praised the homeowner for choosing a non-violent approach. He emphasized that keeping the family safe without confrontation is what really matters.

The story, originally reported by news.com.au, got picked up and went viral on social media. You can watch Australia’s 10 News clip of the incident below.

Just a quick warning, though, that it includes the aforementioned loud barking and threatening language: