It happens all over the nation, far more often than the would-be gun banners like to admit, but now we see another armed citizen stopping a crime. This time it's in San Francisco, where 73-year-old Albert Marcu, who decades ago moved to the United States from Romania to escape Communism, stomped the brakes on a mob that intended to loot the consignment store where he works. 

On Friday's Fox & Friends, the show again showed viewers an example of how important it is for Americans to own guns to deter crime as the hosts discussed surveillance video of a 73-year-old man in San Francisco who used a handgun to scare five smash and grab robbers out of the store where he worked. Setting up the video, co-host Steve Doocy recalled:

You've seen the smash and grab stuff from the West Coast -- it's just terrifying. And so let's take you out to the San Francisco area -- the Bay Area -- on Monday at a place called Estates Consignments store. It must have had some pretty nice stuff because a group of smash and grab bandits ran into the consignment store. The front door is always locked, but, on surveillance tape, apparently a woman seems to have been opening the door -- was allowed in -- and then held the door open for the group. They came in -- next thing you know, they're going to loot the place until somebody steps in.

Co-host Ainsley Earhardt then added:

They came in with sledge hammers in their hands -- they B-lined for the jewelry display cases, but a guy who works there had a gun. His name is Albert Marcu -- he's worked there since 2007. Thankfully, he stepped -- look at him on the left hand side of your screen with his gun. And then they were terrified, and they left.

Bear in mind that also recently on the left coast, another legal gun owner stopped a crime, only to be punished for it.

Notice Mr. Marcu's resolve, his coolness under pressure, and even his tactical acumen. He drew and sighted his sidearm but did not fire, which proved not to be necessary as the perps, seeing he was armed, immediately fled. At all times Mr. Marcu held his aim on one of the would-be looters while simultaneously keeping a display case between himself and the perps. He is to be congratulated, not just for stopping the crime but for doing so very effectively.

This is the value of the armed citizen. No police presence was there that day, and in most of our big cities, none would have shown up in time to do anything but take a report. Citizens can and should be responsible for their defense of person and property, and only arms can place a 73-year-old man on equal footing with a gang of punks. Only with arms can a 105-pound woman defend herself against a 200-pound would-be rapist. Only with arms can a storekeeper defend himself against a mob.

An old saying applies: "God created man. Colonel Colt made them equal."

Good for Mr. Marcu. This being San Francisco, we can only hope he doesn't end up facing any legal repercussions for his act of self-defense.

FLASHBACK: See more recent RedState coverage of armed citizens and their actions at these links.

• Refusing to Play Victim: New York City Bodega Owners Become Gun Owners Amid Rising Crime Rates
• Armed Food Truck Driver in Maine Shoots, Stops Knife-Wielding Man From Menacing Motorists
• A Jihadist's Worst Nightmare: Jews Who Are Armed and Ready
• Catalytic Converter Thieves Thought They Could Steal From an Armed Citizen. They Thought Wrong.