Aquiet Monday afternoon in Howell Township turned into a neighborhood drama when a homeowner on Princeton Drive heard a thunderous bang from his front door — and what he found next led to a foot chase, a vehicle pursuit, and the detention of a 12-year-old boy on the ground until police arrived.
According to Howell Township Police, officers responded at approximately 3:28 p.m. on May 25 to reports of a male attempting to break into a residence. When they arrived, they found the homeowner already had the juvenile suspect pinned to the ground outside.
“The front door had allegedly been kicked open — a forceful backward kick that damaged both the door and its frame.”
The homeowner told police he was inside when he heard the loud impact. Upon checking, he discovered the front door had been forced open. He then spotted the suspect bolting toward the side of the driveway, hopping onto an e-bike, and attempting to escape.
Not willing to let the suspect get away, the homeowner jumped into his vehicle and followed. He managed to stop the juvenile a short distance from the home and held him on the ground until officers arrived on scene.
The evidence was clear-cut. Ring camera footage provided by the homeowner showed the juvenile approaching the front door and delivering a forceful backward kick that damaged and opened it. Based on this footage and the physical damage to the door frame, the 12-year-old was charged with criminal mischief. He was later released into the custody of his father at police headquarters.
But the story did not end there.
Later that same evening, the juvenile’s mother contacted Howell Township Police with a serious allegation: she claimed the homeowner had pointed a firearm at her son during the encounter. Officers returned to the scene, reviewed all available surveillance footage, and spoke with multiple witnesses present during the incident. Every witness interviewed stated that no firearm was displayed at any point. Investigators found no evidence to support the allegation.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Ptl. Lavarin #722 at 732-938-4575, ext. 2722.
