MEDFORD, N.Y. — A 12-year-old boy is being hailed as a hero after he thwarted a burglary at his home in Medford, New York, on Tuesday, his family said.
Tristin Taylor’s quick actions led to the arrest of a suspect within minutes of the break-in, CNN affiliate WCBS reported.
The burglary happened when Tristin was home alone, and he heard glass breaking from the kitchen.
Unlike the holiday movie, there were no traps or pranks.
Realizing a stranger was inside the house and going room to room, he quickly decided to escape through a ground floor window and called 911 while hiding behind the garage.
Tristin said, “I heard glass breaking,” which prompted him to flee. He recalled, “I said I have to get out the house,” and chose the quickest escape route through the window.
Suffolk County police arrived on the scene in under 3 minutes and apprehended the accused burglar, who now faces charges.
Tristin’s family praised his prompt actions and ability to remain calm.
“He is our little hero,” said Timothea Taylor, Tristin’s grandmother, expressed immense pride.
She added, “We were very proud that he was able to keep his composure and call the police as quickly as he did, basically without even thinking about it he automatically called 911.”
Tristin’s sister, Dominique, reflected on her brother’s brave choice, admitting, “No I would have just hid,” and praised his instincts during the frightening situation.
The family’s neighbor, Mike Campanella, commented on Tristin’s heroism, stating, “I would hope my son would have done the same thing. When someone is breaking into the house, the caution is to get out and then call the police.”
The suspect who broke into Tristin’s home pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Wednesday. Authorities have not released further details on the suspect’s identity or background.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]