NJ Man Restrains 12-Year-Old Who Kicked Door In, Police Say

HOWELL, NJ — A 12-year-old boy is facing criminal mischief charges after he kicked in the door of Howell home on Monday, Howell police said.

The homeowner called police just before 3:30 p.m. to report someone trying to break into the home on Princeton Drive, Lt. John Barroquiero said.

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When police arrived they found the homeowner holding the 12-year-old down on the ground, Barroquiero said.

The homeowner told police he heard a loud bang at the front of his home and went to the front door, where he found it had been forced open and the door frame was broken, Barroquiero said.

He saw the boy running toward his driveway, he told police, and the boy got on an ebike and began to take off, Barroquiero said.

The homeowner followed the boy in his vehicle and was able to catch up to him a short distance away, where he got the boy to stop and then held him on the ground until officers arrived, Barroquiero said.

The homeowner was wearing a T-shirt, shorts, sandals and was not carrying anything in his possession during his interaction with officers, Barroquiero said.

He then showed officers the Ring camera footage from his front door, and officers saw the boy come up to the front door, turn around and give the door a hard kick, forcing the door open and damaging it, Barroquiero said. The officers found significant damage to the front door when they went to the house to check it in person, he said.

The boy was arrested and charged with criminal mischief, then released to his father at police headquarters, Barroquiero said.

Later Monday evening the boy's mother came to police headquarters and alleged the homeowner had pointed a firearm at the boy, Barroquiero said.

Officers went back to the scene and reviewed all available surveillance footage and spoke to several eyewitnesses, Barroquiero said, all of whom told police the homeowner never pointed a firearm at the boy and that there was no firearm present during the incident.

"At this point in time no evidence is available to substantiate the later allegations," Barroquiero said.

Anyone with information about the event or who witnessed it is asked to call Patrol Officer Elie Lavarin at 732-938-4575, ext. 2722.