14-Year-Old Girl Armed With Kitchen Knives Scares Intruder Out Of Home: Police

A 14-year-old Massachusetts girl armed herself with two knives and chased away a burglar who allegedly broke into her home Friday morning.

Avery Cormier was awoken by the sound of a man breaking into her Middleborough home around 7:20 a.m. Friday, according to the Middleborough Police Department.

She saw the man, later identified as 58-year-old Joseph Ridge, of Bourne, stealing things and proceeded to grab two knives from the kitchen and confront him.

Ridge, who is known to police and described as a "career criminal," dropped the items he was allegedly stealing and fled the home, police said.

The teen girl followed Ridge outside and captured a video of his 2010 Chevy Silverado as he sped away.

“I got him out of the house. I scared him. I took a video of his truck leaving so I have his license plate number,” the girl could be heard saying to a 911 dispatcher in audio released by police.

Officers used that information to track Ridge down while driving over the Bourne Bridge and arrest him.

Cormier’s mom Dianne Tautkus told CBS Boston that her daughter scared Ridge away while wielding two steak knives. Police confirmed at a press conference Saturday afternoon that the teen told them she had grabbed a knife before confronting the intruder.

“I really didn’t realize that she had it in her to stay so calm under fire,” Tautkus said. “Grabbed two kitchen steak knives and she went back and stood outside the door and started screaming at him ‘Get out of my house. Get out of my house. You don’t belong here.’”

Ridge was taken into custody soon after and charged with aggravated breaking and entering during the daytime, trespassing and disorderly conduct, police said.

Cormier, who had been home for the day because it was Good Friday, was not hurt during the incident.

At the time of the alleged burglary, Ridge had been out on bail for an unrelated incident.

Police said Ridge has a record dating back to 1980, with more than 140 arraignments and a history of violence.

"I would like to commend the courageous actions of this girl. Even in the midst of an extremely scary event, her bravery assisted us in identifying the man believed to be responsible for breaking into her home," Middleborough Police Chief Joseph Perkins stated.

Ridge's bail was set at $200,000 during the arraignment held Friday.

Should the 58-year-old post bail, he would be required to be on house arrest with a GPS monitor.

"The suspect in this case is a career criminal who was arrested after terrorizing a 14-year-old girl in her own home," Perkins added. "Hopefully, his arrest this time will bring this known felon to account for his crimes."