Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
ELYRIA – A mother of three chased a would-be burglar out of her house with a pistol after he broke in just before 8 p.m. Monday.
According to a police report, Brett Santo, 33, of Chestnut Street, walked into Sarah Long’s home on Fourth Street and approached her 15-year-old daughter. Long’s 17-year-old daughter was the first to see Santo and screamed, launching Long into action, police said.
Police said Long grabbed a pistol by her bed and she charged at Santo, but dropped the gun while in her home. She and the 17-year-old then chased Santo out of the house and down the sidewalk until they lost sight of him by St. Mary’s Church.
Officers were dispatched to the area on a report of a burglary suspect fleeing the area and Long was able to provided police with a description.
Police found him on Third Street between Middle Avenue and Court Street and he was arrested and charged with burglary.
During the ride to the police station, officers said Santo “let out an excited utterance that he in fact did burglarize the house,” police said.
Long said Tuesday that Santo had entered her home once before but left when confronted and Long didn’t call police. This time, Long said, Santo approached her daughter so Long sprung into action.
“I said, you picked the wrong (expletive) mother,” Long said, “I ran after him over the bridge and he turned around and was like, is this (woman) still chasing me.”
It was by chance that Long said her gun was near by. Her boyfriend, who Long described as “a big biker guy” had just left the house and encouraged Long to have the pistol ready.
“I’m thanking God it was by a fluke he told me to put that gun by me,” Long said. “Santo was walking in there like he didn’t care, like this time he wasn’t stopping.”
This story has been edited to reflect the following correction: Sarah Long is the mother of three children. Two were at home at the time of the incident.
Contact Jodi Weinberger at 329-7245 or jweinberger@chroniclet.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jodi_Weinberger.