Authorities say two teens accused of breaking into a house in Gibson were caught after a brief foot chase.

According to a sheriff's report, 16-year old Carl Bennett Primus and a 14-year old boy, both of Smith Road in Gibson, were arrested Monday and charged with attempted breaking and entering and three counts each of breaking and entering and larceny after a breaking and entering.

The teenagers allegedly tried entering a residence on Brian Street in Gibson through a back door.

The occupant, who was home at the time, came out the front door while contacting the sheriff's department, according to Chief Deputy Steve Smith.

As an administrator, Smith says it is his responsibility to see how deputies perform in the field. Normally he does not participate in a chase.

This time was different.

He said Primus was caught near the home while the juvenile ran into the woods.

Smith, along with deputies, investigators and Captain Mitch Johnson all began scouring the area for the 14-year old who made it into the woods.

The trail seemed to go cold at one point – the lawmen found themselves in a field of grass that was 4-feet high and the Gibson teen was apparently ducking below the foliage to avoid detection.

"We had resolved to apprehend the second suspect," Smith said. "We weren't going to leave until we got him."

The lawmen got a break quickly when one of the deputies saw the teen stand up to peer over the grass. The deputy immediately gave chase.

The chief deputy said the boy probably thought a greater period of time had passed and that the deputies had moved on,

Without that mistake, Smith said chances were good that the boy would have avoided detection, at least until a K-9 unit was called.

Smith, who was beside the deputy at the time, followed his fellow officer, though he did not see the teen at first.

At one point, people listening to police scanners could hear someone shout "Boy, stop!"

Smith said the 14-year old was apprehended about 10 minutes after fleeing the residence.

According to a sheriff's report, two of the breaking and entering counts come from Cheeko's, a Laurel Hill convenience store, where the pair allegedly took a BB gun and a cash register in two separate break-ins.

Primus was charged earlier with shoplifting from the same Laurel Hill store.

A third charge came from the two allegedly breaking into the home of Richard Sumner. The duo took a power drill and pry bars, which were recovered.

According to the report, both Sumner's residence and Cheeko's were on Gibson Road. The house they were caught breaking into was on Brian Street, which is a dead-end road adjoining Smith Street.

Primus was placed in Scotland County jail under a $10,000 secured bond.