Three men – two from Manteca and one from Castro Valley – who allegedly attempted a home burglary shortly before 10 a.m. Tuesday were arrested thanks to the quick thinking of a 13-year-old boy who was home at the time because of his school’s teacher in-service day.

His quick response to knocking on the door made him the family hero by probably saving extensive losses from the home.

The teen said he was taking a nap on the front room couch when he was awakened to the sound of pounding on the front door of the family residence in the 900 block of Agate Avenue, north of Alameda Street and just east of Union Road.

The youth said he looked out the front window and “saw a dude” on the lawn. Then he went to the front door and looked through a small peep glass window and saw him pounding again – continuing for some five minutes.

A late model, silver Escalade SUV pulled up into the driveway when the knocking and pounding ceased, he recalled. He said his dad had often told him never to open the door for anyone he didn’t know.

The youth said he called his older brother on his cell phone, later learning that he, too, had been asleep. He called his dad at work and was told to call 911 quickly. The teen said the 911 operator at the police department told him she had an officer in the area and he would be there shortly.

The boy said he went out in the back yard and hid as two of the men entered the house. It was less than three minutes until motorcycle officer Patrick Danipour arrived at his home. Some five other police cars were there within five minutes, he added, surrounding the house with officers.

One of the suspects attempted to escape out a rear bedroom window. He destroyed the screen as he ran into the back yard. Police officer Dale Goforth entered the home with his canine “Guage” that cornered the other suspect in the kitchen biting him into submission in the shoulder and his rear quarter. The suspect fleeing through the window was arrested in the yard by officers.

The three men were transported to the City Jail for transportation to the San Joaquin County Jail in French Camp by later in the afternoon. They were charged with residential burglary. Officers searched the car in the driveway and removed bags of what was believed to be evidence in other cases.

The car search yielded credit cards and a wallet among other things, police said.

Christopher M. Collum, 32, of Castro Valley was transported to a local hospital for treatment of his dog bites. The other two suspects were Christian A. Flores, 25, and Mario M. Blanco, 20, both of Manteca. They were all charged with burglary, conspiracy, and possession of known stolen property.

Collum is being held in lieu of $510,000 bail, Flores has a total $684,000 in bail including $20,000 from a previous warrant. Blanco is being held in lieu of $336,500 bail requirement.

All three are scheduled to appear in the Manteca Branch of the San Joaquin County Superior Court on Friday, Feb. 14, according to the Sheriff’s website