PORT JERVIS, NY — A New York State Trooper moved to stop a Chevy Impala, which was identified with a burglary, when a male pit bull puppy was thrown out of the vehicle as it was still moving.

The puppy was rescued by troopers and appeared to be unharmed.

It happened after three suspects attempted to rob a home in the Town of Deerpark. On February 8 at 12:52 p.m., troopers responded to a 911 call of a burglary in progress on West Peenpack Trail in Sparrowbush.

The caller reported that men were attempting to break into the home. One of the suspects entered the residence after breaking the front door open, armed with a handgun. But when the suspect saw that the resident was home and in fact was on the phone with police, the suspect joined two others in the Impala and fled from the scene.

After throwing the puppy from the car, the suspects were ultimately stopped on Neversink Drive, and four suspects were taken into custody.

Further investigation by state police determined that the puppy was stolen earlier in the day during the burglary of an occupied home in Matamoras, PA, along with a 55-inch television, which was also recovered. The handgun used in the crime was not recovered.

The puppy was reunited with its owners at the New York State Police barracks in Middletown. The suspects are Trayquan Lee, age 19, of Port Jervis; Raheem V. McKinoon, age 19, and John Shortt, age 20, both from Brooklyn, New York; and a 15-year-old male from Port Jervis.

They were charged with burglary in the first degree, and criminal use of a firearm in the first degree, both felonies. They were arraigned in Town of Deerpark Court before the Honorable John Wulff and committed to Orange County Jail. The 15-year-old was released to his parents pending a future court appearance.