A multi-state theft ring was just thwarted by a tech-savvy 8-year-old boy, Landon Crabtree.

Last week, Landon’s parents told him that their home had been broken into. The burglars took a few expensive items, including Landon’s iPad.

“He was really mad, because a lot of the stuff was his,” recounts mom Kristy Crabtree.

The family got a replacement iPad which appeased Landon, as he busily added new games and apps. It was then that he remembered one of his favorite apps, Find my iPhone.

“It tracks your iTunes accounts and whoever takes it or wherever it is, it can track down that device,” he explained.

Richard Crabtree, Landon’s dad initially didn’t understand what his little boy had figured out. “He was upstairs, and came down and was like ‘Dad, I know where our iPad is’,” Richard recounted. “And I’m like, ‘what are you talking about?’ And he comes and shows me.”

The tracking app showed the location of the stolen iPad at a nearby Ambassador Inn.

“So I called the detective and let him know,” recalled Richard. “And he called, 30, 40 minutes later and said they’ve got him in custody, and if I’d like to come down and take a look at some of our merchandise, they’d love to have us.”

The suspect, John Docherty was caught red-handed. He is believed to be involved in multiple break-ins across the county.

Officers were impressed by Landon’s quick-thinking. “They said ‘good job, how’d you do it?’,” he recalled. “I mean most everybody said the app worked, so I just wanted to try it out.”

Landon is looking forward to growing up and becoming an FBI agent. “That way I can solve mysteries and crimes,” he said. “You don’t mess with our family.”