Police say three teenagers robbed another teen at gunpoint inside a St. Marys home, and they’re considering them as adults as they file the charges.
Police say when the teens got into the home, they were looking for money, and then started taking other items.
We have more on what police are calling an armed robbery.
Court documents describe a terrifying ordeal for one teen who police say was held up at gunpoint by three others.
The complaints say the three juveniles wore masks and gloves as they barged into into a home on S. St. Marys Street around 5 p.m. on Thursday, ordering someone to open up a safe.
“If they had masks on at that young age, that’s certainly disconcerting,” says nearby worker Kim Kunes.
“It surprises me in this area because there’s never been one this close to our home,” says neighbor Mike Brett.
Police say two 17-year-old boys who police and the magistrate were not naming on Friday, along with a third juvenile took part in the armed robbery.
They allegedly went in the back door and ordered the victim from his bedroom down to the living room, where one was holding a gun.
The complaints say one teen admitted he knew there was money in the safe, but the victim didn’t know the combination, so they took the father’s handgun from a case on top of the safe, a ceramic bank with loose change, and an iPod Touch instead.
One 17-year-old also allegedly kicked the victim in the face on the way out, leading to an extra charge of aggravated assault.
“It’s not acceptable. I don’t know where their parents would be during that time of day,” says neighbor John Smithbauer.
“That’s more than just kids horsing around,” says Kunes.
Some are surprised by the allegations against the teens.
“Between here and the Sheetz there’s a lot of activity with the kids walking down to Sheetz all the time,” says Smithbauer.
“Well we have a Chestnut Street park located right over here and a lot of teenagers congregate there every so often, but it’s for basketball and just to get together,” says neighbor Vic Straub.
Records show the two teens were arraigned around 1 a.m. on Friday and taken to the Elk County Prison, while police said on Friday that they were still looking for the third suspect. The bank and gun were recovered, police said.
