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PD: Teen boys hold up Westwood bank

Posted at 2:59 PM, May 20, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-21 00:05:24-04

CINCINNATI -- Detectives Shawnda Stone and Stewart Isaacs had to take a second look when they responded to a bank robbery at Cheviot Savings Bank Friday morning.

What they saw both shocked and saddened them.

That’s because, when they looked at the surveillance footage, they saw the suspects were just teenagers, one 16 years old, the other just 14.

“You know, I had to step back because when I heard the call come out, I’m thinking they are adults,” Stone said. “To see that they are juveniles, it was pretty shocking to me.”

Police said each boy approached the teller and gave a note demanding cash before escaping with the money.

“You hate to see any juvenile being involved in something, because there is so much danger entering into a bank and demanding cash,” said Isaacs. “So many things could have gone wrong.”

Isaacs told WCPO the 14-year-old was suspended from school at the time of the robbery. The 16-year-old detectives believe to be homeless: He was not registered with any school district.

“One of the things he wanted to make sure that we told his mother was the he was remorseful and apologized,” Isaacs said. “He thought in his mind if he had money to bring home, he would be able to come home.”

Isaacs added that neither boy had a criminal record.

With the help of several witnesses, Cincinnati and Green Township Police took the pair into custody and recovered the stolen money.

Both boys were being held at the Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Center Friday night.