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12 Year Old Boy Arrested After Armed Robbery At Gas Station Caught On Video

12-year-old robs gas station at gunpoint after stealing guardian's gun from  locked cabinet, reports say

A youngster was caught on surveillance camera video holding up a Michigan gas station as he demanded the money from the cashier.

Footage sees the skinny 12-year-old waiting calmly in line in the town of Hartford, with his hand in his backpack as a customer in front of him pay for gas.

When he reaches the front of the line he whips out a 9mm handgun from his black bag and demands money.

To ensure she sees his request as legitimate the boy fires a round into the ceiling.

The woman behind the counter flinches but then pulls out a bag of money from the safe and quickly hands it over to the kid, ordering him to ‘Get out!’

As the boy leaves he attempts to reload his gun but it jams. One of the shell casings can be seen falling to the floor.

The child then calmly walks out as if nothing had happened.

Just before 4pm on Wednesday, 911 dispatchers received the call about the armed robbery at the Marathon gas station on East Main Street – just one block from the police station.

The boy was promptly picked up by cops minutes later.

Hartford Police Chief Tressa Beltran picked him up without incident and charged with armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, and discharge of a firearm in Van Buren County Family Court on Thursday.

Officers believe the child told another pupil at his school about his plan to carry out the armed robbery before fetching the weapon from his grandfather’s locked safe.

The grandfather, who is the child’s legal guardian, told police he did not know that his grandson could access the safe.

A sign on his front door read: ‘No comment at this time, no pics. I have to live in this town and I need some sleep.’

The boy, who attends Hartford Middle School is currently in custody at the Allegan County Juvenile Center and will remain there until a hearing later this month.

‘He sounded way too calm. I seriously thought it was a prank until I heard the gun go off.

‘Part of me wanted to hold the kid because he has so many problems, then it’s hard to feel bad when he did something like this,’ Jessica said.

‘I always thought if I were robbed I’m giving them the money, no amount of money is worth my life.’

Police say they were not given any motive by the boy as to why he carried out the robbery.

‘Every day I’m seeing something new at this job. I’ve been a full-time police officer for 38 years. What really flabbergasted me is that he showed no emotion,’ Hartford Lt. Mike Prince said.

‘He told us he didn’t do it for the money. He said he would’ve thrown the money into the sewer. He wouldn’t give us an explanation why he did it.’

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