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Store Clerks Foil Robbery Attempt
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Aggressive action by two store clerks turned the tables on would-be robbers in Riverbank on Wednesday, Dec. 21 and led to the arrest of two suspects.

That evening sheriff's deputies assigned to Riverbank Police Services responded to a robbery alarm in the 5900 block of Terminal Avenue. Police dispatchers also received a 911 call from the business reporting a robbery and that the person involved in the robbery had been detained by store employees.

When deputies arrived about 8:35 p.m., they found the store employees detaining a suspect at gunpoint with an assault rifle and a handgun. Through their investigation they learned that 20-year-old Leobardo Ramos of Ceres and a 16-year-old boy from Modesto, had arrived at the business in a small sports utility vehicle with three girls and another youth.

When Ramos and the 16-year-old entered the business, Ramos reportedly carried an AK-47 assault rifle and they demanded that the employee give them all their money.

One employee in the business got into a struggle with Ramos over the AK-47 and was able to take it away from him. Another store clerk was able to pull out a handgun and they used the weapons to detain Ramos and call 911.

The 16-year-old fled the business in the SUV with the four juveniles and they were later found by deputies near a park at the intersection of Arizona Avenue and Tennessee Avenue in Riverbank.

Detectives questioned the four juveniles and released them but arrested Ramos and the 16-year-old juvenile for attempted homicide, robbery, conspiracy and possession of an assault rifle.

Anyone with information about this case can contact Detective Josh Humble at (209) 863-7146. Callers can also leave an anonymous tip by calling Crime Stoppers at (209) 521-4636. Tipsters can e-mail tips at http://www.modestopolice.com/CrimeStoppers, or text them to CRIMES (274637) by typing "Tip704" plus the message and be eligible for a cash reward.