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Woman, 64, Arrested In Bizarre Santa Clarita Bank Robbery

CANYON COUNTRY (CBSLA) – A 64-year-old woman was arrested Friday morning while trying to rob a bank in the Santa Clarita community of Canyon Country, during which she alleged that a man was holding a child hostage, authorities said.

Woman, 64, Arrested In Bizarre Santa Clarita Bank Robbery
Grace Farebaugh, 64, is arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies following a bank robbery attempt in Santa Clarita, Calif. Oct. 27, 2017. (Credit: Santa Clarita Valley Signal)

Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies and FBI agents responded around 11 a.m. to a robbery call at a Bank of America branch in the 26500 block of Golden Valley Road.

When the deputies arrived, they learned that the suspect handed a bank teller a note demanding money because a man was holding a child hostage outside the bank, the sheriff's department said. The teller then activated an alarm.

The bank teller handed the suspect an undisclosed amount of money while the security doors to the bank were secured.

The woman changed her mind mid-heist and returned the cash to the teller, a sheriff's spokesperson told the Santa Clarita Valley Signal newspaper.

The woman, identified as Grace Farebaugh, was detained inside when deputies arrived. No one was hurt and detectives said no child was found to be in danger.

Farebaugh was booked on suspicion of robbery, LASD reported. Her bail is set at $50,000. She remained in custody as of Friday night.

LASD, not the FBI, is currently handing the investigation.

(©2017 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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