Kids break into home, tell detectives they were playing 'cops and robbers'

SILVER SPRINGS, Fla. (WOGX FOX51) - "Cops and Robbers."  That's what deputies said three teenagers told them they were playing, when they broke into a home in Silver Springs on Sunday.

In images captured by a homeowner's security system show the accused intruders, a 17-year-old boy and two 15-year-old boys.  All three were caught when investigators posted their pictures all over Facebook. When detectives grilled them about breaking into a neighbor's home, they claimed they were just playing games.

Carl Tracy, a neighbor said, "That's really stupid. It really is. You don't play cops and robbers with any type of gun."

The pellet gun looks real, and the kids also had a knife, and deputies said that could have turned into disaster.

Deputy Paul Bloom, with the Marion County Sheriff's Office said, "This child entering the home with a pistol pointed in an aggressive manner. Had there been somebody home, this may have been a tragic, tragic event."

Another neighbor, Victoria Davis, said, "Somebody's going to get hurt. That's a scary thing. A lot of us do have our own protection. You never want to hurt anybody's child. But, if you're in fear for your life…that's a scary thought."

The homeowner wasn't at the home during the burglary. The homeowner came home to find a smashed window and an open door. Deputies still unsure if anything was stolen.

"Anger!' Neighbor Carl Tracy lamented. "Disrespected!"

Even if the kids thought they were acting out an old fashioned game, deputies aren't playing. The teenagers are facing charges of armed burglary.