Victim, 60, choked during robbery at ATM in Ceres. Two teens arrested.

Two teens face robbery charges after mugging a man at a bank ATM on Wednesday, Ceres police reported.

The 60-year-old victim was withdrawing cash at the Fourth Street Wells Fargo at about 5:30 p.m.

Ceres resident Kiana Nesmith, 18, approached and pretended to use the ATM next to the victim’s, police said. As the man was getting his money from the machine, she reached over and grabbed it.

The victim struggled with Nesmith, police said, at which point a 16-year-old male grabbed the man by the neck and began to choke him. The victim let go of the money and was pushed to the ground by the boy, who fled on foot with Nesmith, police said in a news release.

Several people witnessed the robbery, and some called 911 and followed the suspects. They were able to direct officers to the robbers, who were taken into custody a short distance away, on the 2700 block of Fourth Street.

Nesmith and the juvenile were in possession of the cash stolen from the victim, who suffered minor injuries to his face, police said.

Nesmith faces charges of robbery, conspiracy and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The 16-year-old faces charges of robbery, conspiracy and elder abuse.

This story was originally published October 11, 2018 at 11:15 AM.