Man, Teen Arrested in Robbery at Home

Two women and two men held hostage at gunpoint were released unharmed Tuesday after a botched home-invasion robbery.

Enrique Alvarez, 21, was being held on $150,000 bail at the Van Nuys jail on suspicion of robbery and kidnapping, and an unidentified 16-year-old boy was in custody at Juvenile Hall in connection with the incident in the 11300 block of Elkwood Street.

Police said the two suspects stormed into the home about 9:30 a.m., taking two women and a man hostage and ransacking the house for money. Unsatisfied with their booty, the robbers forced the male victim to go with the 16-year-old to the Lockheed Federal Credit Union in Burbank to withdraw money, Los Angeles and Burbank police said.

At the credit union, the victim told a teller about his plight. The teller called Burbank police, who arrested the 16-year-old suspect while he waited in the car.

At the Sun Valley home, meanwhile, a second man arrived and was taken hostage. Los Angeles police surrounded the home and, from a helicopter overhead, ordered the remaining robber to surrender--which he did without incident, police said.

Police said the man who was taken to the credit union suffered a cut to his forehead after being pistol-whipped at the home. He was treated by paramedics.

Police said they found a 9-millimeter handgun under the driver’s seat of the car driven by the teenage suspect.