ELK GROVE-

Lupe Espinoza loves the quiet nature of the Elk Grove neighborhood she’s called home for four years.

Monday night though, Village Tree Drive was anything but, as the search was on for three suspected robbers armed with two guns and a knife.

“The helicopter (was out), and they were looking and searching and the whole block was full of cop cars,” she said. “My kids were frightened.”

One area father, who didn’t want to be identified, told FOX40 he was held on the ground by officers who thought he could be a suspect.

FOX40 was on the scene as police detained and then released that father and two neighbors thought to be responsible for terrorizing an 18-year-old girl and her 17-year old boyfriend.

That couple reported being held up near the Century movie theater, forced to hand over cash and jewelry around 8:30 p.m.

But as the investigation continued into the night, officers heard a different story from the couple.

“Apparently, they were going to be in trouble for being out past curfew or being late and, unfortunately, they decided to create an elaborate story,” Elk Grove Police Officer Chris Trim said Tuesday.

The father detained is very forgiving about the situation.

“Everybody’s safe. That’s all that matters,” he said.

Espinoza and the police, on the other hand, say it’s just not that simple.

“They should be punished,” Espinoza said.

“If you did something wrong, be honest about it and take your lumps,” Trim said. “Don’t create this fantasy that now affects not only law enforcement, residents and a whole community.”

In addition to the time of all the personnel this incident wasted in Elk Grove, a police cruiser was also damaged after a driver being redirected backed into it.

The couple behind the curfew caper may face charges for filing a false police report.