By Aaron Burgin, The Porterville Recorder

Tulare County Sheriff's Department deputies are investigating an attempted robbery that involved a knife and a sports jersey.

Two men, one armed with a knife, reportedly approached two young boys outside a house on South Ruth Street and demanded a jersey that one was wearing. One of the boys, identified as Saul Madrigal, gave the two men the white jersey, valued at $45.

The suspects then asked the children for money, said Leonel Paniagua, 12, the other boy. “We didn't have any money, so they ripped his jersey,” Leonel said. “I was scared, because they had a knife.”

Leonel's father, Cepriano Paniagua and a relative, Leanardo Paniagua, chased the men away from the house. The men, Leonel said, threw a rock at Leanardo.

The two men fled the scene on a red bike, according to a Sheriff's Department news release.

Contact Aaron Burgin at 784-5000, Ext. 1047, or aburgin@portervillerecorder.com.

This story was published in The Porterville Recorder on August 24, 2006