Local Amish shaken by attempted robbery

LEON, NY (WIVB) - Sunday morning, an Amish couple fell victim to a terrifying crime in the Southern Tier.

Tonight we're learning more about the case.

Usually Amish county in Cattaraugus County is picaresque and quiet. So when a crime like this happens in this small, rural - predominately Amish community - it raises eyebrows.

"Like the Old West when I was a kid. Bandits on the highway," said Leon resident Bill Scherman when describing yesterday's attempted armed robbery of a young, recently married Amish couple, traveling on a road by horse and buggy.

Scherman continued, "The car had gone down the road and turned around, and came back and pulled right up in front of them and blocked them right, stopped the horse and buggy."

Authorities say one of the men in the car pulled a gun on the couple and demanded money.

The Amish woman's father said, "They saw the flame coming out of the barrel." The woman's father did not want to be photographed but continued, "He had the gun right on them and he asked for the wallet. And then when they told him he doesn't have a wallet he just pointed the gun a little beside her, and he fired."

Authorities say the suspect vehicle is described as a tan full sized car, with 4 men inside.

Captain Robert Buchhardt of the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office said, "After about the third time of him demanding money and their wallets from them they explained to the people in the car that they did not carry wallets and they did not have any money."

News of the incident has the Amish in the area on edge.

"I thought it was terrible and I thought it would scare anybody. It would scare me, big time," said one Amish man who was traveling in the area with his family.

"Everybody in the community is concerned. Everybody hopes these guys get caught. We watch out for each other around here," said Scherman.

The suspects fled the scene empty handed. The young Amish couple was shaken up but not injured. Authorities in Cattaraugus County tell News 4 that they are working some good leads.