Remember that report of an armed robbery at CAVA in Downtown Crossing? It was apparently all a ruse.

A Charlestown stepfather and son are accused of staging the armed robbery at the restaurant last month, according to the Suffolk DA’s Office.

Scott Douglas, 37, and Nickolas Lao, 19, are facing larceny and conspiracy charges in connection with the alleged fake robbery.

Boston police officers responded to an armed robbery at CAVA, located at 125 Summer St., on Dec. 29 at 10:34 p.m.

Officers met with a store employee, later identified as Douglas, who reported that he had been robbed at gunpoint while closing the restaurant for the night.

Douglas initially told police that he felt a hard metal object being pressed against the back of his head, and noticed a black AR-15 style rifle being held by an unknown male.

Douglas reported that the man led him to the safe in the back of the restaurant. Douglas gave the man all the cash in the drawers, a black deposit bag full of cash, and several rolls of coins from the safe, totaling about $1,800. Douglas then said the man ordered him to face away while he ran out of the store.

Douglas provided officers with a description of the suspect. While reviewing nearby video footage, officers saw a man with a completely different description enter the restaurant as Douglas opens the door, according to the DA’s Office.

At 10:31 p.m., the man is seen leaving the restaurant and fleeing toward the MBTA Chinatown station at Washington and Boylston streets. Based on video footage, the suspect was the only other person inside the restaurant or around the immediate area at the time of the robbery.

Meeting with officers several days after the alleged robbery, Douglas reportedly provided statements inconsistent with his initial statement and video footage from inside the restaurant.

Images of the unknown male were distributed to officers in the area, and cops identified the man as Lao.

Investigators then found out that both Lao and Douglas are listed at the same address in Charlestown. Lao is the son of Douglas’ ex-wife, with whom Douglas still resides.

Police sought and obtained arrest warrants for Douglas and Lao.

“We too often see employees who think they can fool police and their employers for their own illicit gain but end up fooling only themselves,” Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden said in a statement. “This concocted incident instilled fear in our community and used up police time and resources that could have been dedicated elsewhere.”

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Lao was charged with larceny over $1,200 and conspiracy. Judge Richard Sinnott ordered Lao held on $5,000 bail with GPS monitoring upon release.

Douglas was charged with larceny over $1,200, conspiracy, and false reporting of a crime. Sinnott ordered Douglas held on $10,000 bail with GPS monitoring upon release.

Both are set to return to court on Jan. 31 for pre-trial hearings.