It isn't very risky as far as I'm aware, first time robbers generally aren't caught unless they try again. It also doesn't even impact the banks if a lot is stolen, because everything is insured anyway.

Media barely reports on "small" bank robberies, because it's 1) not really interesting and 2) invites more bank robberies. Most bank robberies aren't armed and masked men breaking into the bank shooting wildly, it's someone telling the teller to give them money and the teller complies, because it's policy and they don't want to risk it coming to the first example with the guns and all.

I read "bought a horse" at first and thought "why would your family live on the street without a horse?"

An explanation is not an excuse, even if it often sounds like one.