Staff Writer

St. Cloud Police this afternoon arrested the two men believed to have robbed the Chase Bank earlier in the day.

Shortly after the robbery of the bank, which is at 4355 13th St. in St. Cloud, the suspects' unoccupied vehicle was located nearby at the St. Cloud Village Apartments. Investigative leads led to a search warrant being executed at one of the apartments where Vernell Holden, 54, and James E. Holden Jr., 34, were arrested; both were charged with armed robbery. St. Cloud police have not said how the two suspects are related.

The suspects wore masks and gloves during the robber, and one of them brandished a handgun, according to bank employees. The suspects entered the bank at 9:22 a.m. and demanded money. An undisclosed amount of money was given to the men, who fled the scene in their black Chevrolet HHR, but not before an employee was able to record the getaway vehicle's license plate.

Earlier today, St. Cloud Police Sgt. Boyd Graham said preliminary photographs, which had not yet being released, do not show either suspect aiming the gun at anyone, however, the gun was “prominently displayed” during the robbery.

There was at least one customer and an undetermined number of employees in the bank during the incident.

Neptune Elementary School, at 1200 Betsy Ross Lane and one mile away from the bank, was briefly locked down this morning following the robbery as a precaution.

See full story here.