MOUNT VERNON – A male suspect has been apprehended following an alleged attempted armed robbery at a downtown Mount Vernon bank Wednesday morning, according to Mount Vernon Police Chief Robert Morgan.
Morgan declined to identify the suspect at 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, as he had not been charged. The alleged incident occurred 90 minutes prior, Morgan said, and evidence was still being collected at the time. Morgan did say the suspect was “known to the Mount Vernon Police Department.”
The incident occurred at CES Credit Union, 400 W. Chestnut St., just after 9:30 a.m.
“An individual went into the bank, brandished a firearm, and demanded money,” Morgan said. “He received some money from the bank and indicated he was exiting.”
On his way out, Morgan said the suspect ran into another customer on their way in. He allegedly attempted to rob that person as well.
Around that time, a bystander flagged down a nearby Mount Vernon police officer, who arrived at the scene and took the suspect into custody without incident, Morgan said. The suspect was transported to the police department for an interview. Detectives stayed on the scene to collect evidence.
“The (case is currently) under investigation,” Morgan said.
The amount of money the suspect allegedly stole is currently unclear, Morgan said. No one was injured during the incident.
Police believe the suspect was operating alone. Morgan said detectives will continue to collect evidence Wednesday and confer with the Knox County Prosecutor’s Office on potential charges.
“We’re confident that we have the suspect we’re looking for in custody,” Morgan said. “Right now, we’re just doing follow-up.”
The police department will likely issue a press release Wednesday afternoon with more information, Morgan said.
This is Mount Vernon’s first bank robbery since July 2020, Morgan said, when 31-year-old Joshua Lee Cron stole $1,020 from the Huntington Bank branch on Coshocton Avenue. Cron ultimately fled to Spokane, Washington, where he was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service less than a month later.
This is a developing story. It will be updated as more information becomes available.
