Manatee deputies arrest robbery suspect

Manatee County Sheriff’s detectives arrested a homeless man around 11 a.m. Thursday, April 11, for allegedly robbing a downtown Sarasota Fifth Third Bank branch the previous day, according to a news release.

Sarasota Police identified a man in dark glasses shown in a surveillance video taking cash from a teller as 35-year-old Gregory Thompson. Witnesses last saw Thompson running south of First Street toward Main Street in Sarasota.

Detectives saw Thompson walking near Cortez Road and U.S. 41 in south Bradenton, and recognized him from police alerts, said Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Dave Bristow.