The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has arrested Chris Austin, DOB 1/9/73, 1331 15th Street, Sarasota, for robbing the Cattlemen branch of SunTrust Bank this morning.

Witnesses identified Austin as the man who entered the bank around 11:00 a.m., and handed the teller a note that said he had a weapon and demanded cash. Deputies responding to the scene located a suspect matching the description near Doctor’s Hospital, and detectives recovered the suspect’s straw hat, shirt, zippered pouch and gray plastic bag that can be seen on surveillance video nearby. Another witness who saw Austin in the same disguise near her place of business before the robbery also identified him as the suspect.

Austin has a lengthy criminal history that includes burglary, possession of a controlled substance, sale or delivery of cocaine and another 16 charges for violating probation and contempt of court.

Austin is charged with Armed Bank Robbery and is currently being held without bond.