Police continue to search for a suspected bank robber that held Sarasota Police in a standoff Friday.
Police say James William Holderman, 52, robbed the Wells Fargo Bank at U.S. 41 and Webber Street around 4 p.m. Friday. Officials flooded the area and set up a perimeter around Holderman’s home in the 2300 block of Bougainvillea Street after a neighbor told them they saw him enter the home but not leave.
Officers tried to check the interior of the home with a robot, but the device malfunctioned. Instead, they fired a barrage of chemical munitions hoping to flush Holderman out, if he was home.
A tense eight hours later, the SWAT team entered and found the home empty.
Holderman’s vehicle was parked at his residence, which made police assume he was home.
A native of Montana, Holderman has eight previous arrests for armed robbery and has served more than 20 years in prison.
His neighbors say they’re concerned about his recent behavior and police are considering him dangerous.
Anyone with information can contact Detective Riffe of the Sarasota Police Department at (941) 954-7025.
