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Bank reopens after kidnapping arrests
3 people arrested at Wells Fargo branch after man told to withdraw money
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo operates a branch at 11160 Highway 142 N., Covington, Ga. - photo by David Clemons

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with comment from Wells Fargo.

COVINGTON, Ga. — A bank has reopened a day after three people were arrested there in an alleged kidnapping and robbery plot.

Business was back to normal Thursday morning at the Wells Fargo branch at 11160 Highway 142 N.

That’s less than a day after Covington police responded to what was initially thought to be a bank robbery. Instead, a man who was apparently the victim of a kidnapping let Wells Fargo employees know he was being held against his will Wednesday and ordered to withdraw money.

Police said the man was kidnapped from his home on Georgia 142 in unincorporated Newton County, robbed and pistol-whipped. A teller called Covington police at 3:05 p.m. Wednesday. The arrests followed a brief standoff outside the bank.

The case has been turned over to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office because the original crimes occurred outside the Covington city limits, police said.

The Sheriff’s Office has not identified the suspects. An 18-year-old man from Covington is listed in jail records as being booked Thursday morning on charges of kidnapping, armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, although it was not immediately clear if the cases were related.

In a statement, Wells Fargo spokeswoman Amy Amirault said no one was hurt during the incident Wednesday.

“Wells Fargo’s top concern is the safety and well-being of our customers and team members, and we are thankful no one was harmed during the incident at our Covington Marketplace branch yesterday,” Amirault said Thursday.

“The branch reopened this morning at its usual time at 9 a.m. Law enforcement is investigating the incident, and they can provide additional information as the investigation progresses.”