Two men face a total of five charges in relation to a string of armed robberies in the Okanagan over the past week.

Raymond Joseph Johnson, 29 and Jeremy Brent Janzen, 30 have each been charged with robbery using a firearm in the March 24th robbery at a Vernon Subway and March 25th robbery at a Scotiabank, also in Vernon.

Johnson has also been charged with robbery, possession of a prohibited weapon and theft under $5,000 in relation to a March 20th robbery of a Scotiabank in Penticton.

Charges have not yet been laid in connection with two other armed robberies at Liquids Liquor Store, March 21 and a Kelowna Subway, March 23.

Police and Crown Counsel are still working on those incidents.

In announcing the charges Friday morning, Vernon RCMP Inspector, Steve McVarnock, singled out a Vernon cellblock guard in helping to identify the suspects.

"When images of the suspects were released this individual recognized one of the suspects from having been through our Detachment's cells a number of years ago, and he took the initiative of pouring through hundreds of photographs in our database until he identified the suspect," says McVarnock.

The two men were arrested early Thursday morning morning near an apartment building in the 3700 block of 24th Avenue in Vernon.

McVarnock says Janzen and a third man were arrested after exiting the building at about 3:30 a.m. Johnson was arrested three hours later.

"Janzen and Johnson are both very well known to police. Johnson has ties to the North Okanagan while Janzen has primarily resided in the Lower Mainland."

Link: Armed robbery spree over