Savvy Twin Cities bank employees are credited with helping police arrest a man and woman who pulled off a short-lived $125,000 identity theft, according to court records.

Eric Jerome Pratt, 43, and Jade Jean Birton, who will turn 31 on Saturday, both of Maple Grove, have been charged in Hennepin County District Court with identity theft and theft by swindle on suspicion of opening accounts at Topline Federal Credit Union with another person's U.S. Treasury check and then making withdrawals.

Pratt and Birton have since been released from jail after each posted a $5,000 bond. They have court hearings scheduled in the weeks ahead.

Birton denied the allegations to the Minnesota Star Tribune. Requests for comment were left for Pratt and his attorney.

According to the criminal complaint and a related court document:

On March 18, Pratt opened a checking savings account at the Topline branch in the 4100 block of Vinewood Lane N. in Plymouth by presenting an Xfinity bill with a current address under an assumed identity, initials J.B.

Four days later, Pratt returned to deposit a $124,318 Treasury check made out to J.B. and someone with the initials M.C. However, the employee declined to accept the check, telling Pratt that both parties needed to be present.

Pratt took the check to Topline's Maple Grove branch, where he deposited it in a savings account. He then moved some of the money to a checking account and made two withdrawals totaling $7,000.

On March 26, Pratt contacted the Plymouth branch and said he was bringing in M.C. to add her to the account.

Before the pair arrived, employees learned of an identity theft alert that had been placed on a credit report for the real J.B. They agreed for Pratt and Birton to come in.

When the pair arrived, the employees "notified the police while stalling Pratt and Birton inside the bank," one court filing read.

The two were in an employee's office when officers arrived. Pratt identified himself as J.B. and gave police an Illinois driver's license with his photo but J.B.'s full name.

Birton initially identified herself as Melissa before saying she needed to speak to a lawyer.