Arlington police are investigating a robbery that happened in the Courthouse area, just two blocks from police headquarters.
Police say a man followed a woman off of a bus and then forcefully stole her purse, pulling her to the ground and down a set of stairs in the process.
The masked man fled with the purse, along with a red duffle bag and dark backpack that he was carrying. The woman suffered minor injuries.
The incident happened on Wednesday, Jan. 20, just after 7 p.m. The Arlington County Police Department released more information about the crime and surveillance photos of the suspect Thursday afternoon.
The full ACPD press release is below.
The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is seeking the public’s assistance to identify the suspect in a robbery by force incident captured on surveillance images.
At approximately 7:16 p.m. on January 20, 2021, police were dispatched to the report of a robbery by force in the 1200 block of North Troy Street. Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect followed the victim off of a bus and approached her as she was attempting to enter her residence and grabbed her purse strap. A struggle ensued over the purse, during which the suspect pulled the victim to the ground, dragging her down a set of stairs. The suspect then stole her purse and fled on foot prior to police arrival. The victim sustained minor injuries during the incident.
The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, approximately 5’5″ and 155 lbs., with curly hair, wearing dark pants, a black and white striped jacket with the hood up, and carrying a dark backpack and a red duffle bag.
Anyone with information related to this incident and/or the suspect’s identity is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
Photos courtesy ACPD