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Man accused of robbing security guard of flashlight arrested next to police headquarters

Arlington police car outside police headquarters (file photo)

A man accused of robbing a security guard in Courthouse was arrested in front of Arlington police headquarters Tuesday night.

The incident happened around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday and started inside an office building lobby on the 2100 block of Clarendon Blvd. Arlington County government headquarters is the only office building on that exact block.

“The suspect was inside the lobby of an office building when the security guard informed him that the building was closed,” said an ACPD crime report. “A verbal dispute ensued, during which the suspect allegedly pushed the security guard to the ground and stole her flashlight before fleeing the scene on foot.”

The security guard followed the suspect a short distance and flagged down police on the 1400 block of N. Courthouse Road, the same block as ACPD headquarters. Officers “took [the suspect] into custody without incident.”

“The victim sustained minor injuries and declined the treatment of medics,” the crime report noted.

A police spokeswoman declined to confirm to ARLnow whether the alleged robbery happened inside the county government building.

“ACPD reports criminal incidents by block number as to not directly or indirectly identify victims and reporting parties,” said Ashley Savage.

The 38-year-old suspect, who has no fixed address, has been charged with robbery, police said. Court records show no prior criminal history in Arlington, though a man of the same name and age has been arrested several times in Rhode Island, records posted online show.