Police: Despite Recent Robberies, Crime Rate Remains Low

Arlington County's crime rate remains low, despite a rash of four bank robberies in the last two months, police said Monday.

Typically, the county sees fewer than 10 bank robberies per year, said Detective Crystal Nosal with the Arlington County Police Department.

"We have approximately 70 banks in Arlington. Four bank robberies in two months is not… I think people think there's some huge bank robbery scam going on -- a rash of new crime. We have a lot of banks in Arlington. No one thinks of all the other banks they don't use in the area," Nosal said.

"Arlington still is experiencing an amazingly low crime rate, and we're happy for that."

Shortly after 10 a.m. Friday, police responded to the at 901 N. Stuart St. An unidentified man entered the bank, demanded money, and fled of foot.

Nosal refused to say how much money the man got away with, citing department policy.

The man did not imply he had a weapon "as far as I know," Nosal said.

Police don't believe the latest bank robbery is related to the other three. 

Investigators say they are looking for a black man with facial hair in his late 40s, about 5 feet, 6 inches tall with a medium build.

During the robbery, he wore a white short-sleeve shirt, light pants, a white baseball cap and dark shoes. He had a light towel draped over his shoulder, according to a police statement.

Police are asking anyone with information on the latest robbery to call their tip line at 703-228-4242, or Detective Gary Skeens at 703-228-4166.  Skeens also can be reached at gskeen@arlingtonva.us.