Arlington police are investigating an armed bank robbery at the Winchester Savings Bank, across from Parallel Park, at Medford Street and the Mystic Valley Parkway, near West Medford on Friday, Oct. 16.
As a precaution, a shelter-in-place affected St. Agnes, Arlington Catholic High School, Bishop and Thompson schools, the town police Twitter feed said at 2:10 p.m. It was lifted at 2:46 p.m. Release of students at the four schools was delayed but had occurred by 3 p.m.
Jessica Sacco, who works for police spokesman John Guilfoil, said in a 4:15 p.m. news release that Arlington police responded at 1:30 p.m. for a report of a robbery.
An investigation indicates that a partly masked man came into the bank, brandished a handgun and demanded cash. He fled on foot with an unknown amount of money and was spotted in a dense residential neighborhood, removing his mask and a dark-colored sweatshirt.
The suspect, a black male in his 20s, is about 5-foot-9 with a medium build. He was last seen wearing dark pants and a light shirt.
Suspect remains at large
As schools sheltered in place, police searched, aided by the Massachusetts State Police Airwing.
The suspect has not been found.
Police said no one was injured.
Police have released a photo purporting to show the suspect dressed in black, but he appears to be turned away, and you cannot see his face.
Others photos, in the Arlington police twitter feed, show the suspect facing forward — one with a gun — but his face appears obscured by a mask.
Chief Fred Ryan praised the preparedness of the schools: “The lockdowns were conducted flawlessly, with minimal disruptions. The schools showed that they are prepared for these kinds of situations, in which a potentially dangerous individual is believed to be in the neighborhood.”
School Committee Chair Paul Schlichtman told the Arlington list: “There is no indication of anyone [at the schools] being at risk, and the police advisories were precautionary. None of our other public schools were impacted by the robbery at the Winchester Savings Bank branch at Mystic Valley Parkway and Medford Street. Parents in all nine Arlington Public Schools were sent an advisory at dismissal time.”
An Arlington squad car was seen speeding down Medford Street with sirens wailing about 1 p.m., past workers who were dismantling the scaffolding that has for months shielded the Regent Theatre and other businesses there.
Craig Rabe, owner of the Computer Cafe in Arlington Center, said he was driving home when saw the police had just gotten out of their cars and hadn’t blocked the street yet. He got out and snapped the photo that is published with this story.
Arlington police have thanked officers from Medford, Somerville and Winchester for their assistance.
Anyone with information about the robbery should call the Arlington Police Department at 781-643-1212.
This report was published Friday, Oct. 16, 2015.
