Arlington police are searching for a knife-wielding would-be robber who ran off without the money he demanded after a Capitol Theater employee resisted demands and yelled at him.

Five officers were called to the Cambridge Savings Bank at 188 Mass. Ave., East Arlington, early Sunday, Jan. 29, to search for a suspect in an attempted armed robbery.

The suspect was described as a male, 25, carrying a knife. He was between 6 feet to 6-feet-2, wearing a dark midlength coat, dark pants, and black ski mask.

A witness reported at 12:48 a.m. that while making a deposit at the bank for the Capitol Theater, the suspect approached, from the east, pulled a large kitchen-style knife and demanded the money.

Police were told the suspect repeatedly kept saying, "Give me the money." The witness said he told the suspect "no" and "Back off."

The suspect kept trying to grab the money until the witness screamed several times, and the suspect fled on foot down Chandler Street, without the money.
A general broadcast was sent on Central District, and a teletype was sent for similar incidents.

A search of the area proved negative results, police said, though several people that matched the description were stopped and questioned.

Later that morning, at 10:29, police spoke with the victim, who had been working a late Saturday/early Sunday shift the Capitol Theater. The projectionist closed the theater and waited for the projectors cooled off to leave for the night. The night drop-off money was collected, and the victim walked on Mass. Ave. eastbound toward Cambridge Savings, in the next block.

About 12:45 a.m., as the victim approached the night drop-off outside of the building, police were told that a man wearing all black approached with a knife. He was wearing a black T-shirt under a black zip-down jacket. The witness saw no brand marking on the clothing.

The suspect wore ski a mask, and white skin was visible around the eyes, which were green or brown. The man kept the large knife by his side at stomach level and continually said, "Give me the money."

The male’s voice sounded to the victim like a Boston accent. To yells and resistance, the suspect ran off.

Memo credits all involved in safety effort

A 45-year-old father, his 43-year-old wife and their 3-year-old son were rescued from Spy Pond about 100 feet from shore after falling through thin ice after dusk on Sunday, Jan. 22.

Arlington police and fire officials responded to a 5:26 p.m. 911 call reporting three persons, all from Arlington, in the water.

Firefighters immediately launched rescue efforts, and all three were rescued and transported to three Boston Hospitals -- Children’s, Beth Israel and Mass General. All are reported to be in stable condition.

Police Chief Frederick Ryan said parents and a child had been out for a walk, but officials could say why the family was on the ice. Selectmen received a memo Jan. 23 describing the events and praising those who helped.

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"We’re thankful that we were able to reach the victims quickly," he said, "and our firefighters and police officers did an extraordinary job rescuing each of them.

"This is one in a series of incidents involving thin ice, and we are encouraging the public to err on the side of caution and stay off lakes and ponds until further notice."

The identities of those rescued were not disclosed.

More detail is available at a Jan. 22 Boston.com report.

Deputy Chief James L. Bailey Jr., who was incident commander for the rescue, offered the following in an email Monday, Jan. 23:

"The Globe story is accurate with one exception. I believe the family was in the water longer than the reported 5 minutes.

"The call came into 911 at 5:26 pm, police arrived at 5:28 pm, and E1 and C2 (me) arrived at 5:31 pm.

"So the family fell through prior to 5:26 pm. The rescue of the 3 started at 5:32 pm with 1 firefighter in the ice/water."

He wrote that he would have to check the tapes at dispatch for exact times of when victims came out of water (he had radioed dispatch as each came out).

Town Manager Brian Sullivan told selectmen Monday, Jan. 23, that the family was pulled from the water in from three to 10 minutes.

Bailey continued: "Also all our ropes can and did reach the victims. They were hooked to each of the 4 firefighters in water and the ice sled. The Res Q disk (a frisbee with rope) that police carry could not reach the victims."

He also wrote that a civilian on the shoreline was filming the incident, but he got no name, and the person did not approach fire officials for information. 

Memo to Chief Jefferson describe rescue, lauds personnel

A Jan. 22 memo to Fire Chief Robert Jefferson from Bailey, released by Sullivan to selectmen Jan. 23 outlined the events and gave credit to those involved:

"On the evening of January 22, 2012 under dangerous conditions, failing ice and limited visibility personnel of the Arlington Fire Department and Arlington Police Department selflessly and without hesitation pulled a family of three, including a 3 year old child, from the waters of Spy Pond.

"At approximately 5:30 pm members of the Arlington Fire Department arrived at the base of Linwood Street to find 3 people in the icy waters of the pond. Police officers positioned their vehicles on the pond illuminating the area and identifying the location of the victims.

"Firefighter Paul Moniz from E1 entered the water in full dry suit tethered by a rope manned by Patrolman Flavin and Deputy Chief Bailey. FF Moniz reached the family, assured them that they would be removed quickly, then took the 3 year male and swam with him to the ice sled.

"The sled was deployed by the members of Ladder 1 and Engine 1. The ice sled was then pulled to the shoreline by members of E1, E2, and L1. FF Moniz was then joined in the water by FF Jim Foley of E2 and FF Terrance Hogan of R1.

"FF Robert Dustin manned the ice sled. The four members donned in dry suits then moved the female to the sled and she was pulled to safety. FF Dustin then returned to the remaining victim and the 3 firefighters. The male victim was placed on the sled and removed to safety.

"FF Moniz, FF Foley, and FF Hogan then exited the water with the assistance of the crews working from the shoreline. The three victims were transported to Boston hospitals were they were treated. The quick actions and shear determination of Arlington Fire and Police not only rescued these people, but saved their lives. It is my opinion that a very tragic outcome was averted due to the efforts of these men.

"The following is a list of those involved in last night’s incident:

"Engine 1-Lt James Lawson, FF Paul Moniz, and FF Robert Dustin

"Engine 2-Captain Paul McPhail, Lt Robert Largenton, FF Mark Cummings, and FF James Foley

"Ladder 1-Lt Brian Gera, FF Jack Tracy, and FF Richard Marquis

"R1-FF Terrance Hogan and FF Daniel Kerr

"C2-Deputy Chief James Bailey

"APD-Patrolman Greg Flavin

"Please forward the details of this incident to our town management and elected officials. It is my sincere desire that at the appropriate time these men will be recognized individually and collectively for their extraordinary efforts."

Those involved are expectedd to be honored publicly at some point, Sullivan indicated.

No extra operating costs

Asked Jan. 24 about the costs to Fire and Police departments for the rescue, Bailey and Ryan wrote that neither department incurred added operating costs.

"We are thankful that all parties have fully recovered," Bailey wrote.

This story was first reported at 8:15 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22, and updated the next two days.

Arlington police are seeking a 5-foot-10 white male in his late teens wearing a zip-up, dark, hooded sweatshirt who is suspected of trashing three offices at the town rink. An employee closing up chased the suspect, but he got away.

A police report said nothing was missing and the cash drawer containing about $300 had not been disturbed in an incident that took place Friday, Jan. 6.

Numerous cameras are positioned in and around the rink, but the monitor used to view the recordings was broken during the incident. Police were able to connect a working monitor, but the employee did not know how to operate the technology and was unable to provide a video of the suspect. Another employee would be able to provide the applicable video footage at a later date, police were told.

At 11:32 p.m., three officers were sent to the Veterans Memorial Skating Rink, at 422 Summer St., for a report of a breaking-and-entering.

Police were told that the caller, who provided a description, had chased a suspect heading west through the rink parking lot and a baseball field and over the fence to the bike trail, without catching him.

The last skate at the rink ended at about 11:30 p.m., and the last customer left the rink just before 11 p.m., when operations began closing down.

About 11:20, an employee went into the main office and began organizing the small bills from the cash drawer when he heard a noise from the area of the main rink. 

The employee searched the main rink area and several of the locker rooms before walking through the main lobby headed back toward the offices. He then heard more noise coming from the offices and began yelling at the suspect, who fled through the offices and out the side door on the building's east side.

After the chase, the employee discovered that all three of the offices had been trashed by the suspect and called police. Several computers, picture frames, bulletin boards and trophies were broken in the three offices. Folders, files and other paperwork were scattered on the floor. 

The employee said he believed the suspect was inside the rink before he began locking down the facility and hid somewhere inside until the lights were turned off.

Joining the search of the area at 11:54 p.m. was K-9 Officer Michael Hogan. Officers stopped two motor vehicles, but their occupants were deemed unrelated to the incident. 

Arlington was among the Bay State communities honored by AAA Southern New England for traffic-safety education and -enforcement programs and for pedestrian fatality milestones, during a luncheon held Dec. 9 at the Holiday Inn Boston-Dedham.

Arlington received an award for completing 2010 at eight years without a pedestrian fatality. Mary Maguire, AAA Southern New England director of public and legislative affairs, presented Arlington’s award to Corey Rateau, in photo, traffic safety officer.

AAA Southern New England is a not-for-profit auto club with 46 offices in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut, providing more than 3 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, finance and auto-related services.