Police say they’ve caught the man believed to be responsible for a string of six bank robberies in Arlington County over the past three months.
Arlington County police said 57-year-old Peter Cifala, of the District, is charged in the Aug. 16 robbery of the BB&T Bank on the 3000 block of Washington Boulevard.
Authorities believe that he also committed five other bank heists in the county between June and mid-August, and more charges are possible, said Det. Crystal Nosal, an Arlington County police spokeswoman.
Nosal said tips from citizens and the Arlington sheriff’s department helped investigators pinpoint Cifala as the suspect. She would not elaborate on those tips.
Cifala was arrested on Friday in Virginia, Nosal said.
Cifala is charged in the most recent robbery he is believed to have committed. In that case, he allegedly entered the bank at about 2:15 p.m. Tuesday, demanded money and fled on foot after receiving cash, according to police.
Other robberies police believe are linked to Cifala happened:
» June 6 at the BB&T on Washington Boulevard
» June 16 at the BB&T on the 5500 block of Lee Highway
» Aug. 3 at the Wachovia on the 3100 block of Washington Boulevard
» Aug. 4 at the Lee Highway BB&T
» Aug. 9 at the United Bank on the 5300 block of Lee Highway
Cifala is in custody pending a Sept. 22 preliminary hearing, according to court records. His attorney, Jason Rucker, declined to comment on the case.
