Serial ATM Robber may have been caught. (Luis Gomez Photos)

DC Police announced Friday that they arrested a suspect in two of the recent string of armed robberies at  bank ATMs. Police are trying to determine if he is responsible for additional ATM robberies in the First and Second Police Districts. From MPD:

(Washington, D.C.) – The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a series of armed robberies of citizens that occurred at ATMs in the First and Second Police Districts. To date, there have been at least 10 similar robberies that may be related. During this investigation detectives identified a suspect in one of the offenses and on May 18, 2010 an arrest warrant was obtained for 44 year old John Fenley Woodland, for the Armed Robbery that occurred on May 5, 2010 in the 600 block of Massachusetts Avenue, NW.

At approximately, 8:20 p.m. on Wednesday, May 19, 2010 agents of the United States Secret Service were in the 800 block of 17th Street, NW, when they observed a subject committing an armed robbery of a citizen at an ATM. The agents interrupted the robbery and arrested the assailant, who was identified as John Fenley Woodland. Members of the Metropolitan Police Department responded to the scene and immediately recognized the arrested suspect as John Fenley Woodland. Mr. Woodland was charged with two counts of Armed Robbery, as well as an outstanding bench warrant. Detectives are continuing to investigate Woodland’s connection to the other similar offenses.

MPD’s Second District includes Police Service Area 208, which covers the Dupont Circle neighborhood. (MPD website)

DC Police in the Second District have issued a lookout and warning on ATM machine robberies. According to Matthew Klein, commander of the Second District, the robberies have occurred in the lower part of the Second District (see map). Check out the MPD flyer with a description and photo of the suspect.

From Klein:

“Over the past several weeks, there were several robberies in the lower part of the Second District in which a lone suspect approaches individuals withdrawing money from ATM machines, and forces them to withdraw additional funds while threatening to harm them. Several of the victims stated the suspect was armed with a knife.”

Here is a police report from last Thursday on an ATM robbery at Massachusetts and Connecticut Avenues, which is at Dupont Circle:

“On Thursday, May 13, 2010, at 10:13 p.m., a Robbery/While Armed Knife offense occurred in the area of Massachusetts Ave. and Connecticut Ave., N.W. (PSA 208). The victim reported that while removing money from the ATM, he was approached from behind by a suspect who placed a knife to his side and demanded money. After giving the suspect his money, the suspect ran southbound in the 1300 blk. of New Hampshire Ave. N.W. The suspect is described as a Black/Male with a thin build.”