Police say a man robbed a hotel a mile from the Pentagon with an unusual weapon: a hot cup of coffee.

The suspect entered the Best Western in Arlington, Va., on Tuesday night around 9:45 p.m., threw the coffee on the front desk attendant, and jumped the counter, stealing a cash drawer with about $450 and a cell phone in it, Arlington County police said. He then drove away.

Officers dispatched a K9 unit and a U.S. Park Police helicopter was called in to help search for the suspect, who fled in a white sedan, but he wasn't caught, police said.

The desk clerk's condition is unknown. A message left for the Best Western manager was not immediately returned on Thursday.

The suspect is described as a black male, 6 feet tall and 170 lbs. He was wearing a black hat, glasses, a black athletic jacket, white athletic shorts and white shoes during the robbery.

Arlington, located just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., is home to numerous government institutions, including the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery.

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