Should ethnicity be included when describing someone in a crime?

this was on the news the other day and i thought it was pretty interesting. i really don't have a definite opinion on this. i say no because you can't be sure (especially these days) what someone ethnicity is but a lot of times, it can be pretty accurate. then i say yes because it makes it a little easier identifying the criminal. but sometimes the descriptions can be sketchy. someone was robbed around my school a couple of months ago and all the students received an email and the description said just two african americans. and my first response was wth? that's all you got? can you atleast give us the gender?! if you can't be a little more specific than that, you might as well keep that info disclosed. just let us know a robbery occured so be cautious at all times, hang out with groups of people especially at night if you can and other mumbo jumbo included. but is it important or can we do without?