TypeScript: Creating an empty typed container array

I am creating simple logic game called “Three of a Crime” in TypeScript.

When trying to pre-allocated typed array in TypeScript, I tried to do something like this:

var arr = Criminal[];

which gave the error
“Check format of expression term” .

also tried doing this

var arr : Criminal = [];

and this produced “cannot convert any[] to ‘Criminal’

what is the ‘TypeScript’ way to do this?