In wake of two armed robberies of Boston University students in Brookline, BU Police Department and Brookline Police Department have increased patrols in the area, said police officials.
“Since these incidences, we have increased our patrols in the campus and outside the campus, including in Brookline,” said Scott Paré, BUPD deputy director of public safety.
“We have increased the amount of patrols in unmarked cars and plainclothes.”
At 2:55 a.m. on Sept. 23, two BU students were robbed at gunpoint of their cell phones and money on Thorndike Street. Two days later, a similar incident occurred to three BU students in the area of Egmont Street and St. Paul Street at 5 p.m. Police said they do not know if there is any relation between the two cases yet.
Since the two robberies happened in Brookline, Brookline Police Department took over the main investigation.
“We beefed up patrols in the area and are working with the area police departments,” said Brookline Police Lt. Philip Harrington.
Paré said BUPD is working in conjunction with Brookline Police to prevent future crimes and increase protection of the area.
“We know that Brookline is working to find the suspects of the robberies,” he said. “Right now they are following potential leads.”
Police said they could not release any information on suspects at this time.
A number of students said these incidents make them question their safety.
“I come from a small town, so I’m not used to crimes of this magnitude so it’s kind of scary to think that it’s happening right outside in places where I might go at times that I might be out,” said College of Communication sophomore Isabella Tassinari.
Tassinari said these crimes make more conscious that she is living in a city and makes her remember to take extra precautions when she is going out.
Andrew Tarrh, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, said since he does not spend much time on West Campus, the robberies have not changed his routine much.
“I’m living on East Campus and most of the events happened on West Campus so as much as I feel like they’ve impacted other people, they haven’t really changed my feelings about anything,” he said.
Tarrh said he avoids going out at night and if he does, he would go with friends and take a cab home.
Some students said they are glad BUPD is increasing patrols but feel like they should be given more information about the crimes.
“This makes me a bit nervous and especially that the BUPD has only sent very casual messages about it that don’t tell us anything,” said Marisa Weiner, a freshman in the College of General Studies.
Tassinari said if the police make themselves more present on campus, it might deter future robberies.
“I think that they should beef up their security, but I don’t really know what more they can do because this kind of stuff happens everywhere,” she said.
Weiner said she wants to get more than just a text message about a crime on campus, and that police need to talk to the students and give more information.
“If college students are getting mugged, it is [BUPD’s] responsibility to keep us safe from that,” Tarrh said.
“What else are we paying them for?”
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