Brookline Police urge caution following two robbery calls near Boston University

Brookline police are advising residents to be cautious while walking alone or at night, following an armed robbery and attempted robbery near the Boston University campus.

Police said at about 7:40 p.m. Sept. 14, the department received a call for a robbery on Browne Street near Pleasant Street.

A woman told police she was walking on Pleasant Street when she was approached by two young men, one of whom asked for the time. When she took her phone out of her purse to check, the young man attempted unsuccessfully to grab the phone from her hands. The woman suffered a cut on her finger during the struggle and believed it may have come from a knife, though she didn’t see a weapon at the time, according to police. 

The woman reported seeing a third person walking toward her on Pleasant Street, but all three suspects left the scene after she ran toward a delivery driver for help, according to police. 

The suspect who attempted to take the victim's phone was described as a young male, about 11-12 years old with curly black hair, standing approximately 5 feet 2 inches tall and wearing all-black clothing, police said. The other two suspects were described as teens, standing approximately 6 feet tall and also wearing all-black clothing, according to police. 

Is the attempted robbery related to a previous incident? 

Police said it is unclear at this time if the incident was related to an armed robbery that had occurred the previous Friday on Naples Road.

In that robbery, a BU student told police two men approached them from behind around 9:49 p.m. and asked for the time. When the student pulled out their phone to check, one of the men snatched the phone, according to police.

One suspect was described as wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, while the other had on a dark sweatshirt and baggy pants. One of the men held what appeared to be a firearm and ordered the student to walk toward Commonwealth Avenue, police said. 

The victim complied, and the suspects took off. Now, people who live and study in the area are on alert.

"We kind of get a few alerts now and then from BU, but I mean it definitely was a little bit more intimidating – just because now I live in this area," one student told Wicked Local media partner WCVB. 

"I feel safer when I'm with a group of kids, usually, but obviously when you're walking around late at night by yourself it's always a little hesitant," another student told WCVB.

How can you stay safe while walking alone? 

The Brookline Police Department offered several tips for community members to stay safe while walking alone or at night. Among them: Planning a route and sharing the plan with someone, walking with a friend whenever possible, limiting distractions and being aware of surroundings. 

“When walking alone at night, trust your gut,” Brookline Police said. “If you feel like an area or situation may be dangerous, don’t wait around to find out. Stop and scan your surroundings if you think someone is following you. If you are being followed, walk as quickly as you can to a well-lit public place.”

Most importantly, police cautioned, “your property is not worth your life. Property can be replaced."

Wicked Local's Abby Patkin contributed to this report.