HUPD Reports Unarmed Robbery Near Leverett Saturday Morning

The Harvard University Police Department issued a community advisory Saturday evening after a female unaffiliated with the University reported that she was attacked and robbed while walking near Leverett House on Memorial Drive early Saturday morning.

The victim said that an unknown male grabbed her and took her wallet before pushing her to the ground in response to her attempt to resist. The offender reportedly fled the scene and was not apprehended as of Saturday evening.

The attack took place near Plympton Street at around 12:50 a.m, according to the report.

While the robbery was not on Harvard property, the email notification was sent to Harvard students and faculty members Saturday night by Steven G. Catalano, the department’s public information officer.

Catalano said that the Cambridge Police Department has taken the incident under investigation and HUPD has “increased its presence in the area” in response.

In the email, Catalano suggested methods for the prevention of similar incidents in the future. “If you suspect you are being followed,” Catalano wrote, “stay away from dimly lit areas and head for a store or building that you know to be open. Trust your instincts. If you feel uncomfortable about someone near you, head for a populated area and call the Harvard University Police Department.”

CPD recently reported a 50-year low in the city’s serious crime rate. Robbery and aggravated assault fall under the department’s classification of serious crime.

—Staff writer Caroline C. Hunsicker can be reached at carolinehunsicker@college.harvard.edu. Follow her on Twitter @cchunsicker.