City's Violent Crime Reaches Record Low

Violent crime in the city, including street robberies, will reach its lowest point in 30 years, according to the Cambridge Police Department's (CPD) quarterly crime index report.

The report, which is filed with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, compares crime statistics from the first nine months of this year with the same period in past years.

According to the CPD, the citywide decreases in violent crime are consistent with decreases in the Harvard area.

"Crime is definitely down," said Sgt. Joseph McSweeney of the Cambridge Police Department.

The report says that street robberies occur in the Harvard area at a rate of approximately once per month.

But the report's statistics do not account for the recent waves of armed robberies this October and November.

Since Oct. 1, five assaults have been reported by the Harvard Police Department and the CPD in or near Harvard, which is double the year's average for the area.

The most recent robbery occurred Sunday when two men attacked a Cabot House resident while he walked through the Cambridge Common at 2 a.m.

The CPD does not have any suspects in the robbery and the prospects for catching the assailants before they rob again are slim, McSweeney said.

"In this case, since the victim was attacked from behind we didn't have much of a description to go on," he said. "Unfortunately, we'll likely have to wait for them to strike again."

The victim said yesterday that he realizes the CPD is in a difficult position.

"The police are doing the best they can given the situation," he said.

McSweeney said the timing of many of the recent robberies is typical for the area.

"We've always seen a higher number of these incidents around the hours when the drinking establishments in Harvard Square and on Mass. Ave. let out," he said.

Safety Measures

According to Safety Walk Co-Director Stephen P. Huff '98, the number of people calling the escort service has doubled this semester.

Besides the simple precaution of not walking alone or during late hours, Huff said students should take further precautions to protect themselves.

"The single best advice I would give someone is to walk in the middle of the street," he said. "The light is much better and if assailants want to strike, they have to come out into the light."

"When in the street, it's much easier to tell if you're being followed," he added.