Two Charged for Robbery of Harvard Employee

Cambridge Police arrested two men last week who were responsible for the armed robbery of a Harvard employee on Church Street in August.

Boston resident Radeat Abate, 21, and homeless man Daishaun Lawrence, 22, reportedly pinned down the victim at gunpoint shortly after meeting him at around 2:50 a.m. on Aug. 19, according to a Cambridge Police Department report. The suspects then robbed the 30-year-old Harvard staff member, taking his wallet and other personal belongings before fleeing down Brattle Street. The victim, whose name would not be disclosed by Cambridge Police, was not injured during the incident.

“Fortunately, we were able to obtain quality surveillance footage that led to the identification of the suspects,” Cambridge Police spokesman Jeremy Warnick said in an email.

After identifying the assailants, Cambridge Police arrested one suspect in Boston and the other in Cambridge, on warrants resulting from the armed robbery, Warnick said.

Abate was arraigned and is being held on $10,000 bail, and Lawrence has also been arraigned and is being held on held on $25,000 bail. They will now go through the court process.

After the initial report of armed robbery in August, Harvard University Police Department issued a community advisory about the criminal activity, including standard instructions for those who feel that someone may be following them, such as staying in well-lit areas and contacting authorities. HUPD did not conduct the investigation because the robbery did not take place on University property.

—Staff writer Mariel A. Klein can be reached at mariel.klein@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @mariel_klein.