HALIFAX – Police are now investigating seven ‘swarming’ robberies they believe could be related, and are also warning people to use extra caution when walking near the Halifax Common at night.
After reporting on five robberies that happened in the area from Nov. 7 to Nov. 29, police analyzed all similar calls, and found that two more incidents had similar circumstances.
READ MORE: Police believe 5 “swarming” robberies by young people in Halifax may be connected
Police want people to be aware of their surroundings, and take the following safety precautions when in the area:
- Walk in well-lit and well-travelled areas of high pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Avoid short cuts through alleys, parks, vacant lots or unlit areas.
- Be aware of your surroundings, be alert and walk with confidence. Don’t talk on your phone or appear to be otherwise distracted, as criminals are more likely to target someone who appears inattentive or afraid.
- If you’ve been drinking, a perpetrator may view you as being more vulnerable so consider arranging for a designated driver or taking a cab instead of walking.
- Tell someone where you’re going, what route you’re taking and when you’ll be back so they’ll know your plans which may allow them to recognize if something’s amiss.
- Carry a cellphone.
- If you suspect you’re being followed, cross the street, go to the nearest business and call police.
- If you’re verbally harassed, don’t respond. Keep walking and notify the police when it’s safe to do so.
- Wear your purse under your coat or carry a money clip.
- Don’t carry large sums of money or unnecessary valuables. Use cash alternatives such as debit cards.
- If someone demands your property, comply with the suspects’ demands for your personal effects as your personal safety is more important than possessions.
- If you are being robbed, throw your wallet/purse/belongings as far as you can behind the criminal, and then run in the opposite direction screaming “fire” as opposed to “help” to get people’s attention. The criminal will be more inclined to retrieve your belongings than chase a person who is attracting attention.
- If you’ve been victimized, go to a safe area and call the police immediately. The sooner police know, the more quickly officers can respond and investigate.
Increasing police presence
In addition to the warnings, police will be increasing their presence in the area because of the, “senseless crimes.”
Patrol officers, community response officers, school resource officers, quick response unit members and the divisional crime analyst will be working together to investigate the assaults and identify suspects.
There will also be increased patrolling in the area, as well as special checks, foot patrols and presence of plain clothes officers.
READ MORE: Three people “swarmed” by up to 15 young people near Halifax Common
Two other robberies
One of the two additional robberies reported by police today occurred at 7:40 p.m. on Nov. 8. A man was walking through the Commons when two men approached him and demanded his phone and other articles.
He complied and removed his backpack, but the men struck him with a pipe and stick several times, then fled the area.
The suspects were described as two black males, one about 5’8″ wearing baggy clothes with a hoodie covering his face. The second is described as 6’3″ with a thin build, walking with a stick and wearing a beige jacket with a collar and a hoodie underneath.
On Nov. 19, police responded to a report of a robbery that happened in the area of Cogswell Street by the Emera Oval.
Between 9-9:30 p.m., a 21-year-old man was assaulted with a sensory irritant, kicked in the chest and threatened with a knife. The victim’s wallet and wireless headphones were stolen by a man who fled the area.
The suspect is described as being approximately 6’4″ to 6’5″, wearing dark clothes and had his hands covered with a wrap or bandanna.
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