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Friday, March 29, 2024

A man’s bicycle was taken at gunpoint early Saturday in Central Square, and police encourage residents to be vigilant in the area late at night as they try to identify the armed robbers.

The victim was at 359 Green St. just before 3 a.m. when two men approached, grabbed onto the yellow Cannondale bicycle and pushed him against a wall, showing what appeared to be a black handgun. The men took the bike and headed toward Franklin Street, police said.

The suspects are a white or light-skinned man in his 30s, around 5-foot-6 or 5-foot-7 with darker, dirty blond hair who was wearing jeans, a gray hoodie and a bandana or gaiter-style face mask; and a thin black man in his early or mid-30s with a chin beard and mustache in a blue or black hoodie. The white man held the handgun, the robbery victim said.

Increased patrols have been sent into the Central Square area, and extra attention will be provided in the late night and early morning hours, police said.

People with information about the suspects are asked to call Cambridge police at (617) 349-3300. Anonymous reports can be left on the department’s MyPD mobile app or sent by text message to 847411. (Begin texts with TIP650, then type the message.)

Take precautions, and take note

Police urged people to take precautions when walking at night, such as these, which have been edited lightly for publication:

Do not wear earbuds, headphones or listen to music while walking alone.

Always walk with a friend or in a group when possible.

Be aware of your surroundings at all times and trust your instincts. Walk with confidence on the street and at a good, steady pace. Keep your head up and observe your surroundings. Don’t look down at the ground. If you feel you are being followed, show you are suspicious – turn to look at the person, sending a clear message that you will not be taken by surprise. Change directions. If someone is following you on foot, cross the street and vary your pace. If the person following you is in a car, turn and walk in the opposite direction.

If approached, do not resist. The best course of action is to hand over money and whatever other belongings are demanded and try to disengage from a confrontational and potentially dangerous situation as soon as possible. Remember, things can always be replaced.

Try to remember descriptive information about the robber, such as their height and approximate age and what they wore, to relay to police. Call the police immediately. Do not handle any property that may be potential evidence; allow police to retrieve it.

More safety tips are at CambridgePolice.org/SafetyTips.