Cambridge Police urge vigilance after armed bike theft

Cambridge police are seeking two suspects, and urging the public to be vigilant, after an armed bike theft near Central Square in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Just before 3 a.m. Saturday, a victim reported being approached by two men who grabbed his yellow Cannondale bicycle, and pushed the victim against the wall of the building at 359 Green St., a block off of Massachusetts Avenue. According to police, the victim said one of the men displayed a black handgun when he attempted to resist. The two suspects then fled on Green Street towards Franklin Street.

Cambridge Police described the suspects as: “A white or light-skinned male in his 30s, approximately 5’6 or 5’7 with darker dirty blonde hair, wearing jeans, a grey hoodie, and a bandana or gaiter-style face mask. He is the suspect that displayed the handgun. A black male in his early or mid-30s with facial hair (chin and mustache) with a thin build and wearing a blue or black hoodie.”

Cambridge police are investigating the incident, and have temporarily added more patrols to the area for late night and early morning hours, but encouraged residents to take precautions when out alone at night.

• 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. This sends 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 this confrontational and potentially dangerous situation as soon as possible,” police wrote in a statement. “Remember, things can always be replaced. Try to remember descriptive information about the robber (height, age, clothing, etc.) to relay to police when reporting any potential incidents. Please call the police immediately to report an incident. Do not handle any property that may be potential evidence. Allow the police to retrieve evidence.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Cambridge Police at 617-349-3300, and anonymous tips can be submitted at www.CambridgePolice.org/Tips. 

Though armed bike thefts aren’t very common, nearly 50 bikes have been reported stolen per month in 2021. The department recently posted some tips on that, too.

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