Davis Community On High Alert After Multiple Robberies
DAVIS (CBS13) — Three robberies in the span of eight days have Davis police and citizens on high alert.
What makes these cases especially concerning is that a gun was used to intimidate the victims in two of the robberies.
Davis police believe they are dealing with crimes of opportunity and the best thing people can do is be aware of your surroundings.
"I've noticed I stare too much at my phone when I'm walking so I try to be aware of my surroundings," UC Davis student Carlos Orozzo said.
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Orozzo isn't taking chances after hearing the news.
On Thursday, Sept. 19, a man was robbed while walking on the Mace Boulevard overpass along I-80, just before 4 p.m. Police say a vehicle pulled off to the side and two suspects exited. The suspects then reportedly asked the victim to surrender all of his valuables.
The following day, at 11:30 p.m., a UC Davis visiting professor was robbed at gunpoint along Russell Boulevard, west of Highway 113. The professor lost his wallet with his rent money, cell phone, credit cards, his newly purchased laptop, and an external hard drive with years of scientific data.
READ MORE: Visiting Professor Robbed At Gunpoint In Davis, Years Of Research Data Stolen
Then six days later, at 10:30 p.m., a student was robbed by two men as he walked out of his apartment on Alvarado Avenue.
"The suspect drew a firearm from his waist and leveled it on the victim demanded again to have all the valuables handed over," Davis Police Lt. Arturo Camacho said.
Three robberies in a span of eight days is startling in a relatively safe community.
"That's nerve-racking to know that so many robberies have happened in a short amount of time," UC Davis student Kalyn Diederich said.
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Davis police don't believe the robberies are connected because witnesses had different descriptions of the suspects.
"We never rule anything out, but right now there's simply no evidence to support such a thing," Camacho said.
Police say you should prepare for the worst.
"You should really have a backup like a thumb drive or hard drive nearby," Camacho said.
Diederich said she backs up everything on Vox and Google Drive as well as an external hard drive.
Davis police also don't believe the dimming of the city lights to alleviate light pollution is helping criminals. The best thing to do at night they say is to be aware of your surroundings, and walk-in groups when you can.
Detectives with the Davis police continue to work all of the reported cases.
