Last Wednesday, March 30 at around 9:45 pm, an attempted robbery took place at Sherry Road and Burdett Avenue, a primary walking route off of campus for students living in BARH and nearby apartments. A Public Safety Crime Alert describing the crime was posted soon after.
According to the alert, a student was walking west on Sherry Road when a black male about 6’2” and 250 lbs. in his mid 20s began to follow him. A second black male, described as about 5’9” tall and of skinny build, approached from Burdett Avenue, cutting the student off. The student’s wallet was asked for by the second individual. The student refused and “began walking briskly” toward BARH, ending the incident.
Shortly afterwards, Public Safety and the Troy Police began a search of the area and asked around the neighborhood, but no suspects were located. Lieutenant Joseph Audino of Public Safety, indicated that “just a few days later, we had an incident of larceny in the MRC [bag stolen], and witnesses gave a somewhat vague description roughly matching the first assailant of the student. We are investigating any connection there might be.”
This week’s incident is not the first time problems have been encountered at Sherry Road and Burdett Avenue. On April 8, 2004, two students walking back to BARH via Sherry Road were held-up at knife and gunpoint, ran away, were pursued, and managed to escape. At the time, Director of Public Safety Bernard Drobnicki said of that incident, “This seems like a normal modus operandi in the area.” The suspects were never apprehended.
Audino indicated that recent Public Safety meetings have highlighted the possible deterrent effects of greater on-foot patrols past the edge of campus in the BARH area and he said that Public Safety was “concerned on Sherry Road...many students walk there and more of a foot patrol presence will have a major deterrent effect.”
The strategy Audino and his colleagues are planning is called PWT, for park, walk, and talk. This strategy has officers park their car in a strategic location and wander the neighborhood, observing the surroundings, talking to passers by, and generally deterring criminal activity. Public Safety posters continue to urge students to make use of the shuttles when they’re available, walk with friends, and to report suspicious activity.
Anyone with a possible tip should contact Public Safety at 276-6656 or the Troy Police Department Detective Bureau at 270-4426.
