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Police Urge Caution After 3 Robberies Near Boston University

Boston University police warned students to take safety precautions Saturday after three separate incidents near campus overnight, including an armed robbery.

In a letter to the university community, Boston University Police Chief Thomas Robbins said investigators believe the crimes were not related.

"I would like us all to take a moment and remember that, although your chances of being the victim of a crime are small, your personal commitment to your own safety is crucial," Robbins said. He urged students not to walk alone, especially at night, and to report any suspicious activity to police.

In the first case, a student reported his cell phone was stolen around 11 o'clock Friday night in an alley near the Shaw's supermarket on Commonwealth Avenue. Robbins said the two suspects did not use a weapon.

Shortly after midnight, Brookline Police said three women were robbed at gunpoint on St. Paul Street near Freeman Street. In a statement, Lt. Philip Harrington said one of the two suspects displayed a handgun and demanded the victims's handbags and cell phones, before running north toward Commonwealth Avenue. None of the women, who are all college students, was hurt.

About an hour later, a third robbery was reported on Babcock Street. In that case, a female student told BUPD officers that a man pushed her to the ground and took money and a cell phone from her purse before fleeing with a woman in a black car.

As of Saturday afternoon, no arrests had been made.

This program aired on January 19, 2013. The audio for this program is not available.

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