Incidents of indecent assault and battery reported

Two alleged incidents of indecent assault and battery were reported this week in the area of Harvard’s Cambridge campus. Wednesday (Sept. 22) at approximately 8:30 a.m., a graduate student reported that a male on a bike circled her then groped her as she was walking on Roberts Street toward Cambridge Street. On Tuesday (Sept. 21), at around 1 a.m., an undergraduate student reported that she was approached by a male who groped her while she was walking on Plympton Street near Mt. Auburn Street.

These incidents are being investigated by the Cambridge Police Department. Both the Cambridge Police Department and the Harvard University Police Department are working aggressively to find the persons responsible for these incidents and will continue to deploy both uniformed and plainclothes officers to patrol areas that students frequently use.

At the present time, there is no indication that these incidents are related to each other or to the previous nine groping-related incidents that have occurred on or nearby the Cambridge campus since the fall of 2003.

The alleged perpetrator of Wednesday’s incident was described as a white male, approximately 17 years old, with a thin build, fair complexion, and dark eyebrows and lashes. He had moles on his face, was wearing blue jeans and a light-gray sweatshirt with writing on the front. He was riding a dark colored mountain bike.

A complete list of advisories and descriptions is available at http://www.hupd.harvard.edu/advisories.php.

This incident at the beginning of the academic year serves as another reminder to the community that it be vigilant at all times and take the appropriate precautions, such as walking with others, traveling along the designated pathways (http://www.hupd.harvard.edu/designated_safety_pathways.pdf), and utilizing the Harvard University Campus Escort Program (HUCEP), the shuttle buses, and evening van service whenever possible. The hours of operation for HUCEP are 10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday through Wednesday, and 10:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

For more information on shuttle buses and evening van service please visit the University’s Transportation Services Web site at (http://www.uos.harvard.edu/transportation/shu.shtm) or call (617) 495-0400. Students, faculty, and staff also may call the Harvard University Police Department at (617) 495-1212 if they believe they are in danger waiting for transportation because of the hour or circumstance. The Harvard University Police Department will assist with transportation whenever appropriate.