In yet another violent criminal incident in the University Heights, an Ashland Avenue man was attacked and robbed by as many as four other men Sunday night at Main Street and Niagara Falls Boulevard, according to the Buffalo Police.
The victim, whose name has not been released, told police that he was punched in the face and robbed of about $20 at around 11:30 p.m. Officers responding to the assault chased the suspect on foot, but the suspect ultimately got away. The police said they are working on several leads in this case.
From looking at the news, it's easy for one to think the number of robberies in the Heights has skyrocketed, but that's not necessarily the truth, according to E District Police Chief Mark Antonio.
"I think more of this stuff is getting reported than in the past," Antonio said. "A lot of the times students wouldn't report if they got robbed of smaller items."
It's also not uncommon for perpetrators to commit a string of crimes in a short period of time, Antonio said, which would help to create the feeling that crime in the Heights is on the rise.
"They run in bunches and a lot of times it's somebody trying to supplement a drug habit," he said. "Until that person is taken off the street, certain crimes happen together."
City police are also currently investigating the recent string of home-invasion robberies.
"We think it's the same suspect, so we're working on tracking him down," Antonio said.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
