Campus Alert Archive
MIT

Robbery reported with community safety guidance issued; near by the Cambridge Police

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MArobberytimely warninghigh confidence
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Under Investigation

MIT Police issued a crime alert / timely warning on or about 2018-04-09. Full text is preserved from the official MIT Police Crime Alerts archive.

Alerts
1
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Private R1 · MA
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~12,000 studentsMIT Police Timely Warnings
Official alert policy
Read when and how MIT says it will use MIT Alert: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

1 message in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Confirmed wording is transcribed character-for-character from a primary source. Use Verify this quote under each message to open that source in a new tab and compare the text yourself.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatim1739 chars
The MIT Police received a notification by the Cambridge Police Department on April 9, 2018 of a robbery that occurred on Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM. The victim withdrew money from the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street. As she proceeded in the direction of Central Square, an unknown person walked past her and then approached her from behind. As she attempted to put the money in her purse, the male grabbed the money and attempted to steal her purse. He was unable to obtain the purse, but took the money and fled in the direction of Kendall Square. The victim described the perpetrator as a 5'9", thin, black male wearing jeans and an oversized black hooded sweatshirt that covered his eyes. Risk Reduction/Safety Precautions: - Let your friends, peers, co-workers, or family members know when you are leaving and arriving at your destination at the end of the night. - Utilize SafeRide or public transportation. - If you See Something Say Something to Someone - Program your cell phone with the MIT Police emergency number (617-253-1212). Call this number if you become uncomfortable in any situation. We are ready to respond to your calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also call 100 from any campus phone. - If you feel threatened on campus and do not have access to a phone, look for a Blue Light emergency telephone - Be aware of your surroundings (know where you are and what is going on around you) - Trust your intuition - if a particular situation makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, considering alternative or safer options. Issued by ANDREW J. TURCO Crime Prevention Sergeant MIT Police Department 301 Vassar Street (W89) 617-253-1212
Verify this quote
MIT Police Crime Alerts & Timely Warningspolice.mit.edufind archived copies
Transcribed from official police.mit.edu crime-alert page structured fields (Incident, Suspect, Summary, Suggestions, Issued by).
Page recovered live from MIT Police Crime Alerts archive.
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, Claude Opus 5 (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

The MIT Police received a notification by the Cambridge Police Department on April 9, 2018 of a robbery that occurred on Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM. The victim withdrew money from the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street. As she proceeded in the direction of Central Square, an unknown person walked past her and then approached her from behind. As she attempted to put the money in her purse, the male grabbed the money and attempted to steal her purse. He was unable to obtain the purse, but took the money and fled in the direction of Kendall Square. The victim described the perpetrator as a 5'9", thin, black male wearing jeans and an oversized black hooded sweatshirt that covered his eyes. Risk Reduction/Safety Precautions: - Let your friends, peers, co-workers, or family members know when you are leaving and arriving at your destination at the end of the night. - Utilize SafeRide or public transportation. - If you See Something Say Something to Someone - Program your cell phone with the MIT Police emergency number (617-253-1212). Call this number if you become uncomfortable in any situation. We are ready to respond to your calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also call 100 from any campus phone. - If you feel threatened on campus and do not have access to a phone, look for a Blue Light emergency telephone - Be aware of your surroundings (know where you are and what is going on around you) - Trust your intuition - if a particular situation makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, considering alternative or safer options. Issued by ANDREW J. TURCO Crime Prevention Sergeant MIT Police Department 301 Vassar Street (W89) 617-253-1212

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. The first sentence names both agencies, "The MIT Police received a notification by the Cambridge Police Department", and the prevention sergeant signs it.

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Both "The MIT Police" and "the Cambridge Police Department" are named as the agencies involved.
    2. present: Notes notification by Cambridge Police and is issued by MIT Police Department's prevention sergeant.
    3. present: Names both "The MIT Police" and "the Cambridge Police Department" plus the signing sergeant.
    4. present: Both "The MIT Police" and "the Cambridge Police Department" are identified within the text.
    5. present: It names both the MIT Police and the Cambridge Police Department, and is signed by a sergeant.
    6. present: It opens "The MIT Police received a notification by the Cambridge Police Department", naming two police agencies.
    7. present: Opens with "The MIT Police received a notification by the Cambridge Police Department", naming both.
    8. present: Names both the MIT Police and the Cambridge Police Department, and is signed by a sergeant.
    9. present: It opens with "The MIT Police received a notification by the Cambridge Police Department", naming two agencies.
    10. present: It names both "The MIT Police" and "the Cambridge Police Department" as the agencies involved.
    11. present: Names both "The MIT Police" and "the Cambridge Police Department" as the reporting authorities.
    12. present: Both "The MIT Police" and "the Cambridge Police Department" are named as the agencies involved.
    13. present: It begins "The MIT Police received a notification by the Cambridge Police Department", naming both.
    14. present: It begins "The MIT Police received a notification by the Cambridge Police Department", naming two agencies.
    15. present: Names both "The MIT Police" and "the Cambridge Police Department", and is signed by a sergeant.
    16. present: Both "The MIT Police" and "the Cambridge Police Department" are named, plus a signing sergeant.
    17. present: Both the MIT Police and the Cambridge Police Department are named, with a sergeant signing off.
    18. present: It opens "The MIT Police received a notification by the Cambridge Police Department", naming both agencies.
    19. present: Both the MIT Police and Cambridge Police Department are named, plus a signing sergeant.
    20. present: Both the MIT Police and the Cambridge Police Department are identified, with the sergeant signing it.
    21. present: Both the MIT Police and the Cambridge Police Department are named, and a sergeant signs it.
    22. present: It begins "The MIT Police received a notification by the Cambridge Police Department", naming both forces.
    23. present: Opens "The MIT Police received a notification by the Cambridge Police Department", naming both.
    24. present: It names both the MIT Police and the Cambridge Police Department and is signed by a sergeant.
    25. present: It opens with "The MIT Police received a notification by the Cambridge Police Department," naming both.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present by 25 of 25. A robbery is reported in which a man approached the victim from behind and "grabbed the money and attempted to steal her purse" after an ATM withdrawal.

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: A robbery is reported in which a man "grabbed the money and attempted to steal her purse".
    2. present: Names "a robbery" in which a male grabbed money and tried to steal a purse.
    3. present: Reports "a robbery" in which a man grabbed the victim's money and tried to take her purse.
    4. present: The crime is named a robbery, with a man who "grabbed the money and attempted to steal her purse."
    5. present: The hazard is a robbery in which a man "grabbed the money and attempted to steal her purse."
    6. present: The hazard is "a robbery" in which a man grabbed the victim's money and tried to take her purse.
    7. present: Describes a robbery where a man grabbed cash and tried to steal a purse.
    8. present: Reports "a robbery" in which a man grabbed the victim's money and tried to take her purse.
    9. present: The hazard is "a robbery" in which a man grabbed cash and tried to take the victim's purse.
    10. present: The hazard is "a robbery" in which a man grabbed money and tried to take a purse.
    11. present: A robbery is described, with a man grabbing cash and attempting to take a purse.
    12. present: The hazard is a robbery in which a man grabbed cash and tried to take the victim's purse.
    13. present: The hazard is "a robbery" in which a man grabbed cash and tried to take the victim's purse.
    14. present: The crime is specified as a robbery in which a man grabbed money and tried to take a purse.
    15. present: Reports "a robbery" in which a man grabbed the victim's cash and tried to take her purse.
    16. present: It reports "a robbery" in which a man grabbed the victim's money and tried to take her purse.
    17. present: A robbery is named: a man "grabbed the money and attempted to steal her purse".
    18. present: The hazard is a robbery: a man grabbed cash and tried to take the victim's purse.
    19. present: The hazard is "a robbery" in which a man grabbed cash and tried to take a purse.
    20. present: It describes "a robbery" in which a man grabbed cash and tried to take the victim's purse.
    21. present: It reports "a robbery" in which a man grabbed cash and tried to take the victim's purse.
    22. present: The hazard is "a robbery" in which a man "grabbed the money and attempted to steal her purse".
    23. present: Names "a robbery" in which a man grabbed money and tried to take the victim's purse.
    24. present: The hazard is "a robbery" in which a man grabbed cash and tried to take a purse.
    25. present: The hazard is a robbery in which a man "grabbed the money and attempted to steal her purse."
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. The robbery is placed at "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street", with flight "in the direction of Kendall Square".

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Locations include "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    2. present: Locates it "at the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    3. present: Places it at "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    4. present: The location is "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street."
    5. present: The location is "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street."
    6. present: It locates the crime at "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    7. present: Names "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street" and Central Square.
    8. present: Places it at "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    9. present: Locations include "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street" and Central Square.
    10. present: The place is "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    11. present: It specifies "the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street" and Central Square.
    12. present: It names the ATM "at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    13. present: The location is "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    14. present: Locations include "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street" and Central Square.
    15. present: Identifies "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    16. present: The scene is "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    17. present: It locates events at the 7-11 ATM at Main and Portland Streets, toward Central Square.
    18. present: Location is "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    19. present: It happened at "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    20. present: The scene is "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street."
    21. present: The crime is placed at the 7-11 "on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    22. present: The scene is "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    23. present: Locates it at "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    24. present: It occurred at "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street".
    25. present: It names "the ATM at the 7-11 on the corner of Main Street and Portland Street."
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present, 25 of 25. Readers are told to "Utilize SafeRide or public transportation", program the MIT Police emergency number, look for a Blue Light emergency telephone, and trust their intuition.

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Readers are told to use SafeRide, be aware of surroundings, and program the police emergency number.
    2. present: Advises using SafeRide, telling friends your movements, and calling the police emergency number.
    3. present: Tells readers to use SafeRide, tell friends their plans, call the police number, and trust their intuition.
    4. present: It tells readers to use SafeRide, look for a Blue Light phone and trust their intuition.
    5. present: Readers are advised to use SafeRide, tell friends their movements, and program the police number.
    6. present: It advises telling friends your movements, using SafeRide, programming the police number and trusting your intuition.
    7. present: Advises using SafeRide, telling friends your plans and calling the police emergency number.
    8. present: Tells readers to use SafeRide, be aware of surroundings and call the police number when uneasy.
    9. present: Readers are told to use SafeRide, be aware of surroundings, and program the MIT Police emergency number.
    10. present: Readers are told to use SafeRide, stay aware of surroundings and call the police number.
    11. present: Precautions are addressed to readers: use SafeRide, tell friends your plans, call the police number.
    12. present: It urges readers to use SafeRide, stay aware of surroundings and call the police emergency number.
    13. present: It advises using SafeRide, telling friends your movements, and calling the police number when uncomfortable.
    14. present: It advises readers to use SafeRide, tell friends their movements and call the police emergency number.
    15. present: Advises readers to use SafeRide, tell friends when traveling, and call police when uncomfortable.
    16. present: It tells readers to use SafeRide, tell friends their plans and call the police number if uncomfortable.
    17. present: It advises telling friends your movements, using SafeRide, and calling the police number when uneasy.
    18. present: Readers are advised to use SafeRide, tell friends their movements, and call the police number when uneasy.
    19. present: Readers are told to use SafeRide, tell friends their whereabouts, and call the police emergency number.
    20. present: It advises using SafeRide, telling friends your movements and calling the police emergency number.
    21. present: Readers are told to use SafeRide, stay aware of surroundings and program the police number.
    22. present: It advises using SafeRide, telling friends your plans, and calling the police emergency number.
    23. present: Tells readers to use SafeRide, be aware of surroundings and call the police number.
    24. present: Readers are advised to use SafeRide, tell friends their plans and call the police number if uneasy.
    25. present: It advises using SafeRide, telling friends your plans and calling the police emergency number.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Present by 25 of 25, dated twice over: the robbery occurred "on Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM" and was reported to MIT Police on April 9, 2018.

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It dates the robbery "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    2. present: Says it occurred "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    3. present: Says the robbery happened "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    4. present: It cites "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM" as the incident time.
    5. present: Dates are given: notification April 9, 2018 for a robbery Thursday, April 5, 2018 at about 12:30 PM.
    6. present: It dates notification to April 9, 2018 and the robbery to "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    7. present: Dates it to "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    8. present: Dates it "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM", with notification on April 9.
    9. present: It gives "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM" for the robbery.
    10. present: The robbery is dated "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    11. present: Dated "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM", reported April 9.
    12. present: The robbery is dated "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    13. present: The robbery is dated "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    14. present: The robbery is dated "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    15. present: Dates the robbery "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    16. present: Dates and a clock time are given: notification April 9, robbery "April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    17. present: The robbery is dated "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    18. present: The robbery is dated "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    19. present: The robbery is timed to "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    20. present: The robbery is timed to "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM."
    21. present: The robbery is dated "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM" with notification April 9.
    22. present: It dates the robbery to "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    23. present: Dates it "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    24. present: The robbery is dated "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM".
    25. present: Notification came "on April 9, 2018" about a robbery "Thursday, April 5, 2018 at approximately 12:30 PM."
  • Impactabsent0/25

    Final assessment

    Absent, with 0 of 25 reads finding it. Force is described, but the account ends with the man taking the money and fleeing, and no injury, danger or severity to anyone is stated.

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. absent: Although force is described, the text never states the danger or possible harm to readers.
    2. absent: No injury or danger is described; the attempt is recounted without a severity statement.
    3. absent: The victim was not reported hurt and the notice states no danger or severity for others.
    4. absent: The victim was not reported hurt and no statement conveys how dangerous this could be.
    5. absent: The victim is not described as hurt and no danger level is stated for readers.
    6. absent: The account stops at property loss and does not state how dangerous the offender or situation may be.
    7. absent: The victim lost money but no injury, danger or severity is conveyed.
    8. absent: No injury or danger is described; the purse was not taken and no harm is characterized.
    9. absent: The victim was not reported hurt and no statement of danger or possible harm is offered.
    10. absent: No injury or danger to the victim or community is stated, the property was simply taken.
    11. absent: The victim was not reported hurt and no danger or severity statement is offered.
    12. absent: No injury or severity is reported; the account describes only the loss of money.
    13. absent: No injury or danger level is stated; the account ends with the suspect fleeing and offers only precautions.
    14. absent: The account stops at the loss of money and never states danger or potential injury to readers.
    15. absent: The victim was not described as hurt and no danger level is stated for the community.
    16. absent: The victim was not described as hurt and no severity or danger statement is offered.
    17. absent: The victim was not reported hurt and no danger level is stated for the community.
    18. absent: Money was taken but no injury or danger to people is asserted in the text.
    19. absent: No injury or danger is asserted; the account describes the snatch without any severity statement.
    20. absent: No injury or danger level is conveyed; the account is of money taken without stated harm.
    21. absent: No injury or danger is described; the account ends with the suspect fleeing with the money.
    22. absent: No injury or danger level is stated; only the loss of cash during a snatch is described.
    23. absent: No injury or danger consequence is stated, only that money was taken.
    24. absent: No injury or danger level is stated; the victim kept her purse and no harm is described.
    25. absent: The victim was not reported hurt and no danger or severity statement is offered.

Coded by Claude Opus 5

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

MIT Police publishes Clery timely warnings and crime alerts at police.mit.edu/crime-alert with full incident narrative, safety guidance, and issuer attribution. This entry is from residual archive recovery for Robbery.
Analysis

Key Findings

Official MIT Police crime-alert page preserves complete timely-warning narrative text.
Outcome
MIT Police investigation status as stated in the official crime alert.
Provenance

Sources

Every claim on this page is meant to be checkable. Open the links below (and the Verify this quote control under each confirmed alert) to read the original university, news, or archive page yourself. Hostnames are shown so you can see where you are going; archived copies survive when live pages move or disappear. See also our methodology.

  1. Official
    Robbery | MIT Police
    police.mit.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Robbery reported with community safety guidance issued; near by the Cambridge Police." Incident of April 9, 2018. Added July 2026; last updated August 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/mit-robbery-2018-04-09/

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Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
mitmassachusetts-institute-of-technologytimely-warningrobberycrime-alertUnder Investigation
Added July 2026Updated August 2026Via ingestion