An 18-year-old has been arrested amid a string of robberies near Rutgers University’s main campus in New Jersey, authorities say.
Myles Soni was charged with robbery, aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit robbery after a student was mugged near the university’s New Brunswick campus early Sunday, police say.
Police say the student was walking on Plum Street between Hamilton and Somerset streets at about 1 a.m. when he was accosted by four men who attacked him and stole his property.
Soni was detained near the scene about five minutes later and was identified as one of the alleged robbers by a witness. The other three suspects remain at large.
The robbery is the fifth in recent days near Rutgers’ New Brunswick campus, according to the university police department. It is also the fifth time a student has been robbed in the last three weeks.
About an hour before the robbery at Plum Street, another student was mugged by two men at Hamilton and Hardenbaugh streets.
Another man affiliated with the university was knocked over and robbed at Delafield and Bristol streets at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday.
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On Nov. 1, there were two robberies. In one, at Sicard and Richardson Streets, four gunmen robbed a man after an attempted drug deal, authorities said. Another man was robbed by three gunmen a few hours later at Plum and Hamilton streets.
Rutgers and New Brunswick police said they are dispatching additional officers to patrol campus and other student-populated areas in the wake of the robberies.
Police are also advising students to walk in groups when possible and to stay alert, especially in the evening and late at night.
