Chris Helms
File photo: Emergency crews search Jamaica Pond for a woman seen going into the water, but not leaving it, on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014.
Police confirmed that an armed robbery victim at the Pond was tied to a tree by his assailants. Further, a second armed robbery took place the same night.
In a community alert issued Tuesday, police said they are seeking the public's help to ID two people described only as black Hispanic men in their 20s believed to be behind two armed robberies that took place Wednesday night.
In the first, a man walking his bike on the footpath by the boathouse at Jamaica Pond about 11 p.m. was accosted by two young men. One had a black hand gun and told him to come into the bushes. Another showed a large kitchen knife, police said.
While in the bushes the robbers went into the man's bag and took his laptop. They also searched his pockets and took his cell phone and cash from his wallet. Police confirmed Tuesday a detail that was already circulating among community watch groups: the victim was left tied to a tree.
That victim told police his assailants left in unknown directions. The incident location was given as 33 Pond St., just down from the boathouse, in the police report.
The second incident took place about 11:25 p.m. Wednesday. A group of three friends were walking along the footpath around the pond when two men in their twenties came up to them. One man showed a black gun. As in the earlier robbery, the second man had a knife. Two of the victims came to the police station to tell their story. A suspect put his hand on one victim's shoulder and demanded the person's belongings. The robbers searched both the victims for other possessions. Then they ran away.
In line with Associated Press best practices, Jamaica Plain News does not generally report the race of suspects unless there are other details, like clothing or facial hair. A police spokesman said victims were not able to provide further details than the ones in the community alert.
Police are asking anyone with information on the armed robberies to call District E-13 detectives 617-343-5628. You can give anonymous tips via 1-800-494-TIPS (8477) or by texting the word TIP to CRIME (27463).
[Editor's note: The size of the group robbed in the second incident was three people, not five as a reading of the police community alert implied.]