A spate of recent muggings in Bellevue, including one in which the town's mayor tried unsuccessfully to chase down a purse-snatcher, has elicited a mixed reaction among residents in the pedestrian-friendly community.
Police Chief Mike Bookser said in light of five muggings in the past two months -- none of which appear to be related -- residents should take extra precautions when they travel about the borough.
One juvenile has been arrested so far, but other suspects remain at large, Bookser said.
"There's one where they pulled a gun out and one where they hit a woman with a brick on the head. It's not your traditional stick 'em up," Bookser said.
While foot traffic remains heavy on the town's streets, some residents say police need to up their presence.
"Why don't they put beat patrol cops out there or an officer with a dog to walk around?" said Joyce Kuruce, a borough resident for the past 30 years and owner of the store Antiques and Uniques. "We used to have the police department walking Lincoln Avenue. They could at least put the cruiser down on the avenue and walk for a while."
But others familiar with the community, such as business owner Erin Morris, said they are not overly concerned about the muggings.
Morris, who owns Erin's Hallmark and Pulled Out a Plum, both along Lincoln Avenue, said Bellevue still is a safe town to walk around.
"It happens anywhere, no matter where you are," Morris said.
The robberies have occurred mostly in the evening on the south side of the borough, Bookser said. The robbers have targeted both adult women and young people. Bookser is urging residents to be aware of their surroundings, park in well-lit areas, and walk with others when going out at night.
The only mugging that occurred in the daytime -- about 9 a.m. -- involved Mayor Paul Cusick.
He heard a woman's cries for help after her purse was snatched outside a bank along Lincoln Avenue in mid-August.
Cusick pursued the young man behind Bellevue United Presbyterian Church.
"I said, 'Give me the purse,' he walked toward me, and when he was about 15 feet away, he took off to his left," Cusick said. "He was pretty fleet of foot, which is why I didn't catch him. He was also about 220 pounds, not a small person, which is the other reason why I didn't catch up to him."
Cusick said the recent muggings showed how Bellevue, though generally a safe place, is not immune from the societal problems that cause crime.
"With the drug problem everywhere, I think people do have to understand there are people who need money in a quick way, and the most vulnerable are the people they'll take advantage of," he said.
Cusick said the borough cannot afford to have a police officer on every corner, and urged residents to get involved.
"We'd be glad to have a block watch committee. The police can't do everything," he said. "(Crime) exists everywhere. To say it doesn't is like burying your head in the sand."
