No New Waltham Attacks Since Police Offered Reward

WALTHAM, MA — More than two weeks after the city announced a $5,000 reward for information on the person or persons responsible for the near dozen unprovoked violent attacks across the city, there have been no new attacks. And police have also made no arrests.

"There's nothing new to report at all," said Det. Sgt Stephen McCarthy.

McCarthy said the department has continued to get a handful of tips but, nothing that has helped crack the case yet. Still, he said the department was committed to finding the person or persons responsible.

"We're working away here," he said.

Between Nov. 12 and Nov. 27 someone in Waltham hid using the cover of darkness and attacked unsuspecting men around the city, sending many of them to the hospital with serious injuries to the head and face, including a postal carrier.

Chief Keith MacPherson said his department has all its available resources, including a drone, focused on catching the person or persons responsible for the assaults.

The attacks have a similar pattern. The earliest attack happened at 5:30 p.m and the latest at 11:30 p.m. and in every case, police said they believed the attacker used heavy objects to hit the victims. All the victims have been men. Police said no one was robbed during the attacks.

"The motive is somewhat in question, but it appears to be a thrill of the assault or someone who is very violent and enjoys seeing someone hurt," MacPherson said Dec. 1.

There have been 11 such attacks reported in total, but none since Nov. 27, according to McCarthy.

The first attacks happened at the Gardencrest apartment complex, while more recent attacks happened downtown in the area of Chestnut and Charles streets, police said.

There were five reports of unprovoked attacks in the Gardencrest apartment complex between Nov. 10 and Nov. 21, which prompted the city to issue reverse 911 calls warning residents.

In late November, police released a 4-second video clip showing a man running down the street in jeans and a black sweatshirt and asked for the public's help identifying him in connection with the attacks. Police said they are looking into other persons of interest, thanks to tips from the community.

One of the most difficult aspects of the case has been getting an accurate description of the person responsible. Descriptions of the attacker or attackers have varied between white and black men of various heights because most people have been surprise attacked from behind.

Waltham resident David Camaros said he was on the phone throwing out trash behind his apartment building on Middlesex Road when someone attacked him from behind using a heavy object.

"These incidents aren't occurring in a vacuum," said MacPherson earlier this month. He asked that anyone who has witnessed an assault to come forward with information. Call police at 781-314-3600 (option 4) or the anonymous tip line at 781-314-3636.

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how.