Waltham Police Warn Of Random, Unprovoked Attacks In GardenCrest

WALTHAM, MA — Police are asking people be on high alert after five people reported they were attacked in the GardenCrest apartment complex in the past two weeks.

"We would ask residents of this area to be aware of their surroundings," police said.

David Camaros said he was on the phone throwing out his trash in the garbage behind his apartment building on Middlesex Road when a man attacked him from behind with a heavy object, Wednesday at 8:30 p.m., knocking him unconscious and leaving him with several fractures on his face and head and a swollen eye.

When he woke up he found he still had his phone, and called 911. He said he did not hear or see the man. Camaros said the attacker didn't take anything from him.

Police said they have received four other similar reports of unprovoked attacks in the GardenCrest apartment complex since Nov. 10. Each of the attacks happened after dark, between 5:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., police said.

Police said the general description has been that the attacker is a Black man between 5”6” and 5”10” weighing between 160 and 180 pounds and wearing dark clothing.

As for Camaros, although he has only lived in the complex for two months, he is planning to move elsewhere in the city, and advises his neighbors not to go outside alone after dark.

"It's [gotten] very dangerous," he said.

Between Nov. 1 and Nov. 20, there were two reports of assault, three reports of vandalism and five larceny reports on Middlesex Road and Middlesex Circle, according to the public police log. There were six reports of assaults across the city, including those on Middlesex, according to the log.

By comparison, October there were seven reports of assaults in the city: On Alder Street, the 700 block of Main Street, Lake Street, Willow Street, the corner of Adams Street and Chester Avenue, Fourth Avenue and Howard Street.

Police are asking anyone with information about the attacks to call them 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.