Police to Hold Community Meeting On Recent Robberies

The Palo Alto Police Department will host a community meeting on  Wednesday to discuss a recent string of robberies.

Twenty robberies have been reported since Sept. 20, 2010, police Lt. Sandra Brown said.

While the city's overall number of robberies is not particularly high in comparison to recent years, the latest robbery trend has residents concerned, Brown said.           

The Midtown Residents Association called for the meeting, which will begin at 7 p.m. at the Cubberley Theater at 4000 Middlefield Rd.,  Brown said.          

"We want to let them know that we are investigating," Brown said. "We are making progress."          

Our of the 20 robberies, eight suspects have been arrested and six individual cases have been solved, Brown said.          

The department realizes that the community is concerned, and the  police chief has made the robbery trend the department's highest priority,  Brown said.  

In addition, the department will offer a reward of up to $10,000  for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect. Anyone with information about the robberies is encouraged to call the Palo Alto Police Department tip line at 650-329-2190, e-mail  paloalto@tipnow.org, or text to 650-383-8984.

—Bay City News