Three recent crimes not far from UF's campus have prompted Gainesville Police to warn residents to exercise caution.
A man was arrested with charges of prowling and loitering early Thursday morning.
Citizens called the police when they spotted Leon Denzel Roberts, 24, walking in the shadows, hiding behind a Dumpster and peeking into cars on Northwest Third Avenue, said Gainesville Police spokeswoman Summer Hallett.
The arrest followed two muggings in the area Monday, though police were unable to say if Roberts was related to them.
A man was walking alone at 1:10 a.m. Monday along Northwest Fourth Street when two men, one holding a gun, walked up to him, Hallett wrote in an e-mail.
The one holding the handgun said, "Give it up, you know what time it is," she wrote.
When the victim said he had no money, the first suspect hit him in the back of the head with the handgun.
Then the suspect took his wallet and cell phone, she wrote.
The wallet and phone were later found in a storm drain.
About two hours later Monday morning, a man asked a woman walking on Southwest Second Avenue if he could help her, Hallett wrote.
When she turned to him, the man stole her purse and pushed her to the ground.
After he disappeared, the woman called her mother, who then called another relative, who called the police about 20 minutes after the incident, Hallett wrote.
Hallett recommended that victims dial 911 right away.
"If your family lives out of town, calling them is not going to help you," she said.
