A pair of recent sexual assaults has police warning women in Somerville and Medford to be cautious when walking at night.
The most recent attack occurred early Saturday morning when a man attacked a Tufts University student as she walked near College and Stanley avenues in Medford just after 1 a.m.
“In these incidents, women have reported being grabbed from behind by a man and indecently assaulted before scaring off the attacker,” according to Tufts police.
The attack was similar to another that occurred about 11:30 p.m. Thursday in Somerville.
A 23-year-old woman left the Porter Square T station and was walking on Elm Street when she was grabbed from behind and indecently assaulted, Somerville police said.
She screamed and scared off her attacker.
Somerville police said they have increased patrols in marked and unmarked cars in the area.
Differing descriptions
While police said they are investigating similarities between the attacks, they said the descriptions do vary:
Thursday’s suspect: A clean-shaven, white man in his mid-20s about 5-foot-8. He was wearing a dark hoodie and jeans.
Saturday’s suspect: A Hispanic man in his late teens who was between 5-foot-5 and 5-foot-7 with a thin build and short, dark hair and dark eyes. He was wearing a dark hoodie.
