Man Assaulted and Robbed on Jacoby Street

A Maplewood resident was assaulted and robbed in the 100 block of Jacoby Street while walking home from the bus stop last week, according to the Maplewood Police Department.

The man had gotten off the bus at Springfield Avenue and Boyden Avenue shortly after 9 p.m. on Sept. 6 and was walking to his house when he was hit from behind and robbed of his iPhone and IPod, said Detective Lt. Michael Marucci. 

After the attack, a passerby saw the injured man and called the police.

Marucci said the man, who is in his 50s, was unable to give detectives any description of his attacker or attackers. The man received minor facial injuries and was treated at University Hospital. He was released that same night, said police.

"We have had nothing similar to this (incident) at all," said Marucci. "This is a tough one to investigate" because of the lack of any witnesses or evidence, he said.

Marucci said the Maplewood Police issued a bulletin to police departments in surrounding towns. However, he said that even if detectives identify a suspect it would be difficult to make a charge unless the person was found with the cellphone in his or her possession.

"Sometimes phones have tracking (on them), but we have not been very successful with that," said Marucci. He also said that once the man receives his phone bill, detectives might be able to investigate phone calls that were made after the phone was stolen.