Carbondale Police are investigating the third incident in a string of robberies reported in less than 72 hours, all of which occurred less than a quarter of a mile from one another.

The most recent incident was reported near midnight Tuesday in the 500 block of South Beveridge Street. Police began monitoring the area by stationing patrols along Poplar Street, College Street and at South Illinois Avenue and West Mill Street immediately after receiving the call.

A resident who lives nearby spoke with police at the scene. An officer told the neighbor a group of individuals followed the victims from a bar into the alleyway near Beveridge Street where the robbery occurred.

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Police said they are unsure at this point if the robberies are connected. A representative from the police department said no one was in custody as of Wednesday morning, and advised people to take precautions, such as not walking alone in the area at night.

The first of the robberies happened Sunday afternoon on the 200 block of West Hospital Drive. The second was reported less than 10 minutes later, and a block away at West Cherry Street and South University Avenue.

Nela Miller, a dispatcher for the university’s Department of Public Safety said DPS “will not be releasing an alert because it was outside of the university’s vicinity.”

An alert was issued on Aug. 29 regarding two crimes committed near College Street and Cherry Street—locations farther than where the robbery on Beveridge Street was committed. The alerts must be sent out for the university to be in compliance with the Clery Act. The act requires universities to notify students of crimes on and around campus.

The Department of Public Safety Clery compliance officer could not be reached for comment at press time.