Athens, GA – More than 150 robberies occur each year in Athens-Clarke County, but police say there’s been an increase in a stranger kind of robbery over recent weeks. There have been reports to both Athens and University of Georgia police departments in which individuals in secluded areas are approached by a group of people. Members of the group ask for a cigarette or engage the individual in some conversation before robbing them.

Police are unable to say if the robbers  are the same people across all incidents, but regardless, this different robbery scheme is causing issues for locals.