Police are investigating whether two robberies occurring within a short amount of time of each other last week involving suspects with similar descriptions are connected.

About 6:53 p.m., two unidentified individuals passed five bla

ck men, 17 to 18 years old, while walking home along the 4600 block of Duke St. on November 12. Hearing footsteps suddenly behind them, the victims turned around and were struck in the head, police said. 

Neither was seriously injured, but both fell to the ground and surrendered their money to the suspects, said Jody Donaldson, department spokesman.
At 10 p.m. another man was walking home on the 5400 block of Sheffield Ct. when five men, 18 to 21 years old, came up behind him and demanded money. He refused and attempted to run, but the suspects caught and threw him to the ground before taking his wallet, police said.