A 21-year-old Madison man was robbed on the corner of West Main and Bassett streets early Sunday morning, following a string of recent robberies in the downtown Madison area. 

According to the police report, the victim said a man in a minivan pulled over, called him to the window and demanded money. The victim gave him $25.

Lt. Joe Balles of the Madison Police Department’s central district said the victim was far from his home on Langdon Street and intoxicated.  

MPD spokesperson Joel DeSpain said this incident is nontraditional because the victim was not held at gunpoint or accosted on the street.

According to Balles, there is no reason to believe this incident is linked to other robberies that have taken place over the last week. 

But according to DeSpain, detectives continue investigating links in recent downtown crimes. 

“There are some that seem to be similar and some that are definitely not,” DeSpain said, adding the mugging of a University of Wisconsin student on Mills Street may be linked to other incidences taking place on Madison’s south side.

The perpetrator was described as a black male in his early 20s with very short hair and a goatee. 

While many of the recent cases have similarities in perpetrator descriptions, DeSpain said the descriptions are different enough to determine the perpetrators are different men.

Balles said the main problem in this most recent robbery was the victim was intoxicated, walking alone aimlessly after bar time far from his home. 

“People just have to be careful,” Balles said. “Get from point A to point B. If you’re too drunk, call a cab.”

Men and women should be aware of where they are and stay in groups, he added.

“Even guys … they have to take the same precautions we’ve been telling young ladies to take for years,” Balles said.

Despite the recent series downtown, DeSpain said robberies are greater in other areas of Madison.

“It’s not like downtown is a specific target.” DeSpain said.