Chaos erupted in a downtown Worcester parking garage when a woman was confronted in broad daylight by an armed assailant demanding her phone, officials say. The Worcester Police Department reports that on April 8, 2024, they responded to a call concerning an assault involving a weapon on Mechanic St.

According to the police report, the victim was parking her car when she spotted Jades Rivera pacing nearby. Without warning, Rivera allegedly brandished a box cutter and charged the woman, screaming, “Give me the phone.” The victim, in an attempt to avoid harm, dashed away—scratched by the fingernails of Rivera, nearly caught during the pursuit.

The harrowing chase ended when the fleeing woman sought refuge in a nearby public place, where she alerted others to the incident and identified Rivera as her attacker. Officers later detained Rivera at the scene. Upon searching her, they discovered the box cutter allegedly used in the attempted robbery.

Rivera, a 28-year-old Berkeley St resident, was taken into custody and now faces charges of Armed Robbery and Assault and Battery. Found on her person was the box cutter, which is believed to be by police the weapon involved. Adding to her legal troubles, Rivera also had an outstanding arrest warrant. Her apprehension ends a potentially dangerous situation but starts a legal process that will tread through the complexities of crime and punishment in the community.