Cosi robbed at gunpoint

The Division of Public Safety is still investigating Monday morning’s gunpoint robbery at the Cosi at 36th and Walnut streets.

Two customers were in the store at the time, but no one was injured, Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush said. Additionally, no money was taken from either the customers or the store.

The suspects were described as two males in masks, one of whom was armed with a gun, which entered the store at 140 S. 36th St. demanding money. One suspect was a black male, about 5-foot-10, with a knit cap and blue clothing. The other suspect was a black male, slim, with a gray hooded sweatshirt.

DPS received a call about the robbery at 7:14 a.m. from one of Cosi’s employees, Rush said. A UPennAlert was sent out at 7:34 a.m. telling students and staff to avoid the area. The all-clear was sent out at 8:25 a.m.

This is the second robbery that occurred on campus in the past three days. On Saturday, two Penn students were robbed by three male suspects at around 4:14 a.m. at 40th Street and Locust Walk. A UPennAlert was issued at 4:14 a.m., and an all-clear was sent out at 5:00 a.m.

Related: Robbery at gunpoint at 40th and Locust

The investigation into the 40th and Locust robbery is still ongoing, DPS confirmed.

However, Rush said that the Cosi robbery is not connected to the armed robbery that was reported Saturday morning at 40th Street and Locust Walk.

“One was a retail store [robbery] — it’s very different from the other one, which was a street robbery,” Rush said.

She called the 40th and Locust robbery an “opportunity crime,” adding that three suspects “saw two students at a very late hour and took a chance at robbing them.” She also noted that other characteristics of the two crimes — such as their modus operandi — were different.

However, Rush said that the Cosi robbery may be related to another Cosi robbery that occurred earlier last week. That robbery, which occurred on Dec. 3, was reported at the Cosi at 15th and Locust streets in Center City, according to a 6ABC News report.

The suspects’ descriptions and their methods of operation are “definitely similar between the two” incidents, Rush said. She added that DPS is “working with Philadelphia Police to see if they are related.”

Officers are also “continuing to make special checks across the stores” in the Penn Patrol Zone, she added.

Related: Four burglaries in the Quad last week

Rush said that if students or staff find themselves in a situation like this, they should “just cooperate — give them [the suspects] whatever they want. You can replace items, but you can’t replace yourself.”

She added that people shouldn’t “challenge [the suspects]” or “try to look like you’re trying to identify them.”

“Be quiet and give them what they want, and call the police as soon as you can,” she said.

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