Two U. students, employee robbed

Three robberies were reported on and near campus this week, two of which occurred on Locust Walk while one involved a physical assault, according to University Police.

On Tuesday, a Penn employee reported that he was walking eastbound on the 4000 block of Locust Walk at approximately 10:25 p.m. when three black males approached him, said Detective Supervisor Frank DeMeo. One of the perpetrators allegedly grabbed him, while the other two proceeded to punch him and took his cell phone, he said. The victim was treated at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for minor facial cuts and bruises.

The perpetrators were described as being between the ages of 16 and 22.

The second robbery occurred at approximately 10:50 p.m. on Wednesday on the 3600 block of Ludlow Street. A Penn student was approached by four adult black males, one of whom allegedly threatened the victim, saying that if he did not hand over his money, he would produce a weapon. No weapons were used, but the men allegedly took the student's cell phone and wallet, which contained $80 in cash and credit cards.

The alleged perpetrators were all described as adults in their 20s. Three were described as being approximately 6' tall, and one was between 5'6'' and 5'8''.

Also on Wednesday evening, at approximately 7:45 p.m., a female University student was victim to a strong arm robbery. She was walking west on the 3600 block of Locust Walk when two male juveniles on bikes approached her, asking her for money. When she replied in the negative, they persisted, and one allegedly placed his hand on her shoulder, DeMeo said. They later grabbed her purse and fled without injuring the woman.

Police later apprehended and arrested one of the alleged perpetrators, age 15, and he has been charged with robbery, conspiracy to commit a crime, theft and simple assault. The second suspect, who is 14 years old, has not been arrested.

DeMeo said that although University Police initially considered the similarity of these recent robberies to a series of assaults that occurred on the 4000 and 4100 block of Pine Street on April 19 and 20, and an assault that occurred on Locust Walk on April 5, it now does not believe they are in any way related, DeMeo said. He noted that the suspects in the April cases, all of whom are juveniles, have already been identified and that the majority of them have already been apprehended.

However, police said that they would look into a possible relationship between the robberies that occurred on Ludlow Street and on the 4000 block of Locust Walk.

"We'll certainly look at it in light of that," DeMeo said. "That's how we look at it."

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