Three armed robberies hit campus area

Three armed robberies occurred in quick succession on and around campus last week after almost a month without reported robberies.

On Friday at approximately 11:05 p.m., a male student was approached by two males on the 3900 block of Baltimore Avenue, according to University Police.

One of the men "displayed a knife" and demanded that the student hand over his money, Deputy Chief of Operations Mike Fink said.

The student then handed over the $35 he had in his pocket, Fink said.

He added that both suspects then fled westbound and entered "a silver early '90s American-made sedan" of unknown make in "banged-up condition," with a driver.

The suspect armed with the knife was described as a black male, approximately 6-feet tall, in his 40s, with a heavy build and a medium-dark complexion. He had a "salt-and-pepper scruffy light beard" and was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt that said "ECKO" on the front, Fink said.

The second suspect was described by Fink as a black male, approximately 5'10", somewhere between 28 and 35 years old. He had a medium build and complexion, was clean-shaven and was said to be wearing a black stocking cap and a black sweatshirt.

Less than four hours later, at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, a second male student was robbed at gunpoint on the 3900 block of Pine Street, Fink said.

The student was "approached from behind" by five males, one of whom displayed "a small silver handgun" before demanding the student's wallet, Fink said. They took the student's cell phone, his wallet and assorted credit cards before fleeing west on Pine Street, and then south on 40th Street.

Fink said that the five males were "possibly juveniles," though "minimal description" was available.

He added that the Philadelphia Police Department stopped a car containing a group of males for reasons unrelated to the alleged robbery on Monday night in South Philadelphia, and recovered a matching handgun and the student's property.

"It looks like the job that the city has is associated" with the robbery on the 3900 block of Pine, Fink said. However, arrests have not yet been made.

"That's a process that could take several days," Deputy Chief of Investigations Bill Danks said. "The investigation is continuing."

A third robbery of a male unaffiliated with the University occurred on Thursday at approximately 1:20 a.m. on 43rd and Walnut streets, Fink said.

The man was walking westward on the 4200 block of Walnut Street when he was approached by two males, Fink said.

One of the men punched the victim and "knocked him to the ground" while the second bent down and took the $7 the victim had on his person, Fink said.

Fink added that both then fled north on 43rd Street.

According to Fink, the first suspect was described as a black male between 17 and 18 years of age, approximately 5'10" and between 155 and 165 pounds. He was dark complected, and was described as wearing a blue baseball cap and a blue sweatshirt. The second was described as a black male, aged 17 to 18, and approximately 5'11". He was also dark complected and was described as wearing a dark shirt and dark pants.

Fink said that this case is being handled by the Southwest Detectives Division of the PPD and not by the UPPD.

Danks said that these three most recent robberies do "not appear" to be related to the string of robberies that occurred around the University in late August and September.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.