Robberies decline at Penn, rise at Drexel

The wave of juvenile crime that plagued Penn's campus in November has moved to Drexel University -- and stuck there.

But University Police officials said the shift does not mean that robberies are no longer a concern for Penn.

Penn Police Captain Joe Fischer said police are lending Drexel security officers a hand to try to catch criminals so that they do not swing back into Penn's jurisdiction.

The area surrounding Drexel has experienced eight armed robberies in the last two weeks, Drexel Senior Vice President for Public Safety Ben Gollotti said.

Gollotti added that most of the crimes occurred in the Powelton Village neighborhood, located north and northwest of Drexel's campus.

Many Drexel undergraduates live in the affected areas along Powelton Avenue and Baring Street.

Unlike Penn, Drexel does not have its own privately funded police force. It employs AlliedBarton Security guards to patrol the area around its campus.

To combat the current crime wave, Drexel has extended its patrol boundaries to the north and west.

The area now includes most of Powelton Village.

Gollotti added that Drexel has worked with Philadelphia Police to increase patrols at night.

As a final measure, Penn Police are "assisting and responding" with uniformed and plainclothes officers in the affected area, Fischer said.

The latest armed robbery near Drexel's campus involved four local residents, one of whom is a Drexel student.

Penn officers responded to the scene at 6:40 p.m. Wednesday after Philadelphia Police were notified of the crime.

Penn Police Deputy Chief of Investigations Mike Morrin said that a man approached a female Drexel student while she was opening the door to her home -- located in the 3800 block of Hamilton Street -- and used a gun to force her inside.

Once inside, the robber demanded money from the four residents.

He fled with $300 in cash.

In this case, however, the offender did not appear to be a juvenile.

Drexel students seem relatively unconcerned with the recent problems.

"I'm not really that worried about it," Drexel freshman Jessica Kim said. "I stay on campus."

However, Gollotti believes that there is reason for concern.

"Penn students, Drexel students and everyone should be concerned about traveling anywhere in the city [because] the incidents are not isolated to just West Philadelphia," he said.

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