Staff robbery may be tied to crime string

A Penn employee was the victim of a strong-arm robbery Tuesday evening, and police officials are investigating whether the case is related to either of two recent strings of crime in the area.

The two individuals that police suspect are responsible for a string of screwdriver robberies and sexual assaults are still on the loose.

One has allegedly robbed eight women at the point of a screwdriver on or near campus, and another has robbed and assaulted at least four women in the city.

Both robbers have targeted unaccompanied women in the late evening and early

morning hours.

The most recent robbery, which police are not sure is connected to the other crimes, occurred at around 7:15 p.m. at the Penn Tower Garage on Tuesday. The woman was alone.

Philadelphia police and Penn's Division of Public Safety have released several crime alerts in response to these crimes, and have created a task force that includes city and Penn police along with security officials from Drexel University and the University of the Sciences.

Police said that this force will hopefully facilitate direct communication between the University and city police officials.

And while a majority of students have not personally been affected by a rise in area crime, many - like Nursing junior Adela Di Camillo - have noticed the crime alerts and increased police presence around campus.

"Because I see more cops, I probably will not change my walking habits," Di Camillo said. "I know I shouldn't walk alone at night, but because I do not feel present danger . and don't feel unsafe, I don't try to be more safe."

The suspected screwdriver mugger targeted eight women in West Philadelphia between Nov. 9 and Nov. 21. One of the women was a Penn junior, while another was a staff member of the University.

The other individual is believed to be linked to five cases that are under direct city investigation. The attacker has groped four of his victims while they were held up at gunpoint.

All four assaulted women were attacked over Thanksgiving weekend in Center City.

DPS officials said that a student robbed near Franklin Field early Thanksgiving morning was not sexually assaulted, but that her pockets were rifled through.

Philadelphia police said that they are handling that case as a sexual assault as well.

They are also investigating six more cases across the city as possibly having links to the same suspect, including one at 32nd and Walnut streets.

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