U. student robbed at gunpoint

A University student and her friend were robbed at gunpoint yesterday morning near the corner of 42nd and Locust streets, according to University Police. University Police also responded to two armed robberies, two strongarm robberies and two accidents involving Escort vans over the weekend. In the gunpoint robbery, the student told police she was walking with a female friend on Locust Street, when a six-foot-tall man wearing dark clothes drew a black automatic gun and robbed her of a purse and a sidepack around 1:50 a.m. The suspect was last seen fleeing up Locust towards 43rd Street. In a separate and unrelated incident, an off-duty University Police sergeant caught a man robbing a person at knifepoint near the corner of 41st and Spruce Street Friday evening, University Police Lieutenant Susan Holmes said. The sergeant was driving his personal car when he saw three people robbing the man, Holmes said. The officer stopped his car, jumped out, and yelled that he was a policeman. The officer caught and arrested one man at the scene. The other two fled, but were arrested nearby by Philadelphia Police. In a third robbery this weekend, a person was robbed of $50 at a MAC machine in the WaWa Convenience Store at 36th and Walnut Streets around 1:15 p.m. Saturday. Police said a 170-pound man, between 20 and 30 years old, with a box-style haircut and wearing a blue jacket, pushed the complainant and grabbed the money the complainant had just withdrawn from the MAC machine. University Police also reported two accidents involving Escort Service vans, in which the vehicles struck parked cars on Chestnut Street Saturday night. The first accident occurred on Chestnut Street near 36th Street around 7:30 p.m. Saturday. There were no injuries and it was unclear if students were in the van at the time of the accident. The second Escort van hit a parked car barely an hour and a half later on the 4300 block of Chestnut Street. Again, there were no injuries and it was unclear if the students were in the van at the time of the accident. Transportation and Parking Assistant Director Stephen Carey could not be reached for comment last night, and an Escort official who was contacted last night would not comment on the incident. In another incident over the weekend, a male University student reported being assaulted by one of four males on the 4100 block of Locust Street 2 a.m. Saturday, according to Holmes. The student said he was punched in the face by a six-foot, three-inch tall man. Although he sustained swelling in his mouth he refused medical treatment. The suspect was described as being 19 or 20 years old and was last seen wearing dark jeans and dark shoes. In an unrelated incident, a University student was robbed of $9 in the doorway of 329 South 42nd Street at 9:20 p.m. Friday, Holmes said, adding that Philadelphia Police arrested a suspect in connection with the incident. Holmes also said a Palestra equipment room manager stopped a juvenile who was caught taking one can of tennis balls without authorization, according to Holmes. Holmes said that during the past two weeks, $960 worth of equipment has been stolen from the Palestra, but it was unclear if the juvenile is responsible for the thefts. University Police also responded to a report of a strongarm robbery on the 4000 block of Walnut Street at 3:10 a.m. Saturday, according to Holmes. A man, who is not affiliated with the University, was assaulted and robbed by three men who fled the scene. One suspect was five feet, 10 inches tall and 195 pounds and was last seen wearing a dark blue and white McDonalds shirt. A second suspect was described as six-foot-tall and having a slim build. There was no description for the third suspect, according to Holmes.

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