Campus hit with several robberies

Several University students and businesses were targets of unrelated armed robberies over winter break, University Police said last night. Two men with shotguns robbed Boccie Pizzeria on December 19, stealing $3,500, according to University Police Sergeant Ivan Kimball. Kimball said that no shots were fired during the robbery. He added that the suspects left the scene in a grey vehicle and have not been apprehended. Boccie employees believe that this robbery is connected to a robbery which occurred last summer at the pizzeria, Kimball said. Over the summer, two men entered the restaurant carrying shotguns, took $750 from the cash register and blasted a hole in a duct. In another robbery, a male entered the Roy Rogers restaurant at 39th and Chestnut streets on January 9, pointed a gun at the employee and demanded all the cash in the register. After taking $400 from the restaurant, he fled the scene. No arrests have been made, Kimball said. Kimball said that criminals sense when students leave for break and prepare to strike. "It seems like the criminals know when its down time," he said. "They come in here and take advantage of it." The rash of robberies began as soon as students headed home for the holidays. On December 24, a man approached a graduate student on the Locust Walk bridge and demanded his money. The man threatened to stab him if he did not comply, Kimball said. The student told police that he made a withdrawal from a MAC machine and noticed that someone was observing him. The student reported that the man followed him and demanded his money. Kimball said University Police captured the robber and recovered the knife at the scene. In another incident, two students were robbed at gunpoint yesterday at 4231 Walnut Street by two males, Kimball said. The men approached the students on the porch of their residence and fled the scene with approximately $25. In an unrelated incident, two males, carrying sticks, stole $7 in cash from a student on January 7. The men approached the student on the 200 block of 42nd Street and fled the scene with the money. Kimball said University Police have made no arrests. In another incident, a male Veterans Administration Hospital employee was robbed at 40th and Sansom streets. He told police that on January 4, two males took his wallet and fled. Kimball said that no one was injured and no suspects have been apprehended. In an unrelated incident, on the 300 block of 43rd Street, an unknown male came up behind a University student and demanded his wallet. The student was not injured and no arrests have been made. (CUT LINE) Please see ROBBERIES, page 4 ROBBERIES, from page 1