Series of crimes hits campus area

Two gunpoint robberies and one attempted robbery were committed Tuesday night in less than an hour, possibly by the same three people, University Police said last night. The crime spree began at around 11:10 p.m. Tuesday when three males -- two carrying guns -- approached a male student on 40th Street between Spruce and Pine streets, University Police Sergeant Ivan Kimble said last night. Kimble said the men threatened to shoot the student unless he gave them his money and he added that the student followed their orders, giving up $90 in cash. After grabbing the money, the men fled west on Pine Street, Kimble said and the student reported the event to police. Police checked the area but did not find any suspects matching the student's description. Approximately six minutes later, in what may be a related incident, three males confronted a female student on 42nd Street between Spruce and Pine streets, Kimble said. Kimble added that the three males demanded the female student's money and pointed a dark-colored revolver at her. After the student gave the men $13 in cash, they fled north on 42nd Street -- toward Spruce Street -- Kimble said, and the student then called police. Kimble said University Police checked the area near where the incident occurred, but again found no suspects. About 25 minutes later, at 11:47 p.m., in what University Police said may have been another related incident, three males tried to rob a retired University employee on 38th Street between Walnut and Spruce streets. The males tried to grab the man and told him to give up his money, Kimble said, but the man made a loud noise and broke the grip of the men. Kimble said the man did not get a good look at the assailants and began running south on 38th Street until he saw a University Police officer. The three men were last seen fleeing north on 38th Street toward Walnut Street, Kimble said. In the first incident, the student described the three men as being approximately 15 years old. In the second robbery, the student said the males were between 18 and 20 and in the third incident, the worker described the men as very short. Kimble said that based on the descriptions, the robberies and attempted robbery may have been committed by the same three men, but added that police have not yet reached that conclusion. "We don't rule out [the crimes being committed] by the same persons even if the descriptions vary," Kimble said. "It has happened before." As a result of Tuesday night's robberies, University Police have increased patrols in the area where the incidents took place. Kimble said he put out an extra patrol last night to increase police visibility. He added that following Monday morning's stabbing of Engineering sophomore David Martinko near 33rd and Walnut streets, University Police have also given extra attention to that problem area. So far, Kimble said, police have no suspects and have made no arrests any of the incidents