Police arrest suspect in robberies

Police believe the suspect committed four robberies, including two which involved students in their residences. University Police arrested a suspect Friday night in connection with four recent armed robberies in which the perpetrator followed students into their residences and robbed or attempted to rob them at gunpoint. In addition to robberies March 27 and March 31 at houses on the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue, the suspect -- who has not yet been officially charged with any crimes -- attempted two more robberies Friday night near campus just minutes before police caught him, University Police Sgt. Thomas Rambo said. No students were injured in any of the incidents, and all the victims have positively identified the suspect, Rambo added. Rambo explained that he and Officer Len Harrison wrestled Henry Blakely -- whom police described only as an African American male in his 30s -- to the ground at approximately 11 p.m. Friday on 41st Street near Pine Street. He was treated for minor cuts and bruises and released into police custody from Misericordia Hospital at 53rd Street and Cedar Avenue, Rambo said. At about 10:40 p.m. Friday, the suspect approached a male undergraduate as he walked into his residence on the 4000 block of Spruce Street, Rambo said. After the student entered his residence, the suspect forced his way into the house, brandished a black semiautomatic pistol and demanded money from the student. But when one of the student's housemates interrupted the robbery, the suspect fled the scene in an unknown direction, Rambo said. The student notified University Police, Rambo added, noting that University Police Detectives John Peterson and Peg O'Malley met the student at 41st and Spruce streets to obtain information on the suspect and on the attempted robbery. Blakely -- which might not be the suspect's real name, Rambo said -- then allegedly robbed two students in the same manner on the 4000 block of Pine Street, taking cash and several PennCards at approximately 10:50 p.m. Ten minutes later, Rambo and Harrison -- who are members of the University Police Special Response Team -- observed a man armed with a handgun and fitting the suspect's description walking on 41st Street, Rambo said. When Blakely attempted to walk away from the police officers, Rambo and Harrison chased after him and wrestled him to the ground before arresting him, Rambo said. One victim said yesterday that it was "awesome" that University Police arrested a suspect in the set of robberies. In the first robbery -- which occurred March 27 -- Blakely allegedly robbed College sophomore Ernest McMeans at gunpoint in his house on the 4000 block of Baltimore Avenue. The suspect had followed McMeans and his sister into the house before showing them a black semiautomatic handgun and demanding money, McMeans said. After McMeans told the man that he did not have any money, the robber stole a bicycle and two T-shirts before fleeing the scene.