Three robbed in two off-campus incidents

Three Penn students were robbed in two separate off-campus incidents this weekend, according to University Police. At around midnight on Friday morning, two University students were walking on 43rd Street between Locust and Spruce streets when they were approached by a man who flashed a handgun and demanded that the couple hand over their belongings. The suspect was described as a black male in his 20s, 5'10", weighing between 145 and 150 pounds. At the time of the robbery, he was wearing a dark knit ski mask, a multi-colored sweater and dark pants. He fled on foot, traveling south on 43rd Street. Neither student was physically injured during the robbery. They were taken to the Philadelphia Police Department's Southwest Detectives Bureau at 55th and Pine streets for questioning. Information about the items taken was not available last night. In the second weekend incident, a female student walking on 43rd Street between Spruce and Pine streets at around 5 a.m. was approached by a man who grabbed her purse and ran south on 43rd Street. Police said that a weapon was not used in the robbery. The victim described the suspect as a black male in his 20s, 5'5" with a stocky build. At the time of the robbery, he was wearing a white T-shirt with a design on the front. The victim also said her attacker had a noticeable scratch on his forehead. Items inside the purse included $10 in cash, a PennCard and several credit cards. The victim, who was not hurt during the robbery, was questioned by police at 55th and Pine streets. Police are still investigating several other armed robberies on campus since the start of the school year. Late last month, a male University student was held at gunpoint on the corner of 40th and Spruce streets. On September 12, a female Penn student was robbed at gunpoint while walking on 36th Street between Van Pelt Library and the Castle. And just a few days before that, five University students walking on 40th Street between Chestnut and Walnut streets were robbed with a semi-automatic weapon.

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