Two robberies hit Walnut St. in broad daylight

Two Walnut Street businesses were robbed this weekend in broad daylight, according to the University Police. Commerce Bank at 3731 Walnut Street and Baskin Robbins at 3925 Walnut Street were both robbed -- by two different men -- on Saturday. The two incidents were the first retail robberies on campus this semester. In the Commerce Bank robbery, the bank's manager reported that a man, simulating holding a gun, demanded money at about 11:30 a.m. The man got away with $700 in cash and fled on foot. The manager described the suspect as a white man in his 40s, 5'6" tall and weighing about 160 lbs. The man had a mustache and dirty blond hair, and he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and green pants. The manager also reported that the suspect had a bloody nose and lip. Later that day, a black man wearing a white smock and black-and-white checkered pants entered Baskin Robbins at about 1:45 p.m. The man handed the owner a note that read "give me all your money" and then forced the owner to lie down on the floor. The suspect got away with $200 in cash. Although the incidents were the first two retail robberies this semester, there was an armed attempted robbery at Fingers Wings and Other Things at 208 South 40th Street in September. The robbery was foiled by a FWOT employee, who managed to convince the robbers to let her call the manager. The manager then called the police and three arrests were made. There were also three non-retail robberies in early September, all of which were nighttime crimes. All took place just off campus, and one was at gunpoint. Commerce Bank was also the victim of a robbery in July 1999 when a suspect entered the bank in the afternoon and presented a teller with a note demanding "big bills." He got away with about $3,000 in cash.