A bystander who got involved after seeing a mugging near 40th and Spruce streets late Wednesday night was able to help foil the thief, Penn Police said yesterday.
It was the third attempted robbery involving a student near campus this week.
The incident occurred at about 10:45 p.m. while the victim -- a 21-year-old male student whose name was not released -- was riding a bicycle on 4000 block of Spruce Street, police said. The victim reported being set upon by a teenager, who punched him in the face.
The victim was knocked off his bike, and the assailant, who was described as being about 5-foot-8 with a thin build and braided hair, grabbed the bicycle.
It was at that point that a witness -- only described as a 22-year-old man -- ran over, confronted the robber and attempted to take the bike away.
The robber punched the 22-year-old as well, and the two men continued to struggle over the bike.
Police were unclear as to what happened next but said that the teenager ran off without the bicycle.
The two men notified police, who responded to the scene, but no arrests were reported.
The victim was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was treated for facial injuries and released. The 22-year-old, whose affiliation with the University was not disclosed, declined medical attention.
The men described the robber as being 15 to 19 years old.
The robbery was the third such attack since Sunday, when a male student was punched and robbed of $12 in cash and assorted ID cards by two men at 41st and Locust streets. That robbery was followed by another one Tuesday night on the 4500 block of Pine Street in which armed men rummaged through the pockets of a male student -- who was not carrying any money or valuables -- before fleeing empty-handed.
Police have not made any arrests in the three cases and said that they believe the incidents are not related.
