Two 14-year-olds ended a crime spree unsuccessfully when Penn Police arrested them last week.
They allegedly attempted three robberies near Baltimore Avenue -- including one of a Penn graduate student -- in fewer than eight minutes.
At about 10:22 p.m. on the night of Oct. 12, two plainclothes officers observed a "strong-arm robbery" -- meaning that suspects used force but not weapons -- outside 4206 Baltimore Ave.
The officers saw three juveniles going through the pockets of a 23-year-old male University of the Sciences student who was accompanied by a 23-year-old woman.
After the police identified themselves, the suspects fled and a foot pursuit ensued. Officers captured one suspect at 500 S. 43rd St. and another near the intersection of 43rd Street and Baltimore Avenue. The third was not caught.
Once the two suspects were in custody, police received another report. A 25-year-old male Penn graduate student reported that at about 10:20 p.m., three juveniles had attempted to rob him on the 500 block of Woodland Terrace. The descriptions of the perpetrators in that case matched those from the Baltimore Avenue robbery that occurred just minutes later.
In the attempted robbery of the Penn graduate student, the suspects allegedly approached the victim, grabbed his bike and punched him in the head. The victim was ultimately able to escape with his bike.
Shortly afterward, police were notified of an attempted robbery that occurred at about 10:15 p.m. very near to where the two subsequent crimes would take place.
In this incident, a 19-year-old University of the Sciences student was approached by three juveniles -- also matching the descriptions from the other two crimes -- who demanded money.
When their demand was not met, the would-be robbers punched the victim.
None of the victims in any of the attempted robberies sustained serious injury or required hospitalization. All three positively identified the two 14-year-olds that police had taken into custody.
University Police turned the case over to the Philadelphia Police Department's Southwest Detective Division because the incidents occurred outside Penn Police jurisdiction.
Detectives said they are close to identifying the third assailant and may soon have a warrant for his arrest.
The suspects, whose names are not being released because they are minors, face a slew of charges, including at least three counts each of attempted robbery. The boys are from West Philadelphia.
Two robberies also occurred near campus this weekend. One involved a Penn student, and the other involved a gun.
The first crime occurred at about midnight Friday as a 23-year-old male -- who is unaffiliated with Penn -- entered his home in the unit block of South 42nd Street.
While on his porch, the victim was approached from behind by a black male, about 20 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall and 180 pounds, with a dark complexion and a goatee. The robber reportedly wore a green beanie hat, black hooded sweatshirt, black pants and black boots.
The robber showed a handgun and said, "Where's the dough?"
The gunman went room-to-room inside the home, bringing the victim with him.
Ultimately, the robber got away with a cell phone and $40. He fled on foot in an unknown direction.
The victim was uninjured.
A second robbery occurred Saturday night at about 11:15 p.m. on the 3900 block of Irving Street.
The victim -- an 18-year-old male Penn freshman -- was tackled from behind as he walked with a friend.
As the victim lay on the ground, the robber pushed a hard object -- which the victim took to be a gun -- against the victim's back.
The robber -- described as a man in his late teens or early 20s with close-cropped hair wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and dark jeans -- escaped with $6, debit cards and identification from the victim's wallet.
