Juveniles incite crime on campus

A four-block stretch of Locust Street was subject to five violent crimes during the first week of July, prompting the Division of Public Safety to issue an alert on juvenile crime.

Two robberies and three assaults - all reportedly committed by juveniles - occurred between 39th Street and Locust Walk and 43rd and Locust streets between July 3 and 7, DPS officials said. An indecent assault and a theft, both reported to have been committed by juveniles, also happened on or near campus.

DPS issued an alert in response to the crimes the evening of July 13.

In all of the incidents, the complainants were approached by a group of juveniles around the ages of 9 to 13. None of the crimes involved a weapon.

Three Penn students, one professor and a University employee were among the complainants. Two complainants - the professor and the Penn employee - received medical treatment at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

One robbery resulted in the arrest of two male juveniles. Penn Police officers also stopped male juveniles after two assaults on July 7. In those cases, no arrest was made because the complainants could not positively identify the suspects, DPS spokeswoman Karima Zedan said.

Still, the pedestrian stops are "a proactive way of preventing these kids from coming back here," Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush said. She added that actions of the stopped youth, such as trying to escape from the police, indicated they were involved in the assaults.

DPS has increased the number of officers on the streets, monitored the area via CCTV cameras and adjusted deployment strategies since the incidents began, Rush said.

A number of juveniles have also been arrested for disorderly conduct and curfew violations. Rush said it is still unknown whether these juveniles are connected to any of the robberies or assaults.

Some juveniles arrested in the disorderly conduct and curfew incidents - and their parents - were informed that the juveniles are suspects in the robbery and assault cases, Rush said.

"We're hoping that we're pre-emptive in preventing more instances," she said.

West Philadelphia has experienced a "rash" of juvenile crime for several weeks, said Philadelphia Police Sgt. Charles Layton.

Different juveniles have likely been involved in each crime, Rush said, citing variations among the victims' descriptions of their attacks and assailants. Layton, however, said he believes there is a fairly consistent group whose members vary in each incident.

The recent crimes cast a bad light on area youth, Rush said.

"It puts people at fear when they see little children, and that's a shame," she said.

Tiffany Reed, a West Philadelphia resident who has taken classes at Penn, said a group of juveniles approached her and tried to take her cell phone Tuesday night near 44th and Chestnut streets, which lies outside the Penn patrol zone. The incident has made her uncomfortable around men on the street.

"I don't like feeling afraid of these children," Reed, 24, wrote in an e-mail.

A rundown of the incidents:

n The robbery of a male University employee, 39, on July 7 at about 5:10 p.m. on the 4200 block of Locust Street, who was treated at HUP for a nose fracture and a cut under the eye.

Two male juveniles, ages 13 and 16, both of West Philadelphia, were arrested in connection with the incident and face charges of robbery, aggravated assault and other related offenses.

n The assault of a male visiting professor, 44, near 43rd and Locust streets at about 9 p.m. on July 3. Four male juveniles reportedly punched and kicked the professor, who was treated at HUP for cuts and bruises to his arm and shoulder.

n The assault of a male student, 21, at about 10:15 p.m. on July 7 near 39th and Locust streets.

n The indecent assault of a female student, 20, near 33rd and Chestnut streets on July 10 at about 5 p.m.

n The cell phone of a female student, 21, was taken July 3 in the 3700 block of Locust Street at about 10 p.m.

n The attempted robbery of a man, 43, unaffiliated with the University on the 4200 block of Locust Street on July 3 at about 10 p.m.

n The assault of a man, 28, unaffiliated with the University in the 4000 block of Locust street at about 10 p.m. on July 7.

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