ROBBERY - Centennial Hall
POSTED: January 28, 2008

On Friday, January 25 at approximately 4:20 p.m. a University of Minnesota student was the victim of an armed robbery in Centennial Hall. *This is not believed to be a random attack.* The victim invited three acquaintances into his room and one of the suspects displayed a handgun in his waistband. The victim was threatened and robbed and the suspects fled the room. The victim was not injured.

The three suspects are described as follows:

Suspect 1
Somali male, tall. The suspect was wearing an NYC baseball hat, a white coat with a blue striped shirt underneath, and Tanner boots. The suspect was carrying a handgun in his waistband.

Suspect 2
Somali male, approximately five feet, five inches tall. The suspect was wearing a black skull cap, a black hooded sweatshirt with a blue striped shirt underneath.

Suspect 3
Somali female with a birthmark on the side of her face. The suspect was wearing a white scarf wrap and was carrying a gold and black purse.

Racial descriptors alone are not a valid reason to profile or cast suspicion on an individual. In cases of serious crime such as this we may include them only as part of the totality of circumstances, if it may reasonably assist in the identification of the perpetrators.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the University of Minnesota Police Department at 612-624-COPS (2677).

Minnesota Daily Article Link:
http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2008/01/28/72165202

Please remember the following:

* When threatened with a weapon, it's best not to resist. Your personal safety is more important than a lost wallet or cell phone.
* Always be aware of your surroundings
* Walk in well lit areas and don't walk alone. If you can't find someone to walk with, call the Campus Escort service at 612-624-WALK for a free security escort.
* Carry minimal amounts of valuables
* Keep written records of valuables, including model and serial numbers, in a safe place
* Call 911 immediately if you are the victim or witness to a crime
* Document information about the suspect for police (i.e. clothing descriptions, facial features, piercings or tattoos, speech, etc.)