ATTEMPTED ROBBERY - NEAR SMITH HALL ON PLEASANT STREET
POSTED: October 31, 2008

On Thursday, October 30th at approximately midnight, a University employee was the victim of an attempted armed robbery near Smith Hall on Pleasant Street.

The victim was moving his moped from the mall side of Smith Hall to the rear loading dock area on Pleasant Street when he was approached by two teenaged males. One of the suspects displayed a knife and demanded the moped. The suspects eventually fled without the moped and were last seen running toward the Washington Avenue Bridge.

The suspects are described as follows:

Suspect 1
East-African male, 16 to 17 years old approximately five feet seven inches tall with a thin build. The suspect was wearing a black baseball cap, black jacket and blue jeans.

Suspect 2
East-African male, 16 to 17 years old, approximately five feet seven inches tall with a thin build. The suspect was wearing a white, pull-over style sweater and blue jeans.

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).

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.)