VCU Police investigating string of armed robberies
Richmond police are investigating a string of armed robberies and attempted robberies that all occurred within about an hour of each other.
Oct. 8, 2012: There is breaking news on campus tonight as police confirm six robbery-related incidents occurring on and near campus within an hour of each other.
Produced by Tommy Lopez and Ryan Murphy
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Ryan Murphy
News Editor
Richmond police are investigating a string of armed robberies and attempted robberies that all occurred within about an hour of each other. According to an alert sent via email at 9:34 p.m. Monday, police are investigating two armed robberies, two attempted armed robberies and a brandishing of a firearm.
Police are looking for a suspect described as a black male, about 5′ 8″, 18-20 years old and wearing pajama pants with chilli peppers on them, according to the email.
The one armed robbery and one attempted armed robbery took place near the intersection of Laurel and Cary streets, on VCU’s Monroe Park campus and near the Glading Residence Center student dorms. The other robbery, which was the reason for the initial alert text, occurred at 913 W. Franklin St., also on VCU’s core campus.
Only the armed robberies were reported to students via text message. The other incidents were included in the alert email.
Before any of the alert messages were sent, Hassan Baig, a VCU junior, was getting in his car on the 100 block of East Grace Street when his friend noticed a man with a black bandana over his face and what Baig described as “cartoonish, colorful pajamas” walking toward them. After the two hurriedly got in the vehicle, the man approached and revealed a gun.
“His finger was on the trigger and I thought he was going to pull it,” Baig said. The man then walked west on Grace Street, toward campus.
“We weren’t going to say (anything) and then we got the two text messages,” he said. Baig and his friend approached a police officer outside the Cabell Library and asked if what had happened to them may be related to the text alerts. The police took a statement and the brandishing of a firearm at First and Grace streets was included in the alert email.
Around 10:20 p.m., VCU Police issued another crime alert for an armed robbery at Cary and Belvidere streets. The suspect from that crime is a black male, approximately 5′ 8” wearing a dark grey hoodie with his face covered. It is unclear if it is the same suspect as in earlier incidents.
This is a breaking news update. Check out The CT in print on Thursday, Oct. 10 for more information and follow The CT on Twitter for more information.
