UIC police warn students of recent armed robberies near campus
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Following three armed robberies near campus, the University of Illinois at Chicago on Tuesday became the third Chicago university to warn students about spiking violent crimes in recent weeks.
Spokespeople for UIC said they wanted to make two things clear: the three robberies happened just off campus, and they take safety very seriously.
UIC joined DePaul University and Loyola University in issuing safety warnings to students in recent weeks, all related to armed robbery sprees.
Some of the crimes turned violent, even in cases where victims readily handed over whatever those robbery crews demanded.
That was the case in a robbery on the 2200 block of West Congress Parkway, one of three robberies UIC safety officials warned students about on Tuesday.
According to police, a woman was approached by three men in a black hatchback around 9 a.m. Monday morning on Congress Parkway. They got out and demanded her belongings at gunpoint. One of them hit her in the head with his gun before robbing her.
Minutes before, two women were robbed at gunpoint on the 1700 block of West Harrison Street. Police said a crew of four approached them in a black sedan, and two men got out and robbed them at gunpoint.
A short time later, a woman was robbed at gunpoint in the 2200 block of West Polk Street. Police said two men got out of a black SUV and robbed her, and she got herself to South Claremont after calling police.
All three happened within about a mile of the UIC campus, where safety officials said they're warning students for "general public-safety awareness" as Chicago Police investigate.
No one was in custody Tuesday evening.
A spokesperson for DePaul said they continue to make safety efforts in response to the recent armed robberies, some targeting students, with more Chicago police patrols on camps. They've also hired more campus police to increase their presence, especially at night, and they're almost done with a project improving lighting in campus parking garages.
Loyola police last month issued a warning after three students were robbed at gunpoint while standing on the sidewalk outside a campus residence hall. The university has shared six public safety alerts on robberies since June.