Temple University Students Concerned About Crime After 2 Armed Robberies Near Campus Monday Night
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- More troubling crime near Temple University. Philadelphia police are searching for several suspects in two armed robberies that happened within hours of each other.
As police search for those suspects, students say they worry about the crime happening so close to campus.
"It's very concerning," Temple freshman Grace Franklin said.
Philadelphia police rushed to the 1500 block of Bouvier Street around 6:45 Monday night after officers say four armed teenagers forced someone out of their car and took off.
Then hours later, at 10 p.m., Temple Police were called to Carlisle and Dauphin Streets when police say three gunmen took two students' backpacks.
The university sent students an alert about both armed robberies.
"There's usually not that many in one day," Franklin said.
"It's kind of shocking, especially because the goal of Temple was to brighten up North Philly," another student said.
Parents are concerned too and held a rally on campus Monday.
"I want it safe for everybody. I want it safe for the students and the community," parent Virginia Jorgensen said.
"I'm a dad, and what I tell students, I tell my family," Charlie Leone, Temple's director of campus safety, said.
Temple's director of campus safety says the university is committing to hiring about 40 additional officers to beef up security and just started interviewing candidates Monday.
"We understand the urgency," Leone said.
But until more officers can be added to the force, they've asked Philadelphia police and Allied Universal for more assistance.
"We have our Philadelphia police officers that are working extra hours as well that we're supplementing their salary for that. And then we also have our security bike patrols with Allied Universal and they're all working extra hours," Leone said.
Some students have noticed added patrols.
"Temple's been handling everything really well. I think we've seen a lot of increased police presence and our security guards really know what they're doing," Franklin said.
Parents say Temple needs to tackle off-campus crime. One father said his son, who's a sophomore, is transferring out of Temple to another school next semester because of all the violent crime near campus.