Robbery Attempt At Modesto Junior College Has Students On Edge
MODESTO (CBS13) - A classroom crime in Modesto has police looking for three suspects, and has students looking over their shoulders.
A student at Modesto Junior College says three guys approached her in class this morning demanding money. School officials say this is the first anything like this has ever happened. The student arrived early, went into the classroom, and that's when the suspect showed up.
"That's pretty scary," said student Jennifer Moua.
"But for that to happen in the morning, that's pretty scary," said student Justine Levalley.
Students and college security are on high alert after an attempted robbery in a classroom.
"My friend had a morning class with her," said Moua.
Jennifer Moua says her friend consoled the victim, a young lady alone in class who was waiting for her professor. The victim was startled by a stranger all of a sudden.
"Apparently there were two other gentlemen in the hall," said college administrator Peggy Kroll.
It was three men total; two in the hallway and the guy now with her.
The suspect walked in and demanded money.
"She said: 'I don't have any money'," said Kroll.
"His hand was kind of in his shirt," said Mousa.
"[The] student thought he might have a gun," said Kroll.
Once the suspect learned she didn't have any cash, the three men ran away and so did the victim -- straight for a professor who called 9-1-1.
"She was supposedly crying in class," said Mousa.
"She was pretty upset I guess," said Kroll.
The three suspects got away.
Security is beefed up tonight with patrols on guard. The student body leadership is now getting involved, and many here still can't believe what happened.
"I feel a little unsafe, especially at night," said Levalley.
"It's school. You're supposed to feel safe compared to elsewhere because you have monitored security and everything, said student Robert Baird. "And for people to come here and rob you while you're trying to better yourself, it's like why?"
Students are also notifying as many students as they can to let them know about what happened this morning. They also have escorts to make sure students make it to their cars safely.
