A group of teenagers robbed a Northwestern student Monday night on South Campus, according to a security alert posted Tuesday evening by University Relations.
The suspects accosted the male victim at about 11:15 p.m. on the 1800 block of Hinman Avenue, stealing his wallet and cell phone, the alert said.
According to his statement, the attackers did not display a weapon, and the student did not need medical attention.
The male victim described the suspects as between five and 10 teenagers, both male and female, the statement said.
University Police declined to provide further details when contacted Tuesday night.
Monday’s incident was the first reported robbery of a Northwestern student on the school’s Evanston campus during the 2005-06 school year. In August an NU law student was assaulted in downtown Chicago, more than a mile south of the school’s Chicago campus.
According to University Police statistics, there were two robberies on NU’s Evanston campus in 2002 and six robberies in both 2003 and 2004.
Monday’s robbery occurred on the same block as the UP station. Historic streetlights are the only lighting on the block and there is a blue-light emergency phone in front of the station.
Residence hall 1835 Hinman stands at the north end of the block.
Dmitry Ruzmetov, a post-doctorate physics student, said he frequently walks on the block to travel between his apartment south of campus and NU.
“I was walking here last night at 11:45 p.m.,” Ruzmetov said Tuesday. “On this stretch I didn’t see anybody.”
Being close to Lake Michigan makes it a safer neighborhood than other parts of Evanston, he said.
“In the evening, just before going to bed, I walk in this area,” Ruzmetov said. “It’s always safe.”
Communication sophomore Christine Fasan said she doesn’t worry about security in the area.
“I don’t think it’s a huge issue here, but unfortunately things like that happen,” Fasan said.
But McCormick freshman Jim Smallwood said he would avoid walking alone on the street during the night.
“Other than that, I’d feel perfectly safe if I was in a group,” Smallwood said.
– Greg Hafkin
