A Northwestern student was robbed on the university’s campus Wednesday night, University Police said. It was the second on-campus robbery this week.
An Evanston man was charged with robbery and two minors were named in juvenile petitions in connection with the incident at 2121 Sheridan Rd., said Sergeant Tim Reusse of University Police.
University Relations identified the victim as a 20-year-old Weinberg sophomore.
The student told police he was walking northbound on the east side of Sheridan Road at about 10:15 p.m. when he saw three young males walking in a row in front of him, Reusse said.
The student began walking faster and passed the three subjects. One of them grabbed him forcefully by the back of his backpack, Reusse said.
One of the offenders asked the student for a dollar, Reusse said, but he said he didn’t have one.
The three attackers then grabbed the student, forcing him into a university parking lot immediately north of Lunt Hall, said Alan Cubbage, vice president of university relations.
No weapons were displayed, but one offender told the student to give him money or he was going to “drop him,” Reusse said.
The student gave the offenders about $225 in cash. They then fled westbound on Library Place, Reusse said.
The student called UP and gave them a description of his attackers, according to an e-mail message sent Thursday morning to the Evanston NU community.
A UP officer spotted three people matching the description of the assailants heading westbound on the 800 block of Foster Street, according to the e-mail.
The three suspects were brought back to the university parking lot where the student positively identified them, Reusse said. They were then brought to the UP station for further questioning.
Evanston resident Conroy Wint, 17, was charged with robbery, and the juveniles were petitioned to the court for further processing, Reusse said.
Wint was held overnight at the Evanston Police Department and was transported to Circuit Court in Skokie for his bond hearing Thursday morning.
Wint received a $25,000 bond, Reusse said. His next scheduled court appearance is May 22 at 10:30 a.m. at the Skokie courthouse.
UP is investigating any connection between this incident and the robbery of an NU student near Bobb Hall Tuesday night, Cubbage said.
“There is a good possibility there’s a connection,” Reusse said.
Kate Schultz, who lives in Bobb, said the robbery happened right outside her window.
“It kind of freaked me out because I always walk that way at night,” the SESP freshman said. “Even if you take the shuttle, you have to walk through there – on the sidewalk where it happened.”
Incidents like this on campus are “highly unusual,” Cubbage said.
“The (incidents) last night and the night before were definitely an unusual set of circumstances,” Cubbage said.
After Tuesday night’s robbery, security on campus was increased, Cubbage said. More UP patrols were added in the North Campus area, along with an additional contract security officer, Cubbage said.
Cubbage reiterated that students should be conscious of their surroundings.
“In general, be aware and exercise caution both off campus and on campus,” Cubbage said.
Students should use the shuttle service and Escort Service whenever possible, Cubbage said.
Luke Tanen, who lives at 809 Foster St., said he saw the arrest of the three suspects on his lawn.
The Communication junior said seeing the arrest didn’t necessarily make him feel safer because it only involved three people.
“I feel safe on campus,” Tanen said. “Off campus, when it gets late, (I feel) a little less safe.”
Reach Elizabeth Campbell at [email protected].
