A female student was robbed on LaSalle Street around 9:25 a.m. Wednesday. The incident was the second robbery of a student on or near campus in the past five days.
The student was approached by a woman who asked to use her cell phone. After the student gave the woman her phone, the woman pushed the student to the ground and stole her backpack, confirmed Chief John Dailey of the Duke University Police Department.
He said the attacker, who he described as a black female wearing a grey hoodie with a pink vertical stripe, then got into a nearby car and fled the scene with the driver. The driver of the car was a heavy-set black female wearing a white shirt, Dailey said. The vehicle was described as a gray, four-door car.
Dailey said the incident occurred near the LaSalle Street entrance to Erwin Terrace.
No weapons were involved, but the student’s credit cards, bag and computer were stolen. Dailey said that as of about 5 p.m. Wednesday, the suspects had not been identified, but a stolen credit card was used at a Durham gas station.
Because the incident was off campus, the Durham Police Department is handling the case. DUPD is assisting Durham Police in gathering information, Dailey added.
Another student was robbed on East Campus near Jarvis Dormitory after 2 a.m. Saturday, but Dailey said the incidents are likely not related. An individual described as a stocky Hispanic man in his 20s approached a female student, said he had a gun and demanded her purse. The student fled the scene unharmed, and her property was not stolen.
A DukeAlert was issued for Saturday’s incident but not for the LaSalle Street robbery because the incident did not occur on campus, Dailey said.
The recent crimes have brought up questions of safety on and near campus. Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta sent an e-mail to the student body Wednesday afternoon advising students to pay attention to their surroundings and be safe. The message directed students to DUPD’s website for safety tips.
In light of the incidents, Dailey said DUPD is concentrating its patrols in more areas.
Senior Nina Rodriguez said the recent robberies are an indication that Duke needs to increase its security measures on and near campus.
Rodriguez said she walks to campus every day from her apartment in the Lofts at Lakeview, which is located on Erwin Road near LaSalle Street.
“I know that Durham in general can have some unsafe parts... but I never thought LaSalle could be dangerous,” Rodriguez said. “Now, I feel like I might have to think twice about getting to class. I feel like now I might have to be more vigilant about who is around me.”
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