2008 Woodie Awards
Spate of robberies hits areas around campus
By: Wenjia Zhang
Issue date: 1/22/08 Section: News
Last update: 1/22/08 at 6:56 AM EST
Last update: 1/22/08 at 6:56 AM EST
A string of events-including the death of a graduate student by gunshot, a near-robbery of a recent graduate and two armed robberies-has left students questioning the strength of existing off-campus security measures this weekend.
A graduate student and a Duke employee reported separate armed robberies near the Poplar Manor Apartments on Campus Walk Drive less than one mile from West Campus around 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Sunday night, respectively.
The graduate student said he gave the gunman his wallet, cell phone and iPod, and the Duke employee said the criminal robbed him of his wallet as he walked home with his wife.
Both victims described the criminal as a five-feet-eight-inches tall black male wearing a black coat with brown fur trim, black pants and white sneakers. The man was also described as wearing a black or black-and-white bandana.
Similar suspects have been linked to a series of robberies-more than 30 since Jan. 1-targeting the Hispanic community, according to a Durham Police Department press release.
Nine of the cases were reported between 6:26 p.m. Friday and 6:43 p.m. Saturday.
"In most cases, the victims are robbed in parking lots of apartment complexes and most of the robberies occur at gunpoint," the DPD statement reads. "The majority of the robberies are reported between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m., and the suspects usually take cash, wallets and/or cell phones. The number of suspects ranges from one to three, and the suspects are usually described as black males dressed in dark clothing."
A Duke student also said a driver for the Devil's Delivery Services was robbed at gunpoint over the weekend. No further information regarding the incident was available as of Monday night.
Friday night close call
A recent graduate, who currently works in Durham and lives on Watts Street one block east of East Campus said he and a colleague were followed by a silver sport utility vehicle that matched the description of the vehicle involved in the Jan. 19 armed robbery of another Duke student, who is also a colleague of the recent graduate.
A graduate student and a Duke employee reported separate armed robberies near the Poplar Manor Apartments on Campus Walk Drive less than one mile from West Campus around 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Sunday night, respectively.
The graduate student said he gave the gunman his wallet, cell phone and iPod, and the Duke employee said the criminal robbed him of his wallet as he walked home with his wife.
Both victims described the criminal as a five-feet-eight-inches tall black male wearing a black coat with brown fur trim, black pants and white sneakers. The man was also described as wearing a black or black-and-white bandana.
Similar suspects have been linked to a series of robberies-more than 30 since Jan. 1-targeting the Hispanic community, according to a Durham Police Department press release.
Nine of the cases were reported between 6:26 p.m. Friday and 6:43 p.m. Saturday.
"In most cases, the victims are robbed in parking lots of apartment complexes and most of the robberies occur at gunpoint," the DPD statement reads. "The majority of the robberies are reported between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m., and the suspects usually take cash, wallets and/or cell phones. The number of suspects ranges from one to three, and the suspects are usually described as black males dressed in dark clothing."
A Duke student also said a driver for the Devil's Delivery Services was robbed at gunpoint over the weekend. No further information regarding the incident was available as of Monday night.
Friday night close call
A recent graduate, who currently works in Durham and lives on Watts Street one block east of East Campus said he and a colleague were followed by a silver sport utility vehicle that matched the description of the vehicle involved in the Jan. 19 armed robbery of another Duke student, who is also a colleague of the recent graduate.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
meta analysis
posted 1/22/08 @ 11:41 AM EST
Interesting lack of comments to this article. Could it be because the fact that Latinos are targets of crime in far higher numbers than Duke students isn't of such concern to readers looking for any excuse to push their lax agendas? Given that this crime wave seems to be targeting Latinos and the fact that crime generally goes up when the economy is tanking, perhaps Brodhead and "dysfunctional Durham" are less to blame than the failed economic and immigration policies of the Bush administration. (Continued…)
All Business
posted 1/22/08 @ 12:38 PM EST
The Bush administration's policy of not enforcing immigration law has been the dead on right thing to do. Americans fresh out of college have a vastly inflated assessment of their value. (Continued…)
What are you ranting about
posted 1/23/08 @ 11:14 AM EST
Lack of comments could be due to a host of reasons and it is funny you bring your own agenda to this issue. Sure the current US administration's policies may contribute to the problem, but I would argue the recent cold weather may be just as much of a factor. (Continued…)
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