Armed Robberies Have CSU on Alert

Be extra careful if you're in the vicinity of Chicago State University on Chicago's South Side.

That's the warning police are putting out after three armed robberies were reported in the past month.

On three occasions between March 25 and April 13, female CSU students were either in or heading to their vehicles when they were approached by one or two armed offenders, according to a community alert issued by Calumet Area detectives Tuesday.

In each incident, the offenders approached the victims, demanded money and personal property such as cell phones, then fled the scene.

One incident occurred in a campus parking lot, the other two within a block of the campus in a residential neighborhood where students regularly park, the release said.

Police said the incidents occurred in the area of 97th to 98th streets, between Calumet Avenue and South Martin Luther King Drive.

The offenders in the March 25 incident have been described as two black males, one wearing a dark-colored sweatshirt and the other a dark scarf obscuring his face, the release said.

The offender in the April 1 robbery is described as a black male with an athletic build. He's between 20 and 23 years old, stands about 6-feet, 2-inches tall and weighs about 180 pounds. He has a medium complexion, prominent lips and crooked bottom teeth, the description said.

Police said the suspect in the last incident, on April 13, is a black man between the ages of 18 and 25. He's 5-feet 8-inches to 6-feet tall, weighs between 150 and 185 pounds and has a dark complexion. He was armed with a blue steel revolver and last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, the release said.

Police are advising area residents to park their vehicles in well-lit areas and be aware of people lurking in parking lots.

Anyone with information should call detectives at (312) 747-8273.

Those on campus are asked to call (773) 995-2111, utilize the Code Blue Emergency Phones at campus buildings to notify CSU Police or call 911 to report suspicious persons or activity.