Student robbed on 300 block of Comstock
The Department of Public Safety is actively investigating an armed robbery that occurred north of Haven Hall Thursday night, DPS Chief Tony Callisto said.
An unknown male approached a Syracuse University student Thursday at 7:55 p.m. on the 300 block of Comstock Avenue and fled with the victim’s wallet after brandishing a knife, according to a DPS Public Safety notice e-mailed to SU students Friday morning. The man fled on foot away from campus, towards East Genesee Street.
Prior to the incident, the victim and suspect talked and went between two houses on Comstock to perform a property transaction, Callisto said. When the victim pulled out his wallet to purchase, the male displayed a three-to-four inch blade and ordered the victim to give him all his money. Callisto said he was unable to release what the property under sale was because it would hurt the case, but that it was a ‘regular, legal piece of property.’
The student did not sustain any injuries.
The victim called DPS within minutes of the incident and met DPS and the Syracuse City Police Department in the 500 block of Comstock. Callisto said once DPS would alert the campus when they had more information.
Callisto said students should try to stay safe and remember they live in a city setting.
‘Students should follow the basic safety rules,’ Callisto said. ‘Don’t walk alone at night. Don’t meet with anyone who wants to sell you something on a street corner.’
This is the first armed robbery to occur this semester, but a strong armed robbery occurred the first weekend of the semester in Walnut park, Callisto said. Last year he said there were several armed robberies involving students, but they happened further off campus in places like Fellows or Columbus avenues.
DPS is asking for the help of those who might have been in the area Thursday night. The suspect is described as a male in his early 20s, five-feet-eleven-inches tall with a thin build. He has two small tattoos under the corner of his eyes, one possibly shaped like a lightning bolt, and a small diamond stud nose ring. The suspect was last seen wearing a red Phillies baseball backwards, dark colored jeans and a sweatshirt.
Published on October 7, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Contact Dara: dkmcbrid@syr.edu | @daramcbride
