MINNEAPOLIS — According to the University of Minnesota's SAFE-U emergency alerts, in the last week there were four separate robberies near and on campus. In all of the cases, the suspects were armed with guns.
Each robbery happened in broad daylight between 1 and 3 p.m. The latest occurred off-campus Sunday afternoon near University Avenue Southeast and 10th Avenue Southeast. The suspects left the area in a black Dodge Durango.
Last Friday, there were two separate cases that both occurred off campus on 4th Street Southeast between 28th and 29th Avenues Southeast. One was an attempted carjacking in which the victim was able to drive away. The second incident involved taking the victim's phone. The suspects left the area in a yellow sedan.
Wednesday, Nov. 3, the suspect took the victim's purse and got into a silver SUV. It happened on campus near Dartmouth and Erie Streets Southeast.
Minneapolis police are leading the investigations into the off-campus crimes. However, MPD and the University of Minnesota Police Department often work together, sharing information and resources.
The university police chief talked about this at the beginning of the semester when he laid out a safety plan in response to rising crime on and near campus, especially in the Dinkytown area. That plan included adding eight blue-light kiosks that are equipped with cameras and can connect people to 911 dispatchers. They also brought in safety ambassadors to escort students on their walks.
The U of M offers students a long list of safety tips.