Prince George’s County Police are looking for a man who attempted to rob a student on College Avenue early yesterday morning.
A male student left a party and was walking down the 4600 block of College Avenue toward a bus stop at about 1:30 a.m. when he came upon a man fighting with an unknown individual, according to the student and a crime alert sent yesterday by University Police.
The man then approached the victim, brandished a knife and demanded his wallet while pressing the knife to his chest. The victim threw his cell phone on the ground and fled once the perpetrator went to retrieve it. The perpetrator then fled toward the College Park Metro Station without the cell phone. The phone was later returned to the victim by a witness.
The victim was intoxicated, so the story is still hazy and some details remain unclear, said District 1 Assistant Commander Daniel Lipsey.
Lipsey said the victim called police and university patrol units from the campus responded. The victim suffered minor cuts on his chest, but was treated at the scene.
It is unknown who the perpetrator was fighting with, what caused the fight or where the unknown individual went during the attempted robbery.
Lipsey said police have some leads in the case, but are still checking security cameras and canvassing the neighborhood. Lipsey also said the police generally recommend people cooperate in dangerous situations. But he added that if given the opportunity to run, it’s not always a bad idea, and each situation is different.
Witnesses are encouraged to call the Prince George’s County Police with any details on the incident. The suspect is described as Hispanic, about 21 years old, 5’6″ and 140 pounds with black hair. He was wearing a black hat, a black puffy coat and dark jeans.
Despite the attempted robbery and other recent incidents, students living in the area say they feel there is a tentative air of safety in the area. But they still understand the importance of being aware.
A sign posted near where the crime took place advises students to “Be Smart … Be Safe.”
Senior economics major Will Berkis said he’s never run into any problems at his house just a block away from College Avenue, but he is still wary.
“I feel like it’s coming,” Berkis said, referring to crime affecting him personally. If the police patrolled the area more frequently to intimidate potential criminals, there would be less crime, he said.
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