To: All Faculty & All Academic Professionals & All Civil Service Staff &
           All Undergrad Students & All Grad Students <everybody@illinois.edu> 
    From: "Chief of Police Barbara O'Connor" <dpscomments@illinois.edu>

Reply-To: dps-mail@illinois.edu
 Subject: CRIME-ALERT

The University of Illinois Police Department has recently received 
information from the Champaign Police Department about an Aggravated 
Battery that occurred on August 18, 2010 at approximately 3:10 a.m. in 
the 600 block of South Fourth Street, Champaign.

The victim, a twenty-one year old male, was walking on the sidewalk in 
the area of Fourth Street and Healey Street when he was approached by 
three individuals.  One of these individuals asked the victim if he had a 
lighter.  The victim went to retrieve his lighter when he was struck in 
the face by this offender.  The victim attempted to flee the area when he 
was chased by the other two suspects and knocked to the ground.  While on 
the ground, the offenders kicked and punched the victim.  The offenders 
then ran northbound on Fourth Street.

The victim was then approached by two unknown males and a female asking 
if he needed assistance.  These two unknown males also ran after the 
three offenders.

The offenders were described as black males between the ages of 18 to 25 
years old.  One offender was described as having a slender build, 5'10" 
tall, 180 lbs. with a light complexion and dark hair.  Another offender 
was also described as having a light complexion.  These are the only 
descriptors the victim could provide.  However, the tactic used by these 
offenders is similar to other offenses committed in the campus district.

Therefore, the University and Champaign Police caution the community to 
be suspicious of groups of male subjects approaching individuals walking 
alone at night and asking to borrow a lighter, cell phone, or other 
property as this appears to be a tactic to allow the opportunity to 
commit a crime.  

The victim received minor injuries from this incident including abrasions.

Anyone with information about this incident particularly those that 
approached the victim and rendered assistance should call the Champaign 
Police Department at 217-351-4545.  Information also can be shared 
anonymously through Crimestoppers by calling 217-373-TIPS or online at:  
http://www.champaigncountycrimestoppers.com/  

Crimes in progress, reporting of suspicious individuals or any event 
requiring a police response should be reported immediately to our 
regional dispatch center by calling 9-1-1.

Crime prevention information can be found on the University of Illinois 
Division of Public Safety website at 
http://www.publicsafety.illinois.edu/universitypolice/campussafety.html

Updates to crime alerts can also be found at 
http://www.publicsafety.illinois.edu 

The University of Illinois Police Department does not use race as an 
identifier in our Crime Alerts unless the descriptors are unique enough 
to aid the community in identifying the offender.  To be more specific, 
we do not use race as an identifier unless the description is 
sufficiently detailed that it would aid in the investigation and 
apprehension of the offender(s). 

Barbara O'Connor, J.D.

Executive Director of Public Safety

Chief of Police

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

This mailing approved by:
The Office of the Chief of Police

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