Dear campus community member:

We would like to inform you of a crime that has recently occurred in the campus area so you have the information you need to take the appropriate precautions. This Campus Safety Notice is issued in accordance with a federal law requiring universities to disclose information about crime to aid in the prevention of similar crimes and to assist in the identification of offenders.

This message alone is not necessarily an indication that crime rates on campus have increased or that a pattern of crime has emerged. For a more comprehensive look at crime in your area, please visit CrimeReports.com or visit the University of Illinois Police Department to view the daily crime log.

The following attempted robbery took place at 6:40 p.m. on Sunday, October 7, 2018, outside of the Chemistry Annex, 601 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana (map):

A U. of I. student was walking across the main Quad, where he was approached by three young people on bicycles. It was reported that they began to yell at the student, and two of the three struck him and demanded his cellphone. A brief struggle over the cellphone ensued before bystanders approached to help, and the young people rode away. The student was not injured.

One of the offenders was described as a black male in his teens wearing a white T-shirt. Another was a black male in a red-orange T-shirt. All three were riding bicycles, and one of the bicycles was black and neon green. Witnesses were unable to provide a description of the third person, who was not involved in striking the student.

Information about the race or ethnicity of alleged offenders is provided only to aid detailed descriptions that include physical stature, clothing or unusual characteristics. Racial descriptions do not, by themselves, offer a meaningful picture of an individual’s appearance.

The University of Illinois Police Department has a full complement of officers patrolling the campus area, and we are fortunate to have our force supplemented by the Urbana and Champaign police departments. Between these agencies, the Urbana campus is one of the most highly-patrolled areas in the region. More than 1,800 security cameras are posted around campus to deter crime and identify offenders.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the University of Illinois Police Department at 217-333-1216. Witnesses may remain anonymous by calling Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-8477 (373-TIPS), by visiting www.373tips.com or by providing information through the P3 Tips mobile app available on iOS and Android. All messages to Crime Stoppers are electronically stripped of identifying information and forwarded to police by an independent third party.

This is our community. Let's stay together.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus is a very safe one, but a community of our size will never be crime-free. U. of I. Police and its partner law enforcement agencies work hard to prevent crime and to quickly identify and arrest offenders when crime occurs, but you play the most important role in keeping our campus community safe. 

  • Stay together. Do not walk alone at night. Travel in groups and in well-lit areas. Call 217-333-1216 for a SafeWalks escort if you need one.
  • Be alert, and trust your instincts. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. Call police if something looks odd — we're happy to assist, and even the smallest bit of information could prevent another crime.
  • Watch out for each other. Call 9-1-1 immediately if you or someone else is in danger. The University encourages students to take appropriate action to protect others’ safety by reducing students’ fear of legal or disciplinary consequences to the victim or themselves. For more information, please review the Medical Amnesty and Good Samaritan procedures.
  • If you choose to consume alcohol, please be responsible. Remember your ability to respond is diminished by overconsumption of alcohol.

Please take a moment to review these resources we have made available to keep you informed, and consider liking UIPD on Facebook, following us on Twitter or subscribing to our news feed to receive regular updates.

   
     
   
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