By Diane Brown
Facilities and Operations
Three crime alerts issued
Crime alerts for an attempted rape Oct. 9 near West Hall, an assault and battery in the Arboretum Oct. 9, and a strong-arm robbery Sept. 23 near the Michigan Union were issued by the Department of Public Safety (DPS). Anyone with information regarding these reports should contact DPS, (734) 763-1131.
The attempted rape was reported Oct. 14 by a female student, who indicated she had been grabbed from behind on the at Diag at about 1:30 a.m. Oct. 9, dragged a short distance, held down and assaulted. She described her male assailant as about 6 feet tall with a stocky build, wearing a black ski mask over his face, a black hooded pullover sweatshirt and black pants.
The assault and battery in the Arboretum Oct. 9 was reported by a female jogger. She indicated she had been intentionally tripped from behind by a man around 1 p.m. The man then leaned very close to her and offered to help her up. She pushed him away and fled. The suspect was reported to be 40–45 years old, 5 feet 10 inches tall and 150 pounds with a thin build; gray, well-groomed hair; and brown eyes. He was wearing a pink fluorescent coat, dark jogging shorts and dark blue or black suede athletic shoes.
The Sept. 23 strong arm-robbery was reported to have occurred about 2:30 a.m. near the Michigan Union. The victim reported being pushed into the north entryway alcove and punched in the stomach. The three suspects demanded his wallet and removed his $45 cash before fleeing. The first suspect is described as a 19–20-year-old male, 5 feet 11 inches–6 feet tall, wearing dark-colored clothing with no facial hair and shoulder-length dreadlocks. The second suspect is a similar age and description as the first suspect, though with short black hair and a navy blue sweater. The final suspect is described as a 19–20 year-old female, 5 feet 10 inches tall, with black hair worn in dreadlocks and dark-colored clothing.
Book thief arrested
Solid police work resulted in the arrest Sept. 27 of a 46-year-old man at Pierpont Commons for alleged retail fraud. A DPS officer noticed a car in the parking lot that matched a description given after previous book thefts. The officer watched the passenger in the car as he entered the bookstore, took eight books valued at $100 each, hid them under his coat and attempted to leave.
Bicycles and parts remain hot items
Fourteen incidents of stolen bicycles or parts were reported in September. To reduce theft, bicycles should be secured to bike racks with U-bolt locks. Other locks are not as secure, and small poles can be extracted from the ground.
Larcenies continue at CCRB
DPS detectives continue to investigate a rash of larcenies at the Central Campus Recreation Building (CCRB). Persons, often wearing athletic clothing and not affiliated with the University, gain access to the building and steal gym bags and backpacks that are left unattended near the basketball courts.
To help reduce crime, CCRB users should lock their belongings in nearby lockers (the quarter expense will be returned upon departure), rather than leaving them courtside. Additionally, building users should not let anyone in a building exit door. All persons entering the building should be verified by the entrance monitors.
