Early this morning between 4:45 a.m. and 5:20 a.m. two armed street robberies occurred near the UO campus. In separate, but similar cases, a suspect approached victims and demanded their cell phones and other items in their pockets while being armed with a handgun.
In both cases the suspect was described to be a black male in his 20s, approximately 5’10” tall, with a medium build, clean shaven, and wearing a black, hooded sweatshirt with a black, puffy vest.
In the first incident, a man reported to Eugene Police around 4:45 a.m. that he was robbed at gunpoint near 20th Avenue and Patterson Street. The suspect was described as a black male wearing all black clothing, and was reported to have pointed a gun and demanded valuables including cell phone.
In the second incident, a female UO student reported to UO Police via campus emergency phone, that at about 5:05 a.m. she was robbed at gunpoint near the Delta Delta Delta sorority, 851 E. 15th Ave. She described the suspect as a black male in his early 20s, clean-shaven, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, dark puffy jacket, and dark jeans. The suspect reportedly pointed a handgun at the woman and demanded valuables including a cell phone. The suspect then fled west.
Officers from EPD, including a K9, and University of Oregon Police Department investigated the crimes and were unable to locate or identify the suspect.
Eugene Police noticed a Twitter feed from Portland Police Bureau a few days ago alerting followers to a very similar series of crimes in the Portland area:
“Today, December 3, 2015 between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m., North Precinct officers responded to multiple robberies involving cellphones in North Portland. These robberies, one near N. Mississippi and N. Morgan and the others in the vicinity of the 6900 block of N. Interstate involved at least one suspect, possibly armed with a handgun.
At least one suspect was involved and is described as a black male, late teens to twenties, about 5'9" with a thin build and black jacket. It is possible a second suspect was involved.
Officers have notified Robbery Detectives and are continuing to investigate. Anyone with information is asked to call 503-823-0405. ”
EPD will be following up with Portland Police Bureau as more information is obtained.
Anyone with information about these or similar incidents should call Eugene Police at 541.682.5111 or University of Oregon Police at 541-346-2919.###