The South East Chicago Commission [SECC] issued a crime bulletin this week for the University, after 12 incidents occurred in the last two months in Hyde Park, ranging from robberies and attempted robberies to aggravated batteries, all involving victims who have been walking alone. Because of the varying descriptions of the offenders, the number of offenders and the difference in the times of the crimes, SECC has not identified a pattern that would lead investigators to assume that the crime is organized. However, students should know about these incidents and that officers continue to investigate.

On February 16 at 12:45 a.m., four male offenders got out of a parked car and confronted a male victim, walking alone in the 1100 block of East 56th Street. One of the offenders was armed with a baseball bat. The offenders knocked the victim to the ground, took his wallet, and drove off in the car.

UCPD arrested two individuals in an attempted robbery on February 15 on the 1100 block of East 53rd Street. At 4:05 p.m., a UCPD officer observed two males near Currency Exchange acting in a suspicious manner. When one individual exited the Currency Exchange, the two offenders followed him. They approached the victim and attacked him. There was an ensuing struggle in which the officer intervened, the offenders fled on foot, but were arrested by responding UCPD officers. Both men, Edward Woods, 23, and Devell Woods, 30, were arrested and charged.