Content warning: This article mentions physical violence.

At least six armed robberies took place on and near campus Thursday, January 12, according to two emails sent by Associate Vice President for Safety & Security Eric Heath.

Following the second round of robberies on Thursday morning, the University of Chicago Police Department (UCPD) located a fleeing vehicle, a white 2018 Nissan Altima with Illinois license plate DC36029, believed to have been involved in all of the incidents.

After a pursuit, UCPD detained and arrested the suspects and turned them over to the Chicago Police Department (CPD). Per the email, CPD will determine applicable charges and present the cases to the State’s Attorney.

“Images and videos from the University’s fixed and license plate reader camera network were instrumental in identifying the vehicle and providing information to responding UCPD and CPD officers,” Heath wrote in his second email early Thursday afternoon.

Heath’s first email, sent early Thursday morning, detailed three incidents that happened overnight. The first occurred at approximately 12:55 a.m. Thursday, when four suspects in a white sedan robbed a University faculty member exiting their parked vehicle near near the intersection of 54th and South Greenwood Avenue. The suspects demanded the faculty member’s property and struck the individual before fleeing southward in the sedan.

Then, at approximately 12:56 a.m., two suspects armed with handguns approached four University students walking on the sidewalk at 5426 South Greenwood Avenue and demanded property from them. The suspects fled southbound in the white sedan after robbing the victims.

Later, at approximately 1:05 a.m., three suspects armed with handguns exited a white sedan and approached several University students walking near the Burton-Judson Courts dormitory at 1005 East 60th Street. They robbed two students before reentering the vehicle and driving westbound toward South Cottage Grove Avenue.

The victims of all three incidents reported no physical injuries and declined medical attention, per Heath’s first email. All of the overnight incidents are under investigation by CPD.

Heath’s second email said that around 10:22 a.m. Thursday morning, the suspect vehicle “had returned to the area and was involved in several additional robberies.” The email did not reveal specific details about the robberies.

After the suspects were arrested, UCPD recovered the vehicle, several weapons, and suspected proceeds from the robberies. The vehicle had been reported stolen to CPD.

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