Public Safety Posts Two Alerts From Recent Incidents

Public Safety would like to inform the University of St. Thomas community of two thefts in Anderson Student Center.

Monday, Feb. 8, at approximately 5:30 p.m., a St. Thomas student reported she went to use the first floor women’s restroom in the Anderson Student Center. The student set her backpack down in the restroom while she went to the bathroom. When the student was done, she discovered her backpack, containing a laptop and other personal
property, was gone.

At approximately 5:36 p.m., a second student reported she had been studying in the ASC atrium. She got up from the couch she was sitting at to use the restroom. The student left her backpack, containing a laptop and several pieces of personal property, next to the couch. When the student returned, her backpack was gone.

Through investigation, Public Safety identified two suspects in this incident. Suspect #1 was described as a black female with light skin tone, glasses, with pink hair in a tight bun, wearing a black hoodie under a jean jacket with black sleeves. Suspect #2 was described as a white female, with red curly shoulder length hair, wearing black pants and a black sweatshirt.

The University of St. Thomas believes that descriptors alone are not a valid reason to profile or cast suspicion on any individual. They are included here because they may reasonably assist in identifying the perpetrator of this incident.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to call Public Safety at (651) 962-5100 or the St. Paul Police Department at (651) 291-1111.

For more information, see Public Safety's Feb. 9 Alert.

Public Safety also would like to inform the St. Thomas community of several groping and attempted groping incidents near campus.

Monday, Feb. 8, at approximately 1:00 p.m., a St. Thomas student reported she was walking back to campus along Cleveland Avenue. A male suspect approached the student and began making unwanted advances towards her. As the student approached the Signal Care Auto Garage, the suspect stated he was going to grab the student’s  buttocks. The student then got the attention of an employee at Signal Care, went inside, and called the SPPD. The suspect continued north along Cleveland Avenue, but then turned and fled southbound on foot.

Public Safety has since learned of similar incidents near Macalester College and St. Catherine University. On Wednesday, Feb. 3, at 1:45 p.m. , SPPD reported a female victim was groped at Summit Avenue and Fry Street. St. Kate’s Public Safety also has reported that two female victims were groped near their campus on Feb. 2 and 9.

SPPD is actively investigating all of these incidents.

The suspect has been described as a black male, approximately 6’ 0” – 6’ 4” tall, with a thin build, wearing glasses, with dreadlocks pulled into a ponytail. He has been observed wearing a black sweatshirt with a black stocking cap in one incident, and a thick gray jacket and tan pants in another.

The University of St. Thomas believes that descriptors alone are not a valid reason to profile or cast suspicion on any individual. They are included here because they may reasonably assist in identifying the perpetrator of this incident.

Anyone else who had contact with the suspect is encouraged to contact SPPD at 651 291-1111.

For more information, see Public Safety’s Feb. 9 Advisory. Other recent alerts, advisories and bulletins, as well as crime prevention and safety tips, also are posted on the St. Thomas Public Safety website.