News
WUPD alerts students to spate of off-campus armed robberies
Four armed robberies occurred in the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood Sept. 6 and 7, according to a crime alert sent by the Washington University Police Department, Sept. 8.
The first armed robbery happened at 2 a.m. on Sept. 6 in the 6000 block of Westminster Place. Two males approached a Washington University student, displayed a handgun and punched the student before taking his property and driving away.

The next three robberies occurred within a short time frame and distance from each other at approximately 11:35 p.m. on Sept. 7. The first robbery involved two Washington University students walking near Laurel and Westminster Place who were approached by two male subjects. Similar to the robbery on Sept. 6, the men displayed a handgun, took the students’ property and then drove away.
The second robbery of the night, taking place in the 5800 block of Pershing, did not involve a Washington University student, but was similar to the previous incidents.
The third robbery occurred on the 6000 block of Pershing Avenue. A Washington University graduate student was sitting in his car with the window open when two subjects approached him. According to the crime alert, “one of the subjects punched the student through the window, opened the door of the vehicle and took the student’s personal property.” The subjects left the scene in a vehicle.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating all four robberies.
According to WUPD Chief of Police Mark Glenn, WUPD does not have any additional details at the time and are working with the with the city of St. Louis to understand why the incidents were concentrated in the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood.
“We partner very well with St. Louis Metropolitan Police; we’re coordinating those patrols at this time. We’re also moving our bike squad into the area for the time being, the entire squad,” Glenn said. “So we’ll have a couple teams of bike officers patrolling in that area, and then again whenever we coordinate with St. Louis city, to make sure that we’re complementing each other on our patrols in that area.”
Glenn also wants to remind students to use the Noonlight app and to remain alert of their surroundings when traveling home.
“We also want to remind people when they pull up in the vehicles to really check their surroundings before they park and then, once they park, to immediately exit the vehicle and go on to their apartment, try to avoid drawing your attention elsewhere when you’re parking,” Glenn said. “We’ll be more than happy to have a WUPD officer come and escort them from their car into their apartment. Our officers are ready to do that. When they receive the call, we’ll get to the areas as quick as possible and make sure people go from their car to their apartment safely.”