Two University of Georgia students were victims of armed robberies within a half-mile of each other Thursday, officials said.
One was robbed on campus, while the other was robbed just off campus.
About noon, Athens police were called to the 300 block of South Pope Street near Waddell Street, where a 21-year-old student was robbed by a man with a weapon, according to a news release. It’s unclear what weapon the suspect threatened the victim with during the robbery.
The suspect is believed to be in his 20s, was about 6-foot-1, had a slim build and was wearing dark clothing, the release said.
Just before midnight, an 18-year-old UGA student was robbed at gunpoint by two men in the parking lot of the West Deck on campus, university police said in emails to students. The robbery happened in the lower parking lot near Russell Hall, which is about a half-mile from the armed robbery 12 hours earlier.
Two men approached the victim, with one asking to borrow his phone before telling him to get on the ground, the emails said. Both men, who were armed with handguns, then took the teen’s phone, wallet, keys and headphones. The robbers told the student to walk back to the parking deck, according to a UGA police report. He told investigators he saw the suspects running toward Cloverhurst Avenue.
The victim was not injured.
One of the suspects was described as a man in his 20s with short facial hair, while the second was in his 20s with a clean-shaven face. Both were described as 6 feet tall with thin builds. UGA police released two grainy photos of the men.
Athens police also released surveillance video of two men, one of whom is believed to match the description of the suspect in the South Pope Street incident. It’s unknown whether the men in the video are tied to the on-campus armed robbery.
Anyone with information on the South Pope Street armed robbery is asked to contact CrimeStoppers at 706-705-4775 or Athens police at 706-613-330, ext. 522, or 706-613-3330, ext. 556.
Anyone with information about the on-campus armed robbery is asked to contact UGA police at 706-542-2200.
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