Two armed men broke into a North Philadelphia residence close to the Temple University campus on Friday and robbed 11 students.
The break-in occurred at an off-campus property in the 1300 block of North 15th Street at around 6.00 A.M., a few blocks south of Temple’s main campus. According to a university official, the apartment is outside the Temple police patrol area.
Police said the armed suspects broke into the apartment while the 11 students were sleeping and stole the students’ cellular phones, credit and debit cards, and the keys to a Lincoln MKZ with the Pennsylvania license plate KMF-1560.
Investigators believe the suspects left the house in the stolen car. There were no reported injuries.
‘I Had a Panic Attack’
The robbery occurred after one of the victims answered a knock at the door and two attackers entered the house, according to the students, who spoke to ABC Philadelphia station WPVI.
“They would yell at us if we would cry,” one of the victims said. “I had, like, a panic attack midway through and I wanted to throw up.”
Since Friday’s incident, Temple has urged students to use shuttle services, download safety apps, and learn more about its Best Nest Program, which helps students find off-campus housing within the campus police’s designated patrol area. Students can use the program to find off-campus residences that satisfy “certain safety and security criteria.”
Anyone with information regarding the incident can call or text the Philadelphia police tip line at (215) 686-8477 or submit an anonymous tip online.