Suspects at large in 2 local robberies

By Jack Gillum

Santa Clara police are asking for the public's help in identifying several suspects, who they say robbed two university students last month.

In both cases, the students were overtaken and robbed in the surrounding university neighborhood, said Lt. James Buchanan, a police department spokesman.

The first robbery took place on April 16 after 3 a.m. at the 1000 block of Bellomy Street, police said. Another occurred shortly before 1 a.m. on April 30 near Alviso and Benton streets.

No weapons were involved, police said.

It was unclear what injuries the victims sustained, if any.

Police describe the suspects in the April 16 robbery as three black men in a late-model, dark-colored Jeep Cherokee. The April 30 victim said the suspects were four black men in their early 20s, about six feet tall and between 150 and 180 pounds, all wearing dark hooded sweatshirts.

Few other details were available.

Buchanan said that Santa Clara police have alerted local businesses in the area. Campus Safety plans to continue patrols and will be on the lookout for suspicious activity, Director Charles Arolla said.

"We don't want to make people feel afraid," Buchanan said. "We just want to make people aware." Police recommend that students walk in well-lit areas and travel in groups.

An investigation is ongoing, authorities said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Sgt. Brian Gilbert at (408) 615-4800 or call 911 to report suspicious activity.

û Contact Jack Gillum at (408) 554-4849 or jgillum@scu.edu.