Dear campus community member:
We would like to inform you of a crime that has recently occurred in the campus area so you have the information you need to take the appropriate precautions. This Campus Safety Notice is issued in accordance with a federal law requiring universities to disclose information about crime to aid in the prevention of similar crimes and to assist in the identification of offenders.
This message alone is not necessarily an indication that crime rates on campus have increased or that a pattern of crime has emerged. For a more comprehensive look at crime in your area, you can view the daily crime log.
The following robbery took place at approximately 11:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 22, at the intersection of Springfield Ave. and Wright St., Urbana (map):
A man reported he was walking near the intersection of Springfield Ave. and Wright St. when he was struck from behind with a tree branch. The victim reported three men were present when he was repeatedly struck and his backpack was taken. The offenders ran south and left the area on a MTD bus.
The incident was reported to police approximately 30 minutes after the incident. The victim, who is not a U. of I. student, was familiar with one of the offenders and refused medical treatment at the hospital.
University Police, in cooperation with the Champaign Police Department and the Urbana Police Department, has a full complement of officers patrolling the campus area. Between these agencies, our campus is one of the most highly-patrolled areas in the region. More than 2,200 security cameras are posted around campus to deter crime and identify offenders.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the University Police at 217-333-1216. Witnesses may remain anonymous by calling Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-8477 (373-TIPS), by visiting www.373tips.com or by providing information through the P3 Tips mobile app available on iOS and Android. All messages to Crime Stoppers are electronically stripped of identifying information and forwarded to police by an independent third party.
Our community. Our safety.
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus is a safe one, but a community of our size will never be crime-free. University Police and its partner law enforcement agencies work hard to prevent crime and to quickly identify and arrest offenders when crime occurs, but you play the most important role in keeping our campus community safe.
- Stay together. Do not walk alone at night. Travel in groups and in well-lit areas. Call 217-333-1216 for a SafeWalks escort if you need one.
- Be alert. Maintaining awareness of your surroundings is critical, especially when traveling at night. Wearing headphones or looking at your phone diminishes your ability to respond to your surroundings. Walk with purpose, and stay attentive.
- Trust your instincts. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Call police if something looks odd — we’re happy to assist, and even the smallest bit of information could prevent another crime.
- Watch out for each other. Call 911 immediately if you or someone else is in danger. The University encourages students to take appropriate action to protect others’ safety by reducing students’ fear of legal or disciplinary consequences to the victim or themselves. For more information, please review the Medical Amnesty and Survivor Protections.
- If you choose to consume alcohol, please be responsible. Remember your ability to respond is diminished by overconsumption of alcohol.
- Promptly report crime or suspicious activity. It is more likely that police will be able to identify and apprehend offenders when crimes are reported immediately. Reporting crime or suspicious activity can help to prevent similar incidents from happening again.
If you become concerned about a friend or yourself as a result of this incident, the Student Assistance Center (SAC) can help. Staff in the SAC are available Monday through Friday between 8:30-5 p.m. Additionally, the Emergency Dean Program provides a university administrator who is on-call to assist in health or safety emergency situations that occur after business hours and require an immediate university response. Call 217-333-0050 to reach the SAC or the Emergency Dean. Additional information about these programs and others is available at odos.illinois.edu/community-of-care.
Please take a moment to review these resources we have made available to keep you informed, and consider liking UIPD on Facebook, following us on Twitter or subscribing to our news feed to receive regular updates.