Crime increases in Charles Village

The surrounding neighborhoods of the Johns Hopkins University have witnessed a spate of crime activity in the past week.

Five robberies, involving a total of seven victims, took place throughout the vicinity of 30th and 31st Streets, North Charles Street, North Calvert Street and Guilford Avenue. Two of the victims were Hopkins undergraduates and one was a Hopkins employee. What was unusual about the crimes, according to Officer Rosemary of Hopkins Security, was that many occurred between 2 and 4 p.m., "very unusual right in the middle of a residential area," said Rosemary.

One victim, a Hopkins undergraduate, reported an armed robbery on the 3200 block of Guilford Avenue at around 3:48 p.m. on Nov. 12, wherein the complainant and an unknown victim were approached by a suspect at gunpoint.

The suspect, a five-foot-11-inch male of average build with a thin mustache, close-cut hair and a dark complexion, asked the undergraduate victim for the time. The student responded that the time was 3:48 p.m., after which the suspect passed by the victim and began walking ahead of him. At the same time, an unidentified male victim parked his pick-up truck and began walking towards Guilford Avenue. When the unidentified victim drew near the undergraduate victim, the suspect turned around, displayed a 9 mm silver handgun and demanded money from both victims.

The undergraduate then turned over his wallet, as did the unidentified male victim.

The suspect in this case fit the description of the assailant in an armed robbery later that day, which involved two victims at 31st Street and Guilford Avenue at 8:30 p.m. Neither victim had any association with Hopkins.

Another robbery reported to Hopkins Security occurred at 2 a.m. on Nov. 18 behind PJ's Pub. According to the Hopkins Security report, the victim was walking north on the 3300 block of Lovegrove Alley when he saw two males seated therein. One of the males asked the victim if he had any money, to which he responded that he did not. The suspect then "struck him on the right side of his face, knocking him to the ground," and the second suspect then "kicked him in the face," according to the report. The suspects then took the victim's wallet from his pants pocket and fled toward 33rd Street.

Also on Nov. 18, two males suspects robbed an undergraduate on the 2900 block of North Charles St. at 10:15 p.m. One suspect displayed a folding knife before both assailants "took property from the victim" and fled, according to the Hopkins Security report. The property included the victim's shoes. Both male suspects were about 6 feet tall, of medium build, and wore black, puffy, hooded jackets.

At 2:30 p.m. on Nov. 19, an employee was robbed of currency and property by two male suspects on the 2900 block of N. Calvert St. The suspects were described as black males, approximately six feet tall, one wearing a tan jacket and the other a green jacket.

The suspects approached the victim, asked for the time and proceeded to grab and rob the victim.

Rosemary explained that the holiday season usually sees an increase in crime. In their crime bulletins, Hopkins Security advised students threatened by a pedestrian to shout and "get the attention of passing motorists," and to avoid suspicious persons by crossing the street.

An arrest was made on the evening of Nov. 19, around the 7-eleven convenience store in Waverly. Northern District Police have released no further details regarding the arrest, and it is unknown at this time whether the suspect has any involvement in the aforementioned crimes.