University of Texas at Arlington police say robbers are targeting female students.
Two men have attempted to take purses from students in a campus parking lot on South Cooper Street on Monday and Tuesday nights. Campus police said the robbery attempts happened at about the same time of night in Lot 49.
UTA police said a four-door sedan pulled up to a female student Monday night, and the passenger pointed a stun gun at her and demanded her purse. Less than 24 hours, the same thing happened, but the men were armed with a gun instead of a stun gun.
The university notified students of the attempted robberies in a campus-wide e-mail.
“I got one yesterday, and then I got one this morning," said Pearl Gutierrez, a freshman biology major. "(I) thought it was the same one, but come to find out it's two different ones."
“I know my parents are going to freak out," she said. "I just have to be more cautious."
Women walking to their cars in Lot 49 on Wednesday night had the same sentiment.
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“I hope they are patrolling, maybe with some decoy police to try and catch these people,” student Tracy Pursell said.
But just in case, Pursell is prepared.
“I have my keys, I’m ready, and if I hold down the button, it will make my car alarm go off," she said.
The university is encouraging anyone who may be apprehensive about walking to their cars to call campus police for an escort.
Anyone with information about the attempted robberies can call the UT-Arlington Police Department at 817-272-3381.
