Police: Temple students robbed in armed home invasion off-campus

[The Bobster]

Temple students feel traumatized after home invasion off-campus

No arrests have been made in this case.

www.cbsnews.com

Police: Temple students robbed in armed home invasion off-campus​

By Stephanie Ballesteros

November 11, 2022 / 1:46 PM / CBS Philadelphia







PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - It was a terrifying morning for nearly a dozen Temple University students. Police say two armed niggers broke into an off-campus apartment on the 1300 block of North 15th Street shortly around 6 a.m. Friday.

Police say there were 11 occupants inside the property sleeping.

A father of one of the victims described what happened next.

"They were all taken into the basement and tied up and the home invasion might have lasted about an hour and a half. From what I'm being told," he told CBS3.

The father says his daughter found a laptop in the basement and sent a message to her sister through social media about what was going on and to call 911.


Luckily, none of those students were hurt.

The suspects fled with debit/credit cards, cell phones and keys to 2015 silver Lincoln MKZ, PA tag# KMF-1560.

Temple University said in a statement the safety of the Temple community remains the university's top priority. Last week they launched the Best Nest Program, which helps students and their families find off-campus housing that meets certain safety and security criteria.

If you have any information on this incident, call police.

 

[The Bobster]

Temple students feel traumatized after home invasion off-campus

No arrests have been made in this case.

www.cbsnews.com

Temple students feel traumatized after home invasion off-campus​

By Stephanie Ballesteros, Ryan Hughes

Updated on: November 11, 2022 / 6:51 PM / CBS Philadelphia







PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Eleven Temple University students were forced out of bed by two armed men and tied up at their off-campus apartment on Friday morning, police say. With some quick thinking, two of the students managed to alert their families to call for help.

Luckily, no one was hurt.

But the victims tell CBS3 they were held at gunpoint and locked in a basement.

Their apartment was ransacked and police say the suspects stole a car, cell phones and money but they may have been looking for something else.

"My heart is still pounding 200,000 beats per minute and I drove down here," Scott, a father of one of the students, said.


Scott raced to North Philadelphia Friday morning after his daughter used her laptop to sent a message through social media. She was locked in a basement while two men with guns were robbing her apartment, just off the campus of Temple University.

"They were all taken into the basement and tied up, and the home invasion might have lasted an hour and a half," Scott said.

Temple University said in a statement the safety of the Temple community remains the university's top priority. Last week they launched the Best Nest Program, which helps students and their families find off-campus housing that meets certain safety and security criteria.

Police say the armed robbery happened in the 1300 block of North 15th Street around 7 a.m. Eleven Temple students were inside the apartment at the time sleeping.


The victims who spoke to CBS3 did not want to give their full names. They said they were woken up, forced into the basement at gunpoint and ordered to hand over their credit cards, keys and cash.

"They wanted each of our phones," said Autumn, one of the students. "They were looking for drugs, but we told them we didn't have any drugs."

"Overall, it was just like a violating experience, really," one student said.

The students say they have been complaining for months that the gate outside the off-campus apartment doesn't lock properly -- and claim the property management company never fixed it.

"I reached out multiple times," Myla said. "They didn't come and fix it. My mom reached out to them. They didn't come and fix it."

Now, this group of students is left feeling traumatized and unsafe.

"It's our senior year, which also kind of sucks because this should be one of the better times of college," Nina said.


The students tell CBS3 they received an email from the property management company Friday morning after the robbery that the gate issues will be fixed.

Eyewitness News has reached out to the property management company, but they have yet to comment on this story.

No arrests have been made in this case.

 

[The Bobster]

Cops: Home invasions near Temple University are connected

Police said two men broke into an off-campus apartment near Temple University early Monday.

www.cbsnews.com

Cops: Home invasions near Temple University are connected​

By CBS3 Staff, Matt Petrillo

November 21, 2022 / 6:20 PM / CBS Philadelphia







PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Temple student was among four victims of a Monday morning home invasion and robbery in North Philadelphia, police say. It was the second home invasion on that block this month, and part of what may be a pattern.

In the most recent incident, two men entered a home on the 1900 block of North 18th Street, near Berks, around 6:18 a.m., forcing the door open.

The men locked four residents in the bathroom while they took several items from the home including a Glock handgun, phones, a tablet, smart watches, a MacBook Pro laptop and the keys to a black Mitsubishi owned by one of the victims.



Both men were clad in all-black clothing, masks and New Balance sneakers. They fled in the Mitsubishi heading northbound on 18th Street.

No one was injured in the incident, but the robbery has tenants of the home thinking they'd like to move.

"I don't want to live around here anymore," a student who did not want to be identified said. "You always hear about it and I thought we'd be alright. But eventually, it happens I guess."


The student lives at the home that was robbed Monday morning but was not there when it took place. His roommates were asleep when the suspects came in.

Philadelphia police say the suspects will be identified and caught.

"They're brazen," Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore said about the suspects in a news conference Monday. "It's obvious and they're not afraid, and we see that a lot these days."

Third home invasion near university this month​

This is the third home invasion robbery at an off-campus residence this month. All three happened between 4 and 7 a.m., and Temple students appear to be the targets.


On Nov. 11, there was a home invasion on the 1300 block of North 15th Street around 7 a.m. Eleven Temple students were in the home at the time.

Around 4:40 a.m. on Nov. 9, three armed suspects broke into a home on the 1900 block of North 18th Street, entering through an open door. They took cash, phones, keys and credit cards from three residents, police say.

The Nov. 9 and Nov. 21 robberies happened on the same block.

The university said, "all leads are being explored."

University shares safety tips​

In a statement, the university's vice president for public safety mentioned Temple's Best Nest program, which helps students find off-campus housing that meets certain safety criteria. Landlords can register for the program to be included in rental listings available to students.

The university says $2,500 grants are available for landlords to install lights or cameras to improve security at their property.

 

[The Bobster]

Arrest made in 2 home invasion robberies near Temple University

Police say a 23-year-old man is in custody for Nov. 11 and Nov. 21 home invasion robberies.

www.cbsnews.com

Arrest made in 2 home invasion robberies near Temple University​

By CBS3 Staff, Matt Petrillo

November 23, 2022 / 10:14 AM / CBS Philadelphia







PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A 23-year-old man is in custody Wednesday after a string of home invasion robberies near Temple University.

The suspect, whose name has not yet been released, is connected to two home invasion robberies on Nov. 11 and Nov. 21, police told CBS3.



Police previously said there was a pattern among three home invasions near Temple University's campus:

• Around 4:40 a.m. on Nov. 9, three armed suspects broke into a home on the 1900 block of North 18th Street, entering through an open door. They took cash, phones, keys and credit cards from three residents, police say.
• On Nov. 11, there was a home invasion on the 1300 block of North 15th Street around 7 a.m. Eleven Temple students were in the home at the time.
• And on Monday, two men entered a home on the 1900 block of North 18th Street, before 6:30 a.m., forcing the door open.

It was not clear if the suspect would be connected to a third incident.

Multiple suspects involved in the robberies are still at large.

This is a breaking news story. More to come.

 

[The Bobster]

How Philly police tracked down Temple home invasion suspect

Nasir Johnson, 25, faces more than a dozen criminal charges for his alleged role in two home invasion robberies of Temple students.

www.cbsnews.com

How Philly police tracked down Temple home invasion suspect​

By Joe Brandt, CBS3 Staff

November 23, 2022 / 1:45 PM / CBS Philadelphia









PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Germantown man is facing more than a dozen criminal charges related to two home invasion robberies where Temple University students were victims.

Nasir Johnson, 25, is charged with robbery, burglary, kidnapping along with conspiracy, vehicle theft, weapons offenses and others related to accessing cell phones.

Police linked Johnson to a string of robberies of Temple University students on Nov. 11, 2022 and Monday, November 21, as well as an unrelated car theft of a Lexus.

His arrest came after police tracked multiple stolen cars and an alleged fraudulent Cashapp payment using a robbery victim's phone. Here are details of the incidents and the investigation, according to police and the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office.

Nov. 11, 2022 robbery: 15th and Master streets​

In the Nov. 11 incident, police allege Johnson and another man entered a rowhome on the 1300 block of North 15th Street before 6 a.m. Eleven Temple students inside were awoken at gunpoint and forced into the basement. Their phones, laptops, wallets and other valuables were collected and they were ordered to unlock their phones and disable security settings.


Johnson and the other man also allegedly stole the keys to a 2015 Lincoln MKZ.

Video from a Sunoco gas station showed the suspects making purchases using debit cards belonging to two of the victims. One of the victims' phones was also used to make a Cashapp payment to an account believed to belong to Johnson's girlfriend.

Nov. 21, 2022 robbery: 18th and Berks streets​

In the Monday incident, police say Johnson and another man entered a home on the 1900 block of North 18th Street around 6:18 a.m., forcing the door open.

The men allegedly locked four residents in the bathroom while they took several items from the home including a Glock handgun, phones, a tablet, smart watches, a MacBook Pro laptop and the keys to a black Mitsubishi owned by one of the victims.


Like in the Nov. 11 robbery, the victims were ordered to unlock and disable security on their phones.

Stolen cars were key to the investigation​

The Lincoln stolen on Nov. 11 was found on the 100 block of Logan Street four days later. Philadelphia police detectives found evidence in the car that linked the men to the Lexus theft.

On Nov. 21, the same day as the most recent home invasion, the Lexus was found on Royal Street in Germantown. Officers set up surveillance and allegedly saw Johnson enter the Lexus with a key.

Then, police investigated the vehicle and found a debit card and two Apple Watches that were taken in the home invasion that day.

Other items from the robberies were found after police obtained a warrant and searched Johnson's home.

What's next?​

Prosecutors will request Johnson be held on $6 million bail.

Details on the other suspects have not been released.

 

[The Bobster]

Separate armed holdups near Temple may be connected: police

A Temple student is opening up about an incident near campus that may be connected to an incident from last week.

www.cbsnews.com

Separate armed holdups near Temple may be connected: police​

By Matt Petrillo

December 12, 2022 / 6:55 PM / CBS Philadelphia







PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Temple University student is opening up about a terrifying incident near campus after a man pointed a gun at his chest, demanding his cellphone and more.

It was just one of two armed holdups that have happened near the university over the past week.

Finals week at Temple University began last week, but the student who spoke with CBS Philadelphia isn't just worried about getting good grades but also about his safety after he had a gun pointed at his chest during a walk home.

"It's hard to go to class when you're in fear of safety," the Temple student said.

A Temple University sophomore student who wants to remain anonymous claims a man approached him and his two friends along the 1600 block of West Berks Street and demanded they empty their pockets.


It happened just after midnight Sunday as the students were headed home from a friend's house.

"My heart rate is pumping, I don't even know how to act," he said. "I'm just telling him, 'Calm down, you can have my stuff, just don't shoot me.'"



The student says the suspect wanted cash but they didn't have their wallets on them.

The suspect then changed his tone.


"After that, he put the gun away and he said, 'Don't worry, you guys need to calm down, I'm not gonna shoot you or harm you or anything,'" the student said. "And then, he was talking to us about, I don't even know, just how he was trying to do it for his family and how to provide and things like that. He just said college students are an easy target."

The Philadelphia Police Department is also investigating a separate incident that allegedly happened Thursday night on the 1800 block of North Willington Street. In that case, an armed suspect is accused of taking wallets from two Temple students.

CBS Philadelphia
Police say that armed robbery is around the corner from the attempted armed robbery Sunday night and could be connected.

Temple University's vice president of public safety, Jennifer Griffin, wrote in an email to students, "The Philadelphia Police Department Central Detective Division is leading the investigation to see if there are any linkages between the crimes."

"It's a little scary because you never know if it could happen again," the Temple student in the attempted armed robbery case said.

The armed robbery and attempted robbery happened after a string of armed home invasions that happened last month and appeared to target Temple students.