St. Thomas Public Safety believes that a robbery and attempted robbery that both occurred within minutes of one another near the north edge of campus Wednesday were committed by the same people.

In both cases, Public Safety says suspects were driving a red Ford pickup.

At 3:40 p.m. Wednesday, a St. Thomas student reported walking eastbound on the 2100 block of Selby Avenue when three individuals exited the truck and demanded the student’s cellphone while implying they had a gun. One individual was wearing a ski mask.

The student refused to give the suspects the cellphone and was pushed to the ground, according to Public Safety. The suspects went through the student’s pockets, taking a cellphone, AirPods and a necklace. The suspects returned to the vehicle and drove eastbound on Selby Avenue.

The attempted robbery took place three minutes later in the 2000 block of Selby Avenue. The student told authorities a red Ford pickup pulled up next to him and parked. One suspect got out of the vehicle and demanded the student’s cellphone. The suspect also implied they had a gun.

The student refused to give the suspect his cellphone. Another suspect exited the vehicle and demanded the student’s phone. The student was punched in the face twice by the suspects, according to Public Safety, before the suspects drove eastbound down Selby Avenue. No property was taken.

The St. Paul Police Department is investigating both incidents.

Emilie Cleveland can be reached at emilie.cleveland@stthomas.edu.
Song Johansen contributed to this report.