Robbery spree reported near Temple University campus

Campus authorities and city police are investigating a string of gunpoint robberies that occurred Monday morning near Temple University’s main campus in North Philadelphia.

Two students were robbed at around 6 a.m. in the area of 16th and Berks streets, investigators said. A third robbery, targeting someone not affiliated with the school, was reported closer to 7:30 a.m. on the 2000 block of W. Jefferson Street, according to Temple’s Department of Public Safety.

In the first incident, a gunman held up a 21-year-old man and took his phone, authorities said. He was not injured, and the phone was later found nearby using a tracking app, according to police.

Then, the suspect, believed to be the same person, hit another 21-year-old male student in the face with his handgun while taking the victim’s wallet and phone, police said.

Temple, in a message to students, said the suspect was wearing black clothing and a black face mask. The university’s public safety department posted a surveillance image of the suspect on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Anyone with information about the robberies can contact Temple police at 215-204-1234.