Rutgers students robbed at gunpoint in Sears parking lot
Two Rutgers students were robbed at gunpoint Sunday night while walking through the Sears parking lot located at 51 US Highway 1 in New Brunswick.
The New Brunswick Police Department is actively investigating the robbery, which they say occurred around 9:15 p.m.
Police said the students were walking through the lot when they were approached by two males, one of whom displayed a gun and demanded items of value. The robbers, whose descriptions are limited, then fled in an unknown direction. Descriptions of the thieves are limited at this time.
There were no injuries as a result of the incident, police said.
The New Brunswick Police Department is asking anyone with information to contact the New Brunswick Police Department Detective Bureau at 732-745-5217. Students, faculty and staff can also request an escort from the Rutgers University Police Department by calling 732-932-7211.
This incident is not the first time safety has been an issue at the Sears parking lot, where many students park to avoid purchasing a parking pass.
In 2010, NJ Advance Media reported that thieves broke into 26 cars parked in the lot over a holiday weekend, smashing windows and stealing at least one iPod and two GPS units. Some of the cars were owned by Rutgers students.
The lot's overhead lights are shut off at 10 p.m. and because the space is not owned by Rutgers, the school has no jurisdiction to keep the lot safe from criminal activity. Students are advised not to park in the lot overnight.
Avalon Zoppo is the managing editor of The Daily Targum. She is a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore majoring in political science. Follow her on Twitter @AvalonZoppo for more stories.
