Two sought in COD armed robbery

College of DuPage has beefed up security after a student was robbed at gunpoint earlier this week on the Glen Ellyn campus.

The armed robbery happened about 10:30 p.m. Monday in a campus parking lot near Fawell Boulevard and Lambert Road. Two men came from the north side of Fawell into the lot and approached the female student.

School officials said one of the men displayed a semiautomatic handgun and demanded the student's purse and backpack. After getting the items, both men then fled north across Fawell. A COD police officer pursued the men but lost them in a neighboring apartment building.

Local police, including a canine officer, assisted in a search of the area. However, no suspects were located.

Authorities describe the first suspect as a black man between 16 and 20 years old, about 6 feet tall and weighing between 220 to 250 pounds. He has a distinct gap between his front teeth and was wearing a navy blue, zip-up hooded sweatshirt, a white T-shirt and light gray shorts.

The second suspect is described as a black man between 16 and 20 years old, about 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing between 220 to 250 pounds. He was wearing a black, zip-up hooded sweatshirt and dark shorts.

COD police Chief Joe Mullin said faculty and staff were notified about what happened.

"We wanted people to have the opportunity to know it had occurred so that they can take measures to increase their own level of safety," he said.

Campus police are doing additional patrols during the evening hours. Mullin said officers are making the patrols highly visible "so that everyone is aware that we are out there."

Students also are being reminded about steps they can take to protect themselves. Officers, for example, are offering to escort people to their cars in the evening.

In the meantime, authorities are continuing to investigate the armed robbery. Anyone with information is asked to call the College of DuPage Police Department at (630) 942-2000.