Dear campus community member:
We would like to provide you with an update regarding an incident detailed in an Illini-Alert emergency notification you received Thursday night. That alert indicated that a robbery had occurred around 11 p.m. in the 800 block of South Wright Street, Champaign.
We learned through further investigation this afternoon that the incident never occurred. The person who reported the crime told police that his account was fabricated, and he was consequently arrested for filing a false police report. More information about the arrest is available on the University Police website.
Illini-Alert notifications are issued within minutes of a serious crime being reported. We work to confirm the credibility of those reports prior to sending an Illini-Alert, but the timeliness of those emergency notifications is what allows our campus community members to take proactive steps to protect themselves. We must act quickly, and we work diligently to issue updates to those alerts if new information emerges during the course of investigation.
It is important to continue to take precautions when traveling in the campus area. This notice offers tips and resources that you can use to protect yourself and others.
This is our community. Let's stay together.
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus is a safe one, but a community of our size will never be crime-free. University Police and its partner law enforcement agencies work hard to prevent crime and to quickly identify and arrest offenders when crime occurs, but you play the most important role in keeping our campus community safe.
- Stay together. Do not walk alone at night. Travel in groups and in well-lit areas. Call 217-333-1216 for a SafeWalks escort if you need one.
- Be alert. Maintaining awareness of your surroundings is critical, especially when traveling at night. Wearing headphones or looking at your phone diminishes your ability to respond to your surroundings. Walk with purpose, and stay attentive.
- Trust your instincts. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. Call police if something looks odd — we're happy to assist, and even the smallest bit of information could prevent another crime.
- Watch out for each other. Call 911 immediately if you or someone else is in danger. The University encourages students to take appropriate action to protect others’ safety by reducing students’ fear of legal or disciplinary consequences to the victim or themselves. For more information, please review the Medical Amnesty and Survivor Protections.
- If you choose to consume alcohol, please be responsible. Remember your ability to respond is diminished by overconsumption of alcohol.
Please take a moment to review these resources we have made available to keep you informed, and consider liking UIPD on Facebook, following us on Twitter or subscribing to our news feed to receive regular updates.
