Police investigate armed robberies in university area

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte police are investigating after 2 armed robberies Monday night and four Wednesday night in the university area.

Police think the two robberies Monday night are connected.

Around 10:30 p.m., a man with a gun robbed a resident at the Piedmont Apartments near WT Harris Boulevard and Old Concord Road taking a purse with cash and an iPhone.

Then, 50 minutes later, two men burst into an apartment full of college students at University Terrace, just a mile away and right next to University of North Carolina at Charlotte's campus.

"Two guys came in and they were pointing a gun at me," said graduate student Manish Kusumba.

Kusumba and his roommate had five friends over when the men burst in. He described the robber holding the gun as a kid who looked scared.

"He just asked for the money. I said I didn't have any. So he took my laptop and his phone," Kusumba said.

Rajendra Dhouti chose Charlotte over Texas for graduate school.

"We thought this place would be more secure than that place, so we came here," Dhouti said.

Now he's rethinking that, surprised to be robbed right across the street from campus.

Police said Thursday they have been questioning suspects in these two robberies but don't think they are connected to the four that happened near the university area Wednesday night.

Even if they solve the crimes, a student who said she was also robbed at her apartment in the university area in March believes it will just keep happening.

"Crime will happen regardless. People's apartments will keep getting broken into, whether they catch the people or not," she said.

WSOC