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A Madison resident was robbed at his apartment near the University of Wisconsin campus early Wednesday morning.
The incident occurred at 2:14 a.m. in an apartment on the 100 block of W. Gilman Street, according to a Madison Police Department statement. A 20-year-old male reported a male suspect entered his apartment armed with a handgun, the statement said.
The first suspect ordered the victim to the ground, while a second male suspect entered the apartment and took money and electronic equipment, the statement said.
The victim did not sustain any injuries in the process of the robbery, the statement said.
According to MPD spokesperson Joel DeSpain, typically armed robberies do not occur in the Gilman Street area.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, said robberies do occur in the area, but evidence of a visible weapon is rare.
According to Verveer, students have long been the victims of these types of crimes. Students are generally a more trusting group of people and they tend to leave doors and windows more unlocked than other residents would, he said.
“It is surprising that more crimes are occurring when there is a likelihood residents might be home,” Verveer said.
Verveer said burglaries typically occur when victims are thought not to be home, such as at night or when there is evidence no one else is in the residence.
DeSpain said the victim did not report the incident until an hour and a half after the robbery had occurred. Most people would call the police right away, he said. DeSpain said this was evidence the victim may have been targeted.
“We find when there are home invasions by armed people, they are usually targeted events,” DeSpain said.
Generally, home invasions in the city are crimes committed by those looking for drugs or drug money, according to DeSpain. However, he said in this particular case the MPD was unsure what might have prompted the robbery.
MPD is taking the recent string of robberies in the area very seriously particularly because students are the targets, Verveer said. The crime wave in the area is very concerning, he added.
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