Temple Student Targeted in Armed Robbery Arrested: Cops

One of the students targeted is arrested for drugs after incident as 2 of the alleged robbers remain on the loose, police say

Temple University students were put on alert Monday morning after armed robbers burst into a home near campus in what appeared to be a drug-related incident, according to police.

Originally the incident was called a home invasion but later they said it was more like an armed robbery inside the home along the 1500 block of Page Street

Three masked men burst into the North Philadelphia home Sunday night and robbed five Temple University students, according to Philadelphia Police.

Police say the armed intruders took money and cell phones from the four males and one female around 9:30 p.m. One suspect was tasered and arrested shortly after the incident, officers continued to search for the other two suspects Monday.

No students were hurt.

There were illegal drugs found in the home and Temple Police said in a statement sent to students Monday morning that one of the students living in the home was arrested under suspicion of intent to deliver and possession of the drugs.

Despite drugs allegedly being involved, the crime still put Temple students on alert.

"You hear stories but you never think it would happen to you," one student who asked not to be identified said.

Here is part of the police statement e-mailed to students around 10 a.m. Monday:

Philadelphia Police report that an armed robbery took place in a private apartment on the 1500 block of Page Street around 10 p.m. Sunday, April 29. The occupants of the house, all Temple students, were robbed at gunpoint. No injuries were reported.

One of the occupants of the house has been arrested for possession of illegal drugs with the intent to deliver. The presence of illegal drugs inside the house is believed to be related to this incident.

A suspect in the robbery was detained shortly after the incident and charges are pending.  The investigation is continuing. Temple University Police are working with Philadelphia Police to add patrols in this area.

Police identified that student as Massimo Pulcini, 21. He is charged with Narcotics Possession and other related offenses.

Massimo Pulcini, Credit: Philadelphia Police

Campus police gave the following descriptions of the robbery suspects in this case:

The first suspect is described as a thin, tall black male about 18 to 25 years old who was wearing a navy windbreaker, Nike pants with a stripe and was armed with a handgun. The second suspect is described as a heavy set black male about 18 to 25 years old who was wearing a black hoodie and was armed with a handgun. And the alleged lookout who waited outside while the crime went on is described as a black male who was wearing a light brown shirt with white lettering.

Despite this not being a random act, campus police still had some tips for students to stay safe on or off campus at Temple: locking doors and windows; reporting any suspicious activity; closing blinds or drapes; using timers on lights and electronics to make it appear like someone is home even when no one is; and asking friends or landlords to watch your home when you are away from campus.

NBC10 pulled the crime statistics reported by Temple Police about crimes like this on campus and off campus (considered to be about within a block from any edge of the campus). From 2008 to 2010 (the most recent year reported upon) burglaries dropped from 145 to just seven while robberies went from 10 in 2008 to nine in 2010.

Anyone with information on this robbery is asked to call Temple Police by dialing 1-1234 from a campus phone or 215-204-1234 from any other phone.

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