Thugs target Temple U students

Heads up, Temple students!

Beware the Knock-Knock Bandits.
Police officials announced yesterday that two men are responsible for a recent spate of home invasion robberies involving unsuspecting Temple University students.
The armed crooks have targeted students who live in off-campus housing between 18th and 20th streets and Montgomery Avenue and Norris Street, said Capt. Sharon Seaborough, commander of Central Detectives.
From Oct. 15 to Nov. 6, the criminals struck five times. In each case, they knocked on the front door of a property and forced their way in when a student opened the door.
Once inside, the handgun-toting men herded the students together in one room and then went to work, stuffing laptops, cell phones, iPods, ATM cards and cash into trash bags, Seaborough said.
"What we don't like is that they're using guns and targeting students," Seaborough said. "It seems like they're striking between noon and 2 p.m., when they know the students will be home."
In all, 16 students have been robbed, but none has been injured.
Seaborough said the victims have described the assailants as stocky black men in their 20s, both of whom are about 5 feet 9 and 200 pounds.
One of the robbers has a wiry beard, while the other is clean shaven with a mole on the left side of his face.
"They wear hooded sweatshirts, but no masks," Seaborough said. "They used bandanas once, but even then, they pulled the bandanas down when they talked to the students."