SUSPECT: Black male, approximately 5 feet, 8 inches tall, bald head, no facial hair, light skinned, in his early 30s.  The suspect was last seen wearing black pants, black shoes, vertical black, white and red striped shirt. 

SYNOPSIS: On Wednesday, Nov. 19 between 5:30 and 5:50 a.m., three UH employees reported they were approached by the suspect.  In one incident at 5:36 a.m. an employee parked her truck in lot 4A and was walking towards Moody Towers.  The black male approached her and said "Give me your truck keys."  The employee continued walking towards Moody Towers, and the suspect repeated his demand.  The employee told the suspect that she did not understand English and continued walking to Moody Towers.

Shortly after the first incident, two other employees arrived to work at 5:50 a.m. and parked in lot 4A. They were flagged down by a black male fitting the same description.  One of the employees had a personal defense device in her hand. Seeing the device, the suspect put his hands up in a submissive posture.  He stated that he needed a ride because his car broke down.  The employees then walked to Moody Towers. 

Although this incident did not result in any injuries or thefts, the University Of Houston Department Of Public Safety wants the community to be aware of the occurrence.

If you saw this incident or have any information regarding it, please call the campus police at 713-743-3333.

SAFETY TIPS:

Confrontations can occur without provocation, through no fault of your own.  When such confrontations do occur, there are some actions you can take:

• BE ALERT!!
• Be cautious when approached by an unknown person on the street, even the nicest person can have ill intent.
• Remain as calm as possible.Your own initiative and clear thinking are your best defenses.
• The University has more than 70 Emergency call boxes placed strategically around campus, use them! The call goes directly to the UHDPS Dispatch Center.
• Report the incident. Call the police immediately and report what has happened. Call (713) 743-3333 or 911.
• Do not walk alone, if at all possible walk in groups.
• Try to notice details. This can allow you to provide the police with detailed physical and clothing descriptions of the person(s) involved.
• If a vehicle is involved, try to note the vehicle's license plate number or the vehicle's manufacturer, model and color or any other identifying features.

Updates to this alert and past alerts will be posted at https://www.piersystem.com/go/doctype/1093/21522/.

You may contact the University of Houston Department of Public Safety at police@uh.edu  

All faculty, staff and students are encouraged to be alert and to be cautious of their surroundings on and away from campus.

In any emergency situation, or if you see suspicious activity, call 9-1-1. For more information on staying safe and your role in preventing crime, please visit the website of the University of Houston Department of Public Safety at www.uh.edu/police.

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