2008 Woodie Awards
Student fabricates robbery report
Kyle Kuphal
Issue date: 11/8/07 Section: News
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The strong-armed robbery that was reported to have happened Oct. 19 east of the G. R. Herberger College of Business did not occur.
According to a safety alert update sent out via e-mail Oct. 31 and posted around campus, the St. Cloud Police Department discovered the report was fabricated. The alleged victim admitted he was not truthful in filing the report.
"The individual claimed to have been robbed for personal reasons, but after meeting with an investigator told her he had in fact fabricated the story," SCSU Public Safety security coordinator Jennifer Furan said.
The alleged robbery
Initially, the student said he was walking on the east side of the G. R. Herberger College of Business at about 11:15 a.m. Friday, Oct. 19, when two males assaulted him.
He said he was pushed against the side of the building and the two males stole his identification pouch materials and keys and damaged his cell phone. He said the men then fled north along the River Walk area.
At that time, the student activated an Emergency Blue-Light Phone and Public Safety responded and obtained a description of the two males.
Furan said police were contacted immediately after Public Safety became aware of the situation.
When police arrived, they were unable to speak to the student for a few hours because "he had a class he had to attend," according to police.
After reporting the incident to police, Public Safety contacted campus officials and sent out a safety alert.
"We wait to issue a safety report until we know we have all the facts correct," Furan said.
Furan said that is why there was a delay in posting an alert in response to the Sept. 16 report of a robbery.
"We had some confusion between the victim, Public Safety and police as to where the incident occurred," Furan said. "The victim had injuries to treat, and we couldn't reach him. We wanted to be accurate."
The confession
Furan said after the student filed the report with a police officer the case was handed over to an investigator within the next 10 days. That is when he told the investigator it was not true.
According to a safety alert update sent out via e-mail Oct. 31 and posted around campus, the St. Cloud Police Department discovered the report was fabricated. The alleged victim admitted he was not truthful in filing the report.
"The individual claimed to have been robbed for personal reasons, but after meeting with an investigator told her he had in fact fabricated the story," SCSU Public Safety security coordinator Jennifer Furan said.
The alleged robbery
Initially, the student said he was walking on the east side of the G. R. Herberger College of Business at about 11:15 a.m. Friday, Oct. 19, when two males assaulted him.
He said he was pushed against the side of the building and the two males stole his identification pouch materials and keys and damaged his cell phone. He said the men then fled north along the River Walk area.
At that time, the student activated an Emergency Blue-Light Phone and Public Safety responded and obtained a description of the two males.
Furan said police were contacted immediately after Public Safety became aware of the situation.
When police arrived, they were unable to speak to the student for a few hours because "he had a class he had to attend," according to police.
After reporting the incident to police, Public Safety contacted campus officials and sent out a safety alert.
"We wait to issue a safety report until we know we have all the facts correct," Furan said.
Furan said that is why there was a delay in posting an alert in response to the Sept. 16 report of a robbery.
"We had some confusion between the victim, Public Safety and police as to where the incident occurred," Furan said. "The victim had injuries to treat, and we couldn't reach him. We wanted to be accurate."
The confession
Furan said after the student filed the report with a police officer the case was handed over to an investigator within the next 10 days. That is when he told the investigator it was not true.