Police investigating two separate robberies of University of Hartford students have arrested three people. They said they believe the armed robbery in Bloomfield Monday night and another attempted armed robbery on campus last week are connected.
Police arrested Gideon Moskowitz, 21, of Bloomfield, Andrew Damo, 20, and Juan Franco Medina, 19, both of New York, on drug charges, police said.
Monday night, there was an armed robbery at a rental property on Bloomfield Avenue, which is known as a place where University of Hartford student live. Last week, there was a robbery at the dorms.
“We are pursuing similarities between last night’s robbery and a past robbery at the campus, as well as the possibility of individuals casing out another off-campus location in Bloomfield some time ago,” Capt. Jeffrey Blatter, of Bloomfield Police, said. “In addition, we are pursuing some active leads to identify those involved.”
Police said two armed, masked men held up three students Monday night. One of the students said a robber hit him with a gun. The three students escaped and reported the incident from a neighbor's house. The robbers escaped through a window.
“They were just hanging out in the room and two guys came into the house – guns, masks on, hoodies, bandannas. They came into he house asked for their money, cell phone an wallets,” Ashley Goldfond, a University of Hartford student, said.
“Within minutes, two of the men that live there came over very agitated, very scared, asking me to call the police because two people broke into their house and they had guns. So we called 911,” Jamie Avevedo, of Bloomfield, said.
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The incident comes four days after two armed men got into a dormitory and tried to hold up two students.
University of Hartford Public Safety is working with police in Hartford, West Hartford and Bloomfield to see if they can establish a connection between the two incidents.
