Task force arrests 3 in Rowan U gunpoint holdups

Inquirer staff writer Sam Wood reports: 

A special police task force arrested three Salem County men yesterday and charged them with the gunpoint robberies of several Rowan University students.

The gunmen held up three freshmen Nov. 11 as the students walked behind a campus maintenance building. A 19-year-old male student was beaten during that robbery, which occurred shortly before 1 a.m.

Ten minutes later, the gunmen robbed Michael C. Phelan, a 25-year-old student, near an off-campus apartment complex. In both incidents, the robbers took the students' wallets and cell phones.

"We don't know exactly why (the gunmen) were on campus, said Rowan spokesman, Joe Cardona. "We haven't determined whether they were there specifically to rob students or if they were visiting friends."

Cardona credited Glassboro police and Rowan campus security for bringing closure to the unfortunate events.
"It was classic good police work that led to the arrests," Cardona said.

Details of the arrests will be announced today at a 10:30 a.m. press conference on the Rowan campus by Rowan president Donald J. Farish, Salem Co. Prosecutor Jonathan T. Lenahan and Glassboro chief Alex J. Fanfarillo.

Contact staff writer Sam Wood at 215-854-2796 or at samwood@phillynews.com.

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