more arrests made in greek robbery streak at the uw

The University of Washington has recently been a dangerous place for greeks, where the local community has been terrorized by a crime wave. But perhaps that wave is finally breaking with two sets of arrests in close succession.

Earlier reports are confirmed that the police arrested three soldiers from nearby Fort Lewis, PFC Chad A Braden, Pvt Robert E Lucase, Jr, and PFC Raymond Burroughs III, and charged them last month for at least one robbery apiece. The army men were apprehended after their fellows turned them in—a reassuring reminder that our armed forces are not in the habit of harboring violent felons. Two of the soldiers were allegedly involved in the robbery and pistol-whipping on which we previously reported.

The new arrests came early Sunday after three were assaulted and robbed over the weekend. The four assailants fled the scene after chasing down one victim who attempted to run, Kevin Williams. But this time police were able to track the perpetrators, who had run in the general direction of The UW frat row. Based on information whose source has not yet been revealed, authorities found and arrested the alleged robbers in a vacant room in Phi Delta Theta. No connection between the arrestees and the fraternity has been suggested, and the chapter president asserts they "did not have any affiliation with the Phi Delta Theta fraternity."

Update: The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is now reporting that one of the suspects is the (biological) brother of a (fraternity) brother at Phi Delta Theta, where the suspect has illegally been living for some time. In the course of his illicit habitation he gained or was given knowledge of the house passcodes and other security information, which he employed to gain access in his flight from police. The suspect's brother has since been suspended from the fraternity. The investigation is ongoing.

Still, few students are breathing easier yet: many robberies remain unsolved, and it remains to be seen if the arrests will see a lessening of the crime wave.

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