Two University of Minnesota students were the victims of a burglary at University Commons on Thursday.

Minnesota English Language Program student Fahad Al-Sawafi returned home at about 9:45 p.m. to find that his apartment had been burglarized.

Sawafi said the lost property had about a $2,000 value and included two laptops, two cellphones, an iPad, a jacket, a wallet and his roommate’s passport.

“The thief took nearly everything,” he said.

Sawafi’s roommate, Alaa Al-Adawi, who is also a Minnesota English Language Program student, said he was in another apartment in the building when the burglary
occurred.

Adawi said the apartment was unlocked during the burglary.

The two reported the incident to Minneapolis police, and within 10 minutes, police had arrested one suspect, a minor, and retrieved the stolen jacket and wallet, Adawi said.

Though they caught one suspect, Adawi said most of the stolen property is still missing, and he hopes that police are able to track down the rest of it.

Sawafi said he had previously voiced complaints to his landlord about the building’s lack of security cameras.

There were 37 burglaries reported in the Prospect Park-East River Road neighborhood in 2013, according to Minneapolis
Police data.

Hallway fight in Prospect Park

Minneapolis police
responded to a fight in Stadium View apartments
Saturday.

The Art Institutes International Minnesota student Andrew Athen said he heard pounding noises coming from the hallway as he was getting ready for bed.

He went to see what was going on and said he saw a man who lived down the hall, apparently drunk, holding another man against the wall.

Athen said the man being held was bleeding from his hands and trying to get away.

Athen told the aggressor he should let the man go, and Athen threated to call the police. When he mentioned the police, Athen said, the man became more aggressive.

“He kind of lost his mind and attacked me,” Athen said.

Athen said the man hit him several times before his roommate and neighbor were able to restrain the man.

One of Athen’s neighbors called the police, who came and arrested the man.