University of Iowa Police received two reports Wednesday, April 18 of attempted robberies of people carrying cell phones on the east side of the UI campus.

In one anonymous report, a caller was walking along Market Street around 2:10 p.m. when two men tried unsuccessfully to grab a cell phone out of the victim’s hands. The assailants are described as two black males wearing hooded sweatshirts and sunglasses.

In another incident, a victim reported walking under the railroad overpass along the Iowa River near Danforth Chapel at 3:10 p.m. when a man unsuccessfully attempted to grab the victim’s cell phone. The assailant is described as a light skinned black male wearing a gray pullover hooded sweatshirt, dark khaki cargo pants, and white tennis shoes.

Anyone with information about these incidents should call the UI Police at 319-355-5022 or Iowa City Crimestoppers at 319-358-TIPS. Callers to Crimestoppers with information leading to a conviction may be eligible for a reward. UI Police would also like to talk to the person who reported the first incident.

Meanwhile, the Iowa City Police and the UI Police recommend that members of the public avoid people behaving suspiciously and call 911 immediately when suspicious activity is observed.

This information is being released in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. The Clery Act requires all colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to keep and disclose information about crime on and near their respective campuses, including timely warnings of crimes that may represent a threat to the safety of students or employees.