HOUSTON – A Rice University student was grabbed and robbed a few blocks away from campus, detectives said.
Rice University police said the attack happened on Ashby Street near Wroxton Road about 11:30 p.m. Sunday.
Detectives said the student was walking down the street when a man got out of the passenger side of a parked car and asked her for directions.
The man grabbed the student's legs and she hit his arms, officials said.
Investigators said the man grabbed the student's bag, which contained a laptop computer and other items, and then ran back to his car. It was driven away by a second man, officials said.
Area residents said they were shocked by the attack.
"It's terrible. We even have local patrol," resident Willis King said. "Doesn't seem to help."
Rice students said they were surprised, too.
"It's kind of weird because this is a very small, tight-knit campus and having things happen around ... I mean there's really nice neighborhoods around Rice, so it's kind of weird that things like that would happen,"
The man was described as Hispanic, 5 feet 7 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall and 170 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black T-shirt with pictures on the front.
Officials said the student described the man's car as an older-model white car, possibly manufactured in between 1970 and 1980.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.