Rutgers robber with 2 kids demands gas money, victim says

UPDATE: Rutgers police now say the robbery never happened. In an email distributed to the university community late Wednesday afternoon, police said the victim changed his story. Police said the victim later described his interaction with the stranger as "consensual" but resulted in a theft by deception with no weapon involved. Police did not elaborate.

NEW BRUNSWICK — An armed robber with two children in the car ordered a man at Rutgers University into his car and drove him to a bank to withdraw cash early Tuesday morning, according to an alert issued by Rutgers University Police.

A Toyota Highlander with a female passenger and two young girls pulled up to the victim as he walked along George Street near Campbell Hall around 12:30 a.m, he told police.  The woman asked for some money for gas. As he reached into his wallet, he noticed the driver had a handgun on his lap. The driver then told the man to get in the SUV, the victim said.

The victim told police that the man drove to a PNC Bank on Somerset Street and ordered him to withdraw cash from an ATM. The student was driven back to campus unharmed, according to police.

Police did not disclose how much cash was withdrawn.

The driver was described as a "Middle Eastern man" around 40 years old with a full black beard and short black hair. He was wearing a short sleeved T-shirt with khaki pants. The woman was wearing a purple dress with a head covering, the victim told police.

University spokesman Neal Buccino said the university increased security in the area of where the incident is said to have occurred.

Rutgers police asked anyone with information about the incident to call 848-932-8025.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ