Cornell Police reports that a 24-year-old, female Cornell University student was the victim of a strong-arm robbery early this morning on a footbridge leading from the campus to Collegetown.

Police said the female student called them from a Blue Light emergency telephone in front of Cornell's Center for Theatre Arts on College Avenue at 3:29 this morning. She said she had been returning to her Collegetown residence after studying with a friend on campus and was crossing the footbridge over Cascadilla Creek leading from the Engineering Quad to Oak Avenue when she was approached from the rear by a white male who demanded money. When she tried to take her wallet out of her backpack, the assailant grabbed the backpack and ran off the bridge, heading north on to campus.

The assailant was described as being of college age, with a thin build, no beard, medium-length hair and wearing a dark winter coat and blue jeans.

The student reported that the property stolen included the backpack, textbooks and a wallet.

Cornell Police units responded to the scene, and are an investigation is continuing.