Campus Alert Archive
Baylor

Seven Armed Robberies in Five Weeks Put Baylor's Campus Edge on Alert

TXrobberytimely warningmedium confidence
Under Investigation

Beginning around October 15, 2022, Baylor and Waco police investigated a string of armed robberies in the area surrounding Baylor's campus — by mid-November the seventh since October 15. Baylor Police sent students a Campus Safety Alert email urging precautions. One robbery occurred around 10:35 p.m. at Twelfth Street and Baylor Avenue, and another at about 7 a.m. on November 21 at the Baylor Arms Apartments, 1500 S. Ninth St.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
Baylor University
Private R2 · TX
~20,709 studentsBaylor Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstruction220 chars
Campus Safety Alert: Baylor and Waco Police are investigating a series of armed robberies near campus. Stay alert, travel in groups, avoid walking alone at night, and report suspicious activity to BUPD at (254) 710-2222.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed text: the Lariat reported students received a Campus Safety Alert email urging precautions after the October robbery series, but did not quote the message verbatim, so this is paraphrased and marked unconfirmed.
This is a Clery timely warning (continuing threat from a crime pattern) rather than an emergency notification, because the robberies were ongoing rather than a single immediate threat.
FOLLOW-UPEmail
Approximate reconstruction195 chars
Campus Safety Alert: An armed robbery was reported this morning near the Baylor Arms Apartments on S. Ninth St. This is part of an ongoing pattern. Remain vigilant and report information to BUPD.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed follow-up tied to the documented ~7 a.m. November 21 robbery at the Baylor Arms Apartments, 1500 S. Ninth St.
Waco is on Central Standard Time (UTC-6) in November; this follow-up extends the original timely warning as the pattern continued.
Context

Background

Baylor University is a private Baptist research university in Waco, Texas, whose residential edge abuts city streets and off-campus apartment complexes. In the fall of 2022, the area surrounding campus saw a cluster of armed robberies, reaching the seventh incident since October 15 by mid-November according to the student-run Baylor Lariat. Locations included Twelfth Street and Baylor Avenue (a ~10:35 p.m. robbery) and the Baylor Arms Apartments at 1500 S. Ninth St. (a ~7 a.m. November 21 robbery). Baylor Police responded with Campus Safety Alert timely warnings, the Clery mechanism for a continuing threat. By late 2023 the Lariat reported Waco crime was trending down, though it cautioned students against complacency. The wave illustrates the timely-warning obligation for urban-adjacent private campuses where student risk extends into neighboring blocks.
Analysis

Key Findings

A cluster of armed robberies — the seventh since October 15 by mid-November — concentrated at the edge of Baylor's campus
Baylor used Clery timely-warning Campus Safety Alerts (continuing threat) rather than single-event emergency notifications
The robberies occurred at off-campus-adjacent locations like Twelfth & Baylor Ave and the Baylor Arms Apartments on S. Ninth St.
Outcome
The robberies clustered at the edge of campus over several weeks. Baylor issued timely-warning Campus Safety Alerts; Waco crime overall was reported to be declining by late 2023.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Student Paper
    Campus and Waco Crime - The Baylor Lariat
    baylorlariat.com
  2. Official
    Campus Crime & Fire Log - Baylor Department of Public Safety
    dps.web.baylor.edu
  3. Student Paper
    Crime is dropping in Waco, but don't let your guard do the same - The Baylor Lariat
    baylorlariat.com
Tags
robberytimely-warningarmed-robbery-wavebaptist-universitytexascampus-edgeUnder Investigation
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion