Police are investigating if an armed robbery that occurred Friday night is connected to two similar armed robberies last week.

Three armed robberies have been reported since Oct. 31, all involving three men with similar descriptions, the same number of suspects and type of weapon used, said DeKalb Police Lt. Gary Spangler.

The first robbery on Oct. 31 at Lot W, north of Grant towers, involved three people walking through the parking lot when they were approached by three suspects, one of whom had a knife. After a brief struggle, one of the victims ran to a call box and activated it.

The suspects in this robbery were described as three black males. One of the three suspects was described as a little over 6 feet tall, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt. Another suspect was described as being 5-feet-7-inches tall, weighing 150 pounds and wearing a black jacket and black jeans. The other suspect has no description other than his race.

A second robbery, on Nov. 2, in the 800 block of Edgebrook Drive, involved a man and his girlfriend walking in the area when they were approached by three men. One of the men knocked the male victim to the ground, while another suspect pulled out a knife and took money and a cellphone from the victim before running westbound.

The suspects in this robbery are described as three black males. The suspect who displayed the knife is described between 5-feet-8-inches and 5-feet-11-inches tall, wearing a black and red hoodie with stripes on it, blue jeans and short hair. The other two men had black hoodies with designs on them and blue jeans.

One of the men also had a bandana over his face during the robbery, and the other man had 2-inch long dreadlocks.

The third robbery, reported Friday night, involved three men, one with a knife, entering an apartment in the 900 block of Greenbrier Road and ordering the victim onto the ground before taking property and fleeing the scene. Two of the suspects were later arrested at University Village Apartments, 722 N. Annie Glidden Road, after a foot chase. The third suspect was found staying at an apartment belonging to an acquaintance at University Village, Spangler said. Police believe the third robbery victim was targeted, and not random, Spangler said.

Jermaine J. Kelley, 26, of DeKalb; Jamar L. Miller, 21, of Decatur and Rodney J. Latzzis, 20, of Skokie, were charged with armed robbery and resisting a peace officer in connection with Friday’s robbery.

Police believe the three robberies may be connected, based on the number of suspects, similar descriptions and the use of a knife in all three cases. DeKalb Police plan to work with the University Police to see if there is a connection in the cases, Spangler said. None of the suspects arrested Friday have been charged in the previous two robberies.

NIU Police Lt. Darren Mitchell declined to comment on the cases because he had not read about Friday’s robbery.

Editor’s Note: Staff Writer Dave Thomas contributed to this report.