Two men tried to rob a Winthrop House resident in the House's junior common room (JCR) Monday night, turning off the lounge's lights and demanding money from the student.

The male resident was alone in the common room around 8 p.m.

Police say the two suspects knocked on a door to the room. When the student asked the men if they were students, the men entered the room and turned the lights off.

They then told the student to give them any money he had.

At that point, the door to the room "swung open" and the men ran out, according to a HUPD community advisory.

They did not escape with any cash.

HUPD spokesperson Peggy A. McNamara refused to divulge any additional details about the incident, citing an on-going investigation.

The community advisory describes the suspects as black males between 18 and 20 years old.

One suspect is six feet tall and has a mustache. He wore a red and blue woolen hat, blue jeans and a dark blue ski parka.

The other suspect is around five feet, 11 inches tall and wore dark clothing and jeans.

McNamara and several Winthrop House staff members said they did not know how the men were able to enter Winthrop House or the common room, which is accessible from the main hallway in Gore Hall and through a door leading to the Winthrop House courtyard.

"They could have piggy-backed in behind someone or someone could have inadvertently thought they look like students," McNamara said.

The junior common room is protected by a card key lock and can also be manually locked.

An HUPD security guard was on-duty the evening of the robbery attempt, Winthrop House residents and staff said.

The guard's office is in G-entryway, several doors away from the junior common room.