An unknown person entered unlocked dorm rooms and threatened residents in two separate incidents early yesterday morning, according to a Penn State statement.

Penn State University Police and the Offices of Residence Life and Housing alerted campus housing occupants of the incidents in a release on the Penn State Live Web site. The release urged students to lock their doors and report any suspicious behavior.

Despite repeated calls last night, university police declined to comment. However, a freshman second-floor resident of Haller Hall said she was the victim of one of the incidents.

The woman, who did not want her name used, said she woke up early yesterday morning to an unknown man hovering over her, attempting to steal money from her purse, located on a bookshelf above her bed.

University police responded to the call at about 5:30 a.m. yesterday, the 18-year-old woman (freshman-journalism) said. She said her door, located near a stairwell, was unlocked.

"He saw me move," the woman said. "We ended up flipped around. I grabbed for him and he grabbed for me."

She said her head ended up around the knees of the man, who she described as a college-age white male, about six-foot tall, 180 pounds with dark hair or a dark baseball cap. She said he sat on her bed, holding her mouth closed so she couldn't scream.

"I was clawing at his side, telling him to get off..." she said.

"He kept tightening his grip over my mouth, telling me he was going to kill me. I just wanted him to let me go," she added.

She said the assailant stole $20 after covering her head with a sheet and fleeing the room without causing any serious injuries to the victim.

The woman said she ran out the door and saw the man as he was rounding a corner. She said he looked back at her and kept running.

The woman said the incident seemed random.

University police took photos of the woman's room, powdered the door and bookshelf for fingerprints and took the sheet and wallet to process for evidence, the woman said.

She added that interviews were conducted with all the residents of Haller Hall's second floor, but she had no knowledge of anyone hearing or experiencing anything.

At least three uniformed police officers were patrolling around Haller Hall late into last night.

They declined to comment. Several residents of the hall were escorted into the building by police stationed at the entrance.

By press time yesterday, no additional information was released about the location of the second incident.