EVANSTON, Ill. (CBS) — A little common-sense and a golden tongue got one Northwestern University student out of a robbery situation over the weekend.

As WBBM Newsradio’s John Waelti reports, the student told police that around 10:40 p.m., he was walking east in the 500 block of Clark Street on the south end of the campus, when he saw a large group of men walking toward him on the south side of the street.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio’s John Waelti reports

As he passed the group, one person in the group yelled “Yo!” at the student. The student did not respond and continued walking, turning northbound on the east side of the 1800 block of Hinman Avenue, according to a Northwestern campus alert.

But the group followed him, and as he approached the middle of the block, three men confronted him and demanded his money, saying: “Empty your pockets or we’ll shoot you.” No weapon was displayed by the men at that time, the alert said.

But the student did not empty his pockets. Instead, he told the three men that they were standing right in front of the Northwestern University police station, and he didn’t think it was a good idea for them to rob him there.

It didn’t take long for the robbers to beat a hasty retreat. They fled south on Hinman Avenue, then west on Clark Street.

The student contacted police about ten minutes later. He could not provide detailed descriptions of the offenders involved.

Both Evanston and Northwestern University police Department responded but could not find the robbers.

The man was not injured and nothing was stolen, according to Northwestern University police.

Anyone with information is asked to call Evanston police at (847) 866-5000.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.