Art student reports robbery totaling $300

A Costa Mesa art student was robbed late Wednesday while walking home after a night class, police said Thursday.

Just before 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Roann Macandog Gatdula, of Costa Mesa was walking home along South Coast Drive after one of his classes at the Art Institute of California when he felt a sharp object pushed up against his throat, Costa Mesa police said.

A man pushed Gatdula to the ground and was quickly joined by two others. Gatdula described the person holding the knife as being in his late teens, Sgt. Marty Carver said.

The trio rifled through Gatdula’s pockets and his backpack, then ran off with his backpack, a Nintendo game and an O’Neil leather wallet, for a loss totaling nearly $300, Carver said.

Gatdula was not injured during the assault.

— Kelly Strodl