This is a partial list of recent crimes in Berkeley based on information from the Berkeley Police Department, followed by a snapshot of BPD activity this week. The calls for service spreadsheet is available on Google Docs. See also the San Francisco Chronicle’s regularly published list of arrests in Berkeley. For other sources of information on crime in Berkeley see Community CrimeView and Crimemapping.com.
April 27:
Armed Robbery, Gayley Road, # 12-02229
On Friday, April 27, 2012 at approximately 11:00 p.m. an armed robbery occurred on Gayley Road just south of Hearst Avenue. The victim, a 20 year old male UC student, was walking towards the Foothill Dining Hall when he was approached by a male. The male asked to use the victim’s cell phone and then attempted to grab the phone. The victim refused to let go of the phone. The victim was struggling with the suspect #1 when a vehicle pulled up. Suspect # 2 exited the vehicle and approached the victim. Suspect #2 was holding a handgun and yelled at the victim to give up his cell phone. The victim refused to release his phone and suspect #2 reached into the victim’s pocket and took his wallet. Suspect #1 released the cell phone and both suspects got into the vehicle. The vehicle fled southbound on Gayley Road. The victim was not injured during the encounter. BPD and UCPD searched the area but were unable to locate the suspects or the vehicle. The suspects are described as: Suspect #1 – A Black male, 28-32 years of age, 6’ in height, 200 lbs., bald with brown eyes, wearing a black sweatshirt with a front pocket, and long light colored shorts. Suspect #2 – A Black male, 28-35 years of age, 5’10” in height, 190 lbs., armed with a semi-automatic handgun. Suspect #3 – A White male, 22-25 years of age (driver of the vehicle). Suspect Vehicle – Light colored (possibly white, silver or gray) older four door sedan with a dark colored pinstripe.
Strong Arm Robbery, Grinelle Pathway, # 12-02224
On Friday, April 27, 2012, at approximately 7:24 p.m. UCPD received a report of a strong arm robbery which had occurred 20 minutes earlier on the Grinelle Pathway. The victim, a 21 year old male UC student, was talking on his cell phone while walking westbound on the pathway. The victim saw two men loitering against barrier poles near the Life Sciences Addition loading dock. After the victim passed the two men they started to follow him. Suspect #1 came up beside the victim and pushed him to the ground. Suspect #1 took the victim’s cell phone and fled west on the pathway. Suspect #2 lingered for a moment and then also fled west on the pathway. The victim was not injured during the encounter. The suspects are described as: Suspect #1 – A Black male in his mid 20s, 6’ in height, approximately 190 lbs., with black hair, wearing a baseball cap, dark jacket and baggy blue jeans. Suspect #2 – A Black male, 20 years of age, 6’02” in height, approximately 180 lbs., wearing a baseball cap, short sleeve polo shirt with white and pink horizontal stripes and a black backpack.
April 29:
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia & Probation Violation Arrest – Shattuck Avenue & Channing Way #2012-22484
On Sunday, April 29, 2012 at approximately 11:20 p.m., a BPD officer made a traffic enforcement stop Hyundai at Shattuck Ave and Channing Way. The driver, a 43 year old Berkeley man, was not wearing his seatbelt. When the BPD officers did a records check of the man, the officer learned that the man was on probation with a search clause for a DUI and narcotics. During a search of the car, the BPD officer found five (5) glass meth pipes. The officer arrested the suspect for 11364.1 H&S, 1203. 2 and a suspended license. The officer called a tow company to impound the suspect’s car.
April 30:
Domestic Violence Restraining Order Violation, Parole Violation Arrest, Strawberry Creek Park #2012-22565
On Monday, April 30, 2012 at about 11:26 a.m. a BPD Officer did a security check Strawberry Creek Park. The officer contacted a man and woman seated on a bench in the parkas they had marijuana. The officer did a records check and discovered that the male suspect was the subject of a Domestic Violence Restraining Order prohibiting him from contacting the woman he was seated with. The Officer arrested the 24 year old male suspect for the court order violation, County probation and State Parole Violations.
Residential Burglary via Unlocked Window – 1200 Block of Cedar Street #2012-22646
A 40 year old Berkeley woman called BPD to report that her home had been burglarized. She told the officer that she left her home which is in the 1200 block of Cedar on Monday, April 30, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. When she returned to the home at 5:30 p.m., she saw that an unknown suspect had entered her house through an unlocked window and stole a Dell laptop, jewelry and a stereo, an estimated value of over $12, 000.
Stolen Auto – 1800 Block of San Antonio – #2012-22609
Between Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. and Monday, April 30, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. and unknown suspects or suspects stole a 2008 beige Lexus. A Berkeley man told the BPD officer that he parked the car across from his home in the 1800 block of San Antonio on Sunday about 7:15 p.m. When he went to do some errands on Monday at about 2:00 p.m., he discovered his car was gone. The BPD officer documented the theft and entered the description of the car and the license plate into SVS- Stolen Vehicle System.
May 1:
“Dine and Dash” – 21—block of Shattuck Avenue – #2012-22884
On Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 6:25 p.m. an employee of a downtown eatery in the 2100 block of Shattuck Avenue called to report a theft of services. She said that two male suspects had ordered food and drinks totally $35.00. The woman employee followed the two suspects. When the suspects saw the employee following them, the suspects ran eastbound on Allston Way then northbound on Oxford Street. The BPD documented the crime and other officers did area checks but did not find the suspects.
Possession For Sale of Methamphetamine – 63rd & Herzog Streets – #2012-22885
On Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at approximately 6:38 p.m., DTF Officers made a traffic enforcement stop at 63rd and Herzog Streets, just over the border into Oakland. The driver of a Oldsmobile failed to stop at a stop sign. A DTF officer made contact with the driver, a 29 year old San Francisco man. A records check revealed that the driver had a suspended license and was on felony probation for auto theft. The DTF officer invoked the driver’s probation search clause and found methamphetamine both in the driver’s possession and in his car. The methamphetamine was packaged for sale in individual zip seal baggies, approximately 5 grams. The suspect also had over $200 in small denominations. The DTF Officers arrested and booked the suspect for violations of 11378 H&S – Possession For Sale of Meth and 1203.2 PC – Felony Probation Violation.
May 2
Identity Theft/Fraud – 1600 Block of Allston Way – #2012-22991
On Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at about 10:00 a.m. a Berkeley woman came to the Public Safety Building to report identity theft. A BPD officer learned that the woman had received a call from her credit card company alerting her that someone had used her credit card number to buy nearly $200 worth of merchandise from a Macy’s store in New Jersey. p.m. The woman immediately closed her credit card accounts and flagged her accounts. The BPD officer documented the crime.
Auto Burglary – Euclid and Hearst Avenues – #2012-23121
A San Francisco woman called BPD to report that her car as burglarized. She had parked her car on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at about 6:00 p.m. When she and a woman friend returned to the car at 8:30 p.m., the front passenger window had been broken. Both the women had bags in the car – one containing a wallet, ID and miscellaneous credit cards and the other containing a MacBook Pro laptop and wallet with contents.
Possession For Sale of Cocaine Arrest – 2100 block of 8th Street – #2012-23142
On Tuesday, May 2, 2012 at 11:10 p.m. , a BPD patrol officer watched a woman suspect sell narcotics to a man on a bicycle in the 2100 block of 8th Street. The officer recognized the suspect from prior contacts and knew she was on active probation and had search conditions. The officer and a cover officer detained the woman in front of the apartment she lived in. The officers did a probation search and found nearly 9 grams of cocaine base, aka crack cocaine, packaging material and cash. The officer read the woman her Miranda rights and the woman waived them and provided a written statement. In her statement, she admitted to selling crack to a man on a bicycle and that the cocaine in the apartment belonged to her. The officer arrested the woman suspect, 30 years old for violations of 11352 H&S – Sales of Cocaine base and 11351.5 H&S – Possession of cocaine base For Sale and 1203.2 PC – Probation Violation (Felony)
Snapshots of What Your BPD officers Have Been Doing – April 30 to the afternoon of May 2, 2012. (3 ½ days):
- Between Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 12:04 a.m. and Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 3:26 p.m., BPD patrol officers made 56 traffic enforcement stops throughout the City of Berkeley. This total does not include the BPD traffic/motor officers. During many of these stops, two BPD officers were required for safety. The officers did records checks of the majority of these women and men for license statuses, parole, probation, missing person, restraining orders, wants and warrants statuses. Officer provided dispositions for each stop. Some resulted in not only citations for equipment or moving violations, but arrests for warrants, drugs or DUI – Driving under the influence.
- Between Monday, April 30, 2012 at 1:55 a.m. and Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 12:38 p.m., BPD officers were dispatched to 17 calls for service regarding individuals trespassing on private property. In the majority of cases, two officers responded, investigated, detained individuals and provided dispositions for each of these calls. The officers did records checks of the majority of these women and men for parole, probation, missing person, restraining orders, wants and warrants statuses. Several were active to probation or parole while three were arrested for outstanding warrants.
- Between Sunday April 29, 2012 at 3:46 p.m. and Wednesday, May 2, 2012 April 25, 2012 at 2:13 p.m., BPD officers investigated and documented 16 auto burglaries throughout the city. In most cases, the drivers and/or passengers left valuables in the vehicle such as laptops, iPods, iPhones, luggage and purses. Based on a body of law enforcement experience, these crimes are accomplished very quickly and suspects return to the same areas, neighborhood, parking lots and businesses over and over.
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