Earlier this year, the Berkeley Police Department relaunched its monthly newsletter to let community members know about notable arrests and incidents, as well as crime prevention tips and safety resources.
Along with beat maps and police contacts for each neighborhood, the newsletter highlights arrests and open cases in Berkeley from the prior month. The fourth edition of the newsletter came out in April.
Residents can sign up to receive the monthly police newsletter by sending an email to police@cityofberkeley.info, or to their local beat officer. The newsletter is also posted online on the Police Department website. Scroll down for highlights from the newsletter.
Help from the community
Police are looking for information about a tire-slashing incident March 6 at 6 p.m. involving seven separate vehicles in the 2800 block of California Street. Police ask anyone with information to call the department’s Property Crimes Unit at 510-981-5737.
Police are looking for the man shown to the right in connection with an armed robbery on Milvia and Stuart streets on March 13. The suspect in the robbery fled the area and was last seen getting onto an AC Transit bus. (Read more on Berkeleyside about the incident.)
Police are asking community members to come forward with information about the Ashkenaz shooting and robbery on March 16. Police arrested one man in connection with the case but a second person remains at-large. Tipsters can call Bay Area Crimes Stoppers at 800-222-8477 to remain anonymous, or the department’s Robbery Unit at 510-981-5742.
On March 25, a woman arrived home, in the 400 block of Arlington Avenue, and found two burglars inside. The thieves fled with her purse when she confronted them. One of the resident’s credit cards was used in El Cerrito later that day. Images of the people police believe to have been involved in the burglary appear at the top of this post. One of the burglars was described as a white man in his 20s, about 5 feet 10 to 6 feet tall, with a thin build and short curly brown hair. He was wearing a black and grey plaid jacket, a grey T-shirt and blue jeans. The other was described as a white woman in her 20s, about 5 feet 6 to 5 feet 10 inches tall, with a thin build and long hair. She was wearing a grey and white hat, dark sweater and blue jeans.
On March 27, at about 6:15 p.m., police received numerous 911 calls of gunshots near Harmon and California streets. Officers located four parked vehicles that had been struck by bullets. Witnesses described the shooter as a man in his 20s who was last seen running south on California. The department’s Homicide Unit, which can be reached at 510-981-5741, is looking for more information.
Noteworthy arrests
On March 1, at about 10 p.m., officer Michael Yu stopped a vehicle on Sacramento Street near Harmon with its headlights off. Yu discovered that the driver did not have a license, and had the driver and passenger step outside. When Yu searched the vehicle, he found two loaded handguns and ammunition. The passenger ran from the scene but police arrested him nearby on suspicion of weapon violations.
On March 3, at about 12:30 a.m., a resident in the 1600 block of Milvia Street awoke to the sound of car doors opening and closing. The resident looked outside and saw a man getting out of his neighbor’s parked vehicle; the resident yelled at the man and called police. The suspect started to walk away, and the resident followed the suspect from a distance while still on the phone with police. Another vehicle drove up to pick up the suspect, and the resident gave this information to police as well. Sgt. Emily Murphy responded to the area to search for the get-away vehicle. She and other officers located the vehicle and arrested the suspect on suspicion of felony theft with priors.
On March 3 at about 5:30 p.m., a resident heard the sound of glass breaking from the 2400 block of Dana Street. The resident saw a man standing by a parked vehicle that had its passenger-side window smashed-in. The resident saw the man begin to rifle through a backpack. As the man walked away, the resident followed from a distance and called police. Officer John Ettare was able to detain the suspect, leading to the suspect’s arrest on suspicion of auto burglary. The suspect also had stolen property from a second auto burglary in his possession, and police arrested him in connection with two counts of auto burglary, and possession of burglary tools and stolen property.
On March 7 at about 1:30 p.m., police said the man to the left robbed Wells Fargo bank at 1095 University Ave. After speaking with several witnesses, Berkeley Police robbery detectives were able to identify the suspect, which led to his capture and arrest.
On March 8 at about 7:15 p.m., a couple in the 600 block of Arlington Avenue returned home to find that one of their hallway doors was ajar: “When they looked closer, the couple was surprised by an intruder running down their staircase. While the wife called 911, the husband yelled for the intruder to ‘Stop!’” Officers arrived quickly and restrained the intruder in handcuffs; the intruder was later charged with home-invasion robbery.
Other helpful information
Police included numerous safety tips in the April newsletter: a reminder that burglars can use large pet doors to get inside a home; how to recognize signs of gang involvement for parents; and personal safety tips while walking around.
Two public safety-related events will take place Saturday: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day and the annual city-wide disaster preparedness exercise. Learn more about both, and the tips noted above, by checking out the newsletter.
Related
Join the Berkeley-wide emergency drill April 27 [04.10.13]
Berkeley Police ask for help to find alleged robber [04.04.13]
Police release name of Ashkenaz shooting suspect [03.19.13]
Ashkenaz ‘celebrates for peace’ after shootings [03.18.13]
Two Ashkenaz employees shot during robbery [03.16.13]
Police newsletter: Thieves sought, burglars caught [03.13.13]
Berkeley Police Department Neighborhood Update, Issue 4
Berkeley Police Department Neighborhood Update, Issue 3
Berkeley Police Department Neighborhood Update, Issue 2
Berkeley Police Department Neighborhood Update, Issue 1
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