Berkeley Police news: Auto burglars, dogs and more

Earlier this year, the Berkeley Police Department relaunched its monthly newsletter to inform the community 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 sixth edition of the newsletter came out in June. Scroll down for highlights.

Help from the community

Police have identified the man pictured to the left, John Anthony Martin, as the suspect in a sex crime case from June. On June 23 at approximately 9:30 a.m., police said a man entered a multi-unit residential building in the 2400 block of Piedmont Avenue. He entered the victim’s bedroom, where she was asleep, and touched the victim in an “inappropriate manner,” which caused her to wake up. The victim started to yell and the man fled the building. Police ask anyone who sees Martin to call 911 and warn community members not to approach him. If you have information on his whereabouts or the investigation the Sex Crimes Detail can be reached at 510-981-5735.

Police released images of three bicycles that have been reported stolen. Check out the pictures and let police know if you’ve seen them or have any information about their whereabouts. If you have any information about these items, the Property Crimes Unit can be reached at 510-981-5737.

Noteworthy calls and arrests

On May 27, at 12:15 a.m., a man ran out from behind a vehicle parked on the 2700 block of Durant Avenue carrying a black duffel bag. He ran to a car parked in a red zone and sped off. Officer Greg Michalczyk saw this and followed the car as it drove south on Piedmont Avenue. When the car reached Channing Circle, the man threw the black duffel out of the window. After seeing this, Michalczyk detained the driver on the 2700 block of Channing Way. When backup arrived, the officers discovered that the black duffel had been stolen from a vehicle on the 2700 block of Durant Avenue, where Michalczyk had originally seen the man. The man was arrested on suspicion of auto burglary and possession of stolen property.

On May 31, police received a 911 call from a resident in the 1500 block of Hearst Street about an auto burglar. The resident had just arrived home from work at around 4 p.m. when she saw a man walking away from her front porch. The man proceeded to walk up to her neighbor’s porch, ring the doorbell several times and test the doorknob. When no one answered, the man walked over to the car in the driveway and began peering in the windows, at which point the resident called the police. Officer John Ettare arrived in the area first and saw the man walking down the 1500 block of Hearst, where he attempted to detain him. The man ran into Ohlone Park toward McGee Street and hid behind a house on Delaware Street, where Ettare lost sight of him. A dog walker had seen the man running by and pointed out the house where he was hiding to police. Several officers surrounded the home and arrested the man on suspicion of auto burglary, possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest.

Other information

On Saturday, July 20, the City of Berkeley will host an event to celebrate Parks Make Life Better month. There will be tree planting and climbing, a landscaping demonstration and a barbecue from noon to 1 p.m.

The Police Department also offered advice on safe methods to use when meeting with someone from an online listing service. Some of the tips were to meet in a public place, tell a family member or friend where you are going, only accept cash and never wire money, take a cell phone with you and consider having a friend accompany you to the meeting.

MADD honored Officer Stephanie Cole at its annual Law Enforcement Recognition Dinner in Sacramento for her work in preventing drunk driving, supporting victims of drunk drivers and reducing underage drinking.

The Berkeley Police Department released several tips for keeping your home safe from fire, including removing dead tree limbs and leaves from the yard, trimming tree branches close to the house, cleaning the roof and gutters, and stacking firewood away from the home. For more information about fire prevention, go to the Fire Prevention Division’s website or call 510-981-5585.

Police are on the lookout for fraudulent use of disabled placards in vehicles. According to the state vehicle code, persons issued these placards are entitled to park in several different types of parking spaces—and sometimes at no additional charge. Some people abuse these placards, said police, by using fraudulent placards or by using a friend or family member’s DP placard in an unauthorized manner. Twice a month, for a few hours a day, police partner with parking enforcement officers to contact individuals they suspect may be fraudulently using a placard for free parking. As of the end of May, the program had led to the discovery of over 100 violators.

Dogs are to be on leash at all times in Berkeley parks, police remind citizens, unless they are in one of the two specified dog parks at Ohlone Park or Cesar Chavez Park. Even if a dog is friendly, strangers may not know and may feel more comfortable if the dog is on a leash.

Residents can sign up to receive the monthly police newsletter by sending an email to police@cityofberkeley.info, or to their local beat officer. 

Related:
Berkeley Police: Gunshots on Harmon and more (05.15.13)
Berkeley Police newsletter: Car stop nets guns and more (04.25.13)
Police newsletter: Thieves sought, burglars caught (03.13.13)