This is a partial list of recent crimes in Berkeley, compiled by Berkeleyside, and based on reports to the Berkeley Police Department unless otherwise noted. See past crime blotters here. (Note to readers: We always appreciate photographs and tips, about breaking news or neighborhood safety issues, via email at tips@berkeleyside.com.)
The following items represent just a sampling of calls, and times may be approximate. From Sept. 19-15, there were 17 burglary reports, 15 auto break-in or theft from a vehicle reports, and 17 stolen vehicle reports to the Berkeley Police Department, according to CrimeMapping.com. Six robberies and six assaults, domestic violence incidents or batteries were reported. These numbers are subject to change. Click the previous links for the most current information.
Wednesday, Sept. 18
Police arrested an Oakland man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in the 2100 block of Allston Way, according to court documents. Police said the assault took place between 5 and 6 a.m. after the man gave the woman methamphetamine and a pipe to smoke it with. She told the man she did not want sexual contact with him, but he took action anyway, police wrote in a document related to the man’s arrest. Later that day, just after 1 p.m., police located a man matching the description provided by the woman, on Milvia Street near Kittredge Street, and ultimately arrested him. The man was identified as 34-year-old Kaidi Clutchette. The Alameda County district attorney’s office ultimately charged Clutchette with possession of a controlled substance; police said they found him with a glass pipe and that, just prior to his arrest, he discarded a plastic baggie containing what appeared to be methamphetamine. Authorities said Clutchette had seven prior convictions and served time in prison related to possession, robbery, sale of a controlled substance and grand theft. He is scheduled for a further pre-trial hearing Oct. 1 at the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in downtown Oakland.
Thursday, Sept. 19
A felony assault or battery was reported at 1 a.m. in the 900 block of Grayson Street.
Two home burglaries were reported, at 3:30 a.m. in the 2400 block of Piedmont Avenue, and at 8 a.m. in the 400 block of Grizzly Peak Boulevard.
Two vehicles were reported stolen, both at 5 p.m., in the 1400 block of Spruce Street and the 3000 block of Claremont Avenue.
An auto burglary was reported at 5:30 p.m. in the 2600 block of Russell Street.
A commercial burglary was reported at 6 p.m. in the 1000 block of Ashby Avenue.
Friday, Sept. 20
Three vehicles were reported stolen: at 10:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of Gilman Street; at 5:30 p.m. at Cedar and Oxford streets; and at 6 p.m. in the 1400 block of Grant Street.
A commercial burglary was reported at 10:45 a.m. in the 2500 block of Telegraph Avenue.
A home burglary was reported at 1:37 p.m. in the 1300 block of Ashby.
An auto burglary was reported at 5:21 p.m. at Webster Street and Benvenue Avenue.
Two robberies were reported, at 9:30 p.m. at Ashby and Colby Street, and at 10 p.m. at College Avenue and Woolsey Street.
An arson was reported at 11:55 p.m. in the 1700 block of University Avenue.
Saturday, Sept. 21
Two robberies were reported, at 12:12 a.m. at Bancroft Way and Dana Street, and at 11:03 p.m. at Tremont and Woolsey streets.
Two home burglaries were reported, at 2 a.m. in the 2700 block of College Avenue, and at 7 p.m. in the 2200 block of Seventh Street.
Three thefts or burglaries from vehicles were reported: at 10:30 a.m. in the 200 block of Marina Boulevard; at 5:45 p.m. in the 2100 block of Grant Street; and at 6 p.m. at Durant and Telegraph avenues.
Four vehicles were reported stolen: at 11 a.m. in the 2100 block of Channing Way; at 3:30 p.m. in the 2100 block of Haste Street; at 7:30 p.m. at Haste and College; and at 11:30 p.m. again in the 2100 block of Channing.
Sunday, Sept. 22
A home burglary was reported at 1 a.m. in the 2500 block of Benvenue.
Four thefts or burglaries from vehicles were reported: at 1:40 a.m. in the 1500 block of Rose Street; at 5 p.m. in the 3000 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Way; at 6:45 p.m. in the 1400 block of Fairview Street; and at 8 p.m. in the 1300 block of Harmon Street.
A vehicle was reported stolen at 5:30 p.m. at Scenic Avenue and Virginia Street.
A commercial burglary was reported at 9:46 p.m. in the 2000 block of Milvia Street.
Monday, Sept. 23
A felony sexual assault was reported at midnight in the 2100 block of McKinley Avenue.
Three auto burglaries were reported: at 1 a.m. in the 1000 block of Miller Avenue; at 1:30 a.m. at an unlisted location; and at 7 p.m. at Spruce and Eunice streets.
A home burglary was reported at 7:31 a.m. in the 2300 block of Seventh Street.
Two robberies were reported, at 12:51 p.m. at Grant Street and Dwight Way, and at 9 p.m. at Allston Way and Shattuck Avenue.
Three vehicles were reported stolen, at 5 p.m. and at 6 p.m. in the 1700 block of Woolsey Street, and at 10 p.m. in the 1300 block of Peralta Avenue.
Police received a call from someone reporting a person possibly with a gun near the intersection of Delaware and Sacramento streets shortly before 6 p.m., but officers determined it to be a prank caller. The caller, who turned out to be a juvenile, was located. Police spokeswoman Jennifer Coats said the “matter was handled and the parents were notified.”
A reader reported a cyclist who had been in an accident near Fulton Street and Bancroft Way. Police said the accident took place just before 7 p.m. and involved only the cyclist, who refused fire and police services.
Tuesday, Sept. 24
Two vehicles were reported stolen, at midnight in the 800 block of Hearst Avenue, and at 5 p.m. in the 1000 block of University Avenue.
Three home burglaries were reported: at 1:30 p.m. in the 2700 block of Hillegass Avenue; at 1:50 p.m. in the 1700 block of Russell Street; and at 6:16 p.m. in the 1700 block of Oregon Street.
An auto burglary was reported at 3:20 p.m. in the 2100 block of Russell.
A commercial burglary was reported at 7:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of Dwight Way.
At 8:30 p.m., we heard from multiple Twitter users reports of a police chase through North Berkeley in the area of Gilman Street. Berkeley Police said the California Highway Patrol was pursuing a stolen vehicle, but ultimately called off the pursuit in the interest of public safety. Another reader later reported that police had located what appeared to be the stolen vehicle abandoned near Trader Joe’s. Berkeley Police were unable to provide confirmation prior to publication time.
Wednesday, Sept. 25
Two home burglaries were reported, at 10 a.m. in the 1500 block of Milvia Street, and at 10 p.m. in the 2700 block of Channing.
Two auto burglaries were reported, at 11:05 a.m. in the 2700 block of Marin Avenue, and at 1:30 p.m. in the 1300 block of San Pablo Avenue.
Two vehicles were reported stolen, at 11:45 a.m. in the 1800 block of Scenic Avenue, and at 8 p.m. in the 1500 block of Alcatraz Avenue.
Someone reportedly brandished a weapon at 12:10 p.m. in the 1600 block of Dwight Way.
A commercial burglary was reported at 7 p.m. in the 1900 block of Russell.
The University of California Police Department received a report of vandalism on a cabinet in a hallway in Cesar Chavez Student Center. After removing a pile of papers, a staff member discovered what police referred to as “the ‘n-word’” written on the cabinet in fine black ink, according to a notice released by UCPD. At this point, the suspect is unknown; police are actively working on the investigation and considering it a hate incident. Information on hate crimes can be found on the UCPD website. UCPD can be contacted for safety presentations and outreach at police@berkeley.edu. The Gender Equity Resource Center also has additional related information on its website.
News from the district attorney’s office
On Aug. 21, a jury found Aaron Boungnarith guilty of two counts of robbery, according to the Alameda County district attorney’s office. On June 23, 2012, authorities said, Boungnarith and two other people entered Magic Fingers Spa, at 2047 University Ave. in Berkeley, after a female walked inside and falsely identified herself as a police officer. The female showed a fake police identification card and was wearing a DEA hat. Boungnarith and the other suspects tied up employees with zip ties, took personal items from them, and robbed the business of money. On July 1, 2012, Boungnarith and two others returned to Magic Fingers. This time, he went in wearing a fake Immigration and Customs Enforcement Police raid vest. After entering, the defendant and other suspects bound the victims hands with duct tape and placed them in the break room. While the employees were tied up, the defendant again robbed the spa of money and took personal items. Boungnarith is scheduled for a sentencing hearing Nov. 8 in the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse in downtown Oakland.
See the full list of Berkeley Police Department calls for service on CrimeMapping.com. This may have been updated since publication. See the list of calls to the UC Police Department. See also Local Crime News’ regularly published list of arrests of Berkeley residents. Other sources of information on crime in Berkeley include the Police Department’s CrimeView Community and CrimeMapping.com. [Editor’s Note: New calls for service are at times added to the CrimeMapping.com system in an unpredictable manner, and numbers for most types of calls are likely to increase in the days following this report. This weekly post offers a relatively detailed account of calls for service over the course of a week but does not reflect every call.]
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