This is a partial list of recent crime in Berkeley, compiled by Berkeleyside, and based on reports to the Berkeley Police Department unless otherwise noted. See recent Berkeley crime coverage here.
The following items represent just a sampling of calls, and times may be approximate. From March 6-12, there were nine burglary reports, 28 auto break-in or theft from a vehicle reports, and 14 stolen vehicle reports to the Berkeley Police Department, according to CrimeMapping.com. Six robberies and 12 assaults, domestic violence incidents or batteries were reported. These numbers are subject to change. Click the previous links for the most current information.
[Editor’s Note: We always appreciate photographs and tips, about breaking news or neighborhood safety issues, via email at tips@berkeleyside.com or via Facebook or Twitter; please let us know when you write if you prefer to be anonymous.]
Thursday, March 6
A robbery was reported at 10:07 a.m. in the 1800 block of San Pablo Avenue.
Four auto burglaries were reported: at 6 p.m. at an unlisted location; at 8 p.m. in the 200 block of University Avenue; at 8:10 p.m. in the 1000 block of Gilman Street; and at 11 p.m. in the 1900 block of Francisco Street.
University of California Police officers arrested a woman in People’s Park for a probation violation, and she was taken to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation before she could be booked, said Lt. Eric Tejada of UCPD in response to an information request from Berkeleyside. Reader Stefan Lasiewski tipped Berkeleyside off to the incident, and described more than a dozen police, paramedics and firefighters on scene, along with two trucks and several police cars from both UCPD and the Berkeley Police Department.
Three vehicles were reported stolen: at 9 p.m. in the 1200 block of Stannage Avenue; at 9:45 p.m. at an unlisted location; and at 10:30 p.m. in the 2400 block of Bonar Street.
Friday, March 7
Three vehicles were reported stolen: at 12:01 a.m. in the 2200 block of Channing Way; at 2 p.m. in the 1300 block of McGee Avenue; and at 7 p.m. in the 500 block of Grizzly Peak Boulevard.
A home burglary was reported at 9 a.m. in the 2900 block of Dwight Way.
A commercial burglary was reported at 11 a.m. in the 2000 block of Kittredge Street.
Two auto burglaries were reported, at 2:30 p.m. in the 1700 block of Tacoma Avenue, and at 8:30 p.m. in the 2500 block of Prince Street.
A woman who went missing from the North Berkeley Senior Center on Friday, whose whereabouts were unknown for approximately seven hours, was reunited with her family Friday night after being spotted by an observant passer-by who was on her way home from work, authorities said.
A robbery was reported at 9:42 p.m. in the 2500 block of Durant Avenue.
Police arrested two men after pulling over a car at Warring and Parker streets just before 11:30 p.m. whose occupants matched the description from the Durant Avenue robbery earlier in the night, according to court papers. During a search of the driver, police found a loaded Smith & Wesson .38 Special revolver, and arrested the Richmond man, who was identified as Bryson Singleton. Police also found an 18-inch-long bowie knife, with a 12-inch blade, hidden in the back seat wrapped in a sweatshirt. In addition, police found “loose marijuana, marijuana cigarettes and a digital scale.” Singleton was arrested at 12:45 a.m. in connection with the gun and knife. One of the vehicle’s passenger’s also was arrested on an outstanding warrant. Singleton is no longer in custody but is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing April 9 at the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in downtown Oakland. He has been charged with two misdemeanors: carrying a concealed firearm, and carrying a concealed dirk or dagger, according to the Alameda County district attorney’s office.
Saturday, March 8
Three auto burglaries were reported: at 1:30 a.m. in the 2200 block of Cedar Street; at 8:20 a.m. at Alcatraz Avenue and Adeline Street; and at 10 a.m. in the 2400 block of Channing Way.
Two vehicles were reported stolen, at 5:30 p.m. at Dana and Durant streets, and at 9 p.m. at Sixth Street and Bancroft Way.
There were gunshots reported near Strawberry Creek Park around 11 p.m., but police said the sounds were bottle rockets.
Sunday, March 9
Eight thefts or burglaries from vehicles were reported: at midnight in the 2600 block of 10th Street; at 4:30 p.m. in the 100 block of Spinnaker Way; at 4:40 p.m. in the 1300 block of San Pablo Avenue; at 6 p.m. in the 1700 block of California Street; at 6 p.m. in the 1700 block of Francisco Street; at 10 p.m. in the 3100 block of College Avenue; at 10 p.m. in the 1300 block of Francisco; and at 10:30 p.m. in the 1700 block of Francisco.
Three vehicles were reported stolen: at 3 a.m. in the 2900 block of Regent Street; at 4 p.m. at an unlisted location; and at 6 p.m. in the 2600 block of Piedmont Avenue.
Two home burglaries were reported, at 7 p.m. in the 1900 block of Berkeley Way, and at 9:15 p.m. in the 1900 block of Vine Street.
A woman was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after police said she crashed into a parked car as well as an oncoming vehicle while speeding eastbound in the 1500 block of Ashby Avenue sometime after 10 p.m. Berkeley Police Lt. Dave Frankel said the woman struck a parked car, then careened into the westbound lane and struck an oncoming vehicle. That vehicle was pushed onto the sidewalk, and the first car spun out. Both cars sustained heavy damage. One person was taken to the hospital for evaluation following airbag deployment in one of the vehicles. The 1500 block of Ashby was temporarily closed during the investigation, and two cars were towed.
Monday, March 10
Three auto burglaries were reported: at midnight in the 2000 block of Seventh Street; at 1 p.m. in the 1400 block of McGee Avenue; and at 2:05 p.m. in the 800 block of University Avenue.
A home burglary was reported at 12:30 a.m. in the 2300 block of Parker Street.
Three robberies were reported: at 12:31 a.m. in the 1000 block of University Avenue; at 4:40 p.m. at Bonar Street and Allston Way; and at 9:05 p.m. in the 800 block of Harrison Street.
A commercial burglary was reported at 9:39 a.m. in the 2600 block of Telegraph Avenue. Police arrested Damon Powell on suspicion of petty theft and probation violation. According to court papers, Powell went into CVS “right past the manager” and stuck a bottle of vodka into his backpack, “then exited without paying, right past the manager.” Police detained him nearby and found the $24 bottle of vodka in his bag. A store manager identified Powell as the thief, and authorities say Powell was also “caught on video.” He has been charged with misdemeanor petty theft by the Alameda County district attorney’s office.
Tuesday, March 11
Five auto burglaries were reported: at midnight in the 1900 block of El Dorado Avenue; at 6 a.m. in the 1300 block of Josephine Street; at 6:15 p.m. in the 200 block of Marina Boulevard; at 7 p.m. in the 800 block of University; and at 9 p.m. at Dwight Way and Hillside Avenue.
A felony sexual assault was reported at 3:20 a.m. in the 2400 block of Channing Way.
A commercial burglary was reported at 2:15 p.m. in the 2100 block of Shattuck Avenue.
Two vehicles were reported stolen, at 6 p.m. in the 1600 block of Woolsey Street, and at 7:30 p.m. in the 3300 block of Idaho Street.
A robbery via gun shortly after 6 p.m. was reported at California and Harmon streets. The victim’s backpack, keys and phone were taken, and it was later reported that the robbers also stole the victim’s car. The robbers were described as two to three black males. The one with the gun was described as a darker-complected male in his teens with a gray jacket and light blue pants with designs on them. The second male was light-complected with a white T-shirt and blue jeans. (The incident did not appear on CrimeMapping but was discussed extensively on the Berkeley Police scanner as it unfolded.)
Wednesday, March 12
A home burglary was reported at 7:15 a.m. in the 3100 block of College Avenue.
A commercial burglary was reported at 12:44 p.m. in the 3200 block of College.
A robbery was reported at 5:53 p.m. in the 2800 block of Adeline Street.
Three thefts or burglaries from vehicles were reported: at 8 p.m. in the 2300 block of Durant Avenue; at 8:30 p.m. in the 2200 block of Prince; and at 9 p.m. in the 900 block of Santa Barbara Road.
A vehicle was reported stolen at 9 p.m. in the 1600 block of Arch Street.
Assault with a rock at People’s Park
The Berkeley Police Department also last week reported an assault with a deadly weapon on Wednesday, March 5, at 8:45 a.m. near the intersection of Dwight Way and Hillegass Avenue, according to a notice released by the University of California Police Department on March 10. Authorities said a man walked out of People’s Park with a large rock and threw it at a man, woman and small child who were getting into a parked vehicle. The rock struck the vehicle and shattered a window. The male victim sustained non-life threatening injuries. The man who had thrown the rock returned to the park and was detained by UCPD officers. The Berkeley Police Department turned the case over to UCPD, as it took place within UCPD’s jurisdiction. The man was identified as Alexander McMillan, 37. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $150,000. He has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon and child cruelty. He is scheduled to enter a “plea after arraignment” April 1.
On Friday, March 14, at approximately 7:45 a.m., an aggravated assault occurred in People’s Park, according to a statement released Monday by the University of California Police Department. A 62-year-old man was leaving the restroom in the park when he noticed a woman carrying his radio. An argument ensued and the woman picked up a glass bottle and threw it at the victim, striking him in the head, police said. Officers arrived at the park and arrested 28-year-old Rhea Kathleen Newman, who was identified by a witness. The man was taken to the emergency room in an ambulance for treatment for the head injury.
See the full list of Berkeley Police Department calls for service on CrimeMapping.com. See the list of calls to UC Police at Berkeley. 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 post does not reflect every call.]
Related:
Police arrest 2 after man brandishes gun in laundromat (03.16.14)
Robberies rise, but serious crime down overall in 2013 (03.14.14)
Ronald Nelson, former Berkeley police chief, dies (03.14.14)
Berkeley woman grabbed in attempted kidnapping (03.10.14)
3 years after killing, Berkeley family still seeking justice (03.10.14)
Berkeleyside Police Blotter: Crime in Berkeley, 2/27-3/5 (03.10.14)
Missing at-risk woman reunited with family in Berkeley (03.08.14)
Update: Missing at-risk woman found in Berkeley (03.07.14)
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