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 June 5-11, there were 14 burglary reports, 25 auto break-in or theft from a vehicle reports, and five 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, June 5
Two home burglaries were reported, at 12:30 a.m. in the 1500 block of Addison Street, and at 6 a.m. in the same block.
A robbery was reported at 8:55 a.m. in the 2400 block of Shattuck Avenue.
A vehicle was reported stolen at 11:15 a.m. in the 1900 block of San Pablo Avenue.
Someone reportedly brandished a weapon at 7 p.m. at 10th Street and University Avenue. Berkeleyside heard from readers on Twitter that police had Virginia closed between Eighth and 10th streets. According to unconfirmed scanner audio recordings, someone with a weapon — reported originally as a gun — threatened at least one person at University and 10th Street, then drove off. Police detained the man they believed to be responsible on Virginia at 7:36 p.m. Arrested was 61-year-old Harold Wade on suspicion of criminal threats and exhibiting a deadly weapon other than a firearm. He is no longer in custody and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing July 7.
Friday, June 6
Alameda County sheriff’s deputies arrested three people during a drug-related operation at a home in the 1600 block of Oregon Street in South Berkeley. Authorities initially said they were investigating a methamphetamine laboratory, but later reported the discovery of psychedelic drugs.
A home burglary was reported at 1:34 p.m. in the 2600 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Way.
Three commercial burglaries were reported: at 2:10 p.m. in the 2000 block of Oregon Street; at 4 p.m. in the 1400 block of Ada Street; and at 10:40 p.m. in the 2200 block of Fulton Street.
A robbery was reported at 10:30 p.m. at Fulton and Prince streets.
Saturday, June 7
A gun or other weapon was reported at 12:10 a.m. a Sacramento and 66th streets.
A felony sexual assault was reported at 1:30 a.m. in the 2700 block of Park Street.
Two felony assaults or batteries were reported, at 1:35 a.m. at Telegraph Avenue and Dwight Way, and at 10:51 p.m. in the 900 block of University Avenue.
An officer in a marked patrol car observed a speeding vehicle crash into a concrete barrier near Webster and Colby streets just before 2:45 a.m. After the collision, which injured one of the vehicle’s passengers, said Berkeley Police Lt. David Frankel, the driver left the scene. The officer activated his emergency equipment and ultimately was able to get the driver to pull over. Police conducted a field sobriety test, which the driver failed, said Frankel. The driver was identified as 25-year-old Kamal Ali Alhaithani. He was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and felony hit and run causing injury. He is no longer in custody.
A commercial burglary was reported at 10:30 a.m. in the 2900 block of College Avenue.
A vehicle was reported stolen at 8 p.m. in the 1600 block of Bonita Avenue.
A robbery was reported at 9:50 p.m. at Woolsey and Ellis streets. A 16-year-old boy was hit, held down and robbed over the weekend of his hat and shoes
Berkeley authorities responded to Eighth Street and University Avenue in West Berkeley shortly before 11 p.m. and found two teenage gunshot victims at La Quinta hotel. Radio problems made it difficult for authorities to communicate during the incident.
Sunday, June 8
A felony assault or battery was reported at 1:05 a.m. in the 2400 block of Durant Avenue. Police arrested 43-year-old Martin Lal of Berkeley on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon — other than a firearm — causing great bodily injury. He is no longer in custody but is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing July 2, according to the Alameda County district attorney’s office.
A felony sexual assault was reported at 2 a.m. at Stuart and Grant streets.
Two commercial burglaries were reported, at 5:50 a.m. in the 2900 block of College Avenue, and at 5:53 a.m. at College and Harwood avenues.
A robbery was reported at 10:14 p.m. at Eighth Street and Hearst Avenue.
Monday, June 9
Three vehicles were reported stolen: at 5:13 a.m. in the 1700 block of Fourth Street; at 1:51 p.m. at Eighth and Addison streets; and at 10 p.m. in the 900 block of Page Street.
A home burglary was reported at 6 p.m. in the 2200 block of Seventh Street.
Tuesday, June 10
A misdemeanor sexual assault was reported at 1 a.m. in the 2900 block of Adeline Street.
A home burglary was reported at 3:45 p.m. in the 1500 block of Hearst Avenue.
A gun or other weapon was reported at 9:51 p.m. in the 1600 block of Alcatraz Avenue.
A robbery was reported at 10:25 p.m. at Dwight Way and College Avenue.
Wednesday, June 11
Police arrested 33-year-old Richard Guerra at 4 a.m. on suspicion of vehicle theft. He remains in custody, with a bail of $40,000, and is scheduled for an attorney and plea hearing June 16.
The California Highway Patrol arrested a driver who led officers on a 100 mph chase from the Bay Bridge into Berkeley at about 12:30 a.m. The man crashed into another car after exiting Interstate 80 at University Avenue. Officers deployed a Taser to take 30-year-old Richard Massey into custody. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $235,000, and is scheduled for an attorney and plea hearing June 16.
Police responded to a “suspicious circumstances” call at about 8:30 a.m., with a report of a male chasing another male near Hearst and Oxford avenues, said Berkeley Police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer Coats. Police spoke to one of the the males, who said the other one had stolen his bike. Police said the alleged thief may have run into the 1700 block of Virginia Street. Officers checked the area to try to find him. No further information was available as of the time of this report.
Someone reportedly brandished a weapon at 9:30 a.m. in the 1900 block of Hearst Avenue.
Two home burglaries were reported, at 2 p.m. at an unlisted location, and at 8 p.m. in the 1400 block of Curtis Street.
Two people were shot in South Berkeley just after 4:30 p.m.; residents said they heard up to a dozen gunshots near Russell and California streets. Police arrested one person who they said had some involvement in the incident, but he has since been released and no charges have been filed by the district attorney’s office. According to the Daily Cal, his arraignment was canceled Friday.
A commercial burglary was reported at 5 p.m. in the 1800 block of Fourth Street.
A robbery was reported at 7:49 p.m. in the 2200 block of Durant Avenue.
Other recent incidents
The Berkeley Police Department arrested a man Saturday morning who is alleged to have tried to shoot and kill his wife last week. According to Berkeley Police Lt. David Frankel, the incident occurred Thursday, June 12, in the 800 block of Bancroft Way in West Berkeley between Fifth and Sixth streets. The man, Harold Owen Covington was at home when he got into a verbal dispute with his wife. Frankel said the 68-year-old repeatedly threatened the woman and pointed a shotgun at her chest. She brushed the gun aside, and it went off. Gunfire struck the ceiling of the couple’s apartment. The woman called police Saturday morning shortly after 5 a.m. to report what had happened. Officers responded to the home and arrested Covington on suspicion of attempted homicide. He is being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail and is scheduled for arraignment June 16 at 2 p.m. at Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in downtown Oakland.
The University of California Police Department received a report of a sexual battery in the Tang Center parking lot at about 10:50 p.m. Sunday, June 15. A 20-year-old woman was walking on Oxford Street near Kittredge Street. As she approached Bancroft Way, she noticed a man on a bicycle, near the Touchless Gas Station, staring at her. The woman continued walking south and crossed Bancroft. The victim was walking through the Tang Center parking lot when the man approached her and grabbed her chest. She yelled and he fled on the bicycle. UCPD officers searched the area but could not find the man. He was described as Hispanic, in his 20s, 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a medium build. He had a full beard and was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. Police said his bicycle was a “new looking” black-colored fixed-gear bike with black spokes and straight “horned” handlebars “with the ends going up.” Police ask anyone with information about the man or the incident to call UCPD at 510-642-6760.
Berkeley Police officers arrested a man who burglarized a Budget rental car then fled on a bicycle from police before being caught, according to authorities. Capt. Andrew Greenwood said police received a call just before 11:40 p.m. June 12 that someone was inside the Budget rental car parking lot, in the 600 block of Gilman Street. An officer who was searching the area spotted the man later identified as Michael James Stoddard, 38, of Berkeley riding on San Pablo Avenue; he fled when police tried to stop him, Greenwood said. Officers found Stoddard hiding in a driveway in the 1100 block of Dartmouth Street, just over the city line into Albany. Greenwood said he was found with methamphetamine and a meth pipe, and papers stolen from a vehicle inside the Budget parking lot. Stoddard remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $105,000, and is scheduled for an attorney and plea hearing June 16.
See the full list of Berkeley Police Department calls for service on CrimeMapping.com. See the list of calls to UC Police at Berkeley, which are also posted on CrimeMapping. 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. 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:
Trio in South Berkeley robs teen of shoes (06.13.14)
Police make arrest in South Berkeley double shooting (06.12.14)
Taser used in arrest of driver in stolen car in Berkeley (06.12.14)
Gunshots in South Berkeley, 2 victims (06.11.14)
Authorities: Berkeley Apple store thief strikes again (06.10.14)
Berkeleyside Blotter: Crime in Berkeley, 5/29-6/4 (06.09.14)
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