Berkeleyside blotter: Crime in Berkeley, Dec. 4-10

Selected calls for service to the Berkeley Police, via CrimeMapping.com. (Scroll down for maps of robberies, burglaries, auto burglaries and auto thefts.) Click the map for the full list. See the map key here. — Selected calls to the Berkeley Police, via CrimeMapping.com. (Scroll down for larger maps.) Click the map for the full list. See the map key here.

This is an overview of recent crime in Berkeley, exclusively compiled by Berkeleyside, and based on reports to the Berkeley Police Department unless otherwise noted. The following items represent a sampling of calls, and times may be approximate.

From Dec. 4-10, there were reports of 21 burglaries, 18 auto break-ins or thefts from vehicles, 10 stolen vehicles and 26 disturbances, according to CrimeMapping.com. Eight robberies, 26 assaults or batteries, three weapon-related calls and two sexual assaults were reported. Significant incidents from the University of California Police Department (UCPD) included two robberies, two vehicle thefts and a weapon-involved call. These numbers are subject to change. Click the links above for the latest numbers.

Please do not hesitate to share photos, videos and tips, about breaking news or neighborhood safety issues, via email at tips@berkeleyside.com or on Facebook or Twitter; let us know up front if you prefer to be anonymous. Don’t assume someone else will alert us — we value your eyes and ears, and you may be the only one to get in touch.

Thursday, Dec. 4

There were three disturbance calls: at 7:50 a.m. in the 2400 block of Eighth Street; at 7 p.m. in the 1900 block of San Pablo Avenue; and at 10:22 p.m. in the 2500 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

There were two robberies, at 3:15 p.m. at Haste and Atherton streets, and at 10:15 p.m. at Haste and Milvia streets.

There were two felony assaults, at 3:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of Bancroft Way, and at 11:05 p.m. in the 2700 block of Telegraph Avenue. Police arrested a 47-year-old man in connection with the incident on Bancroft Way, but he is no longer in custody and does not appear to have been charged, according to online records from the Alameda County district attorney’s office. Police arrested 33-year-old Adam Schmidt on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm in connection with the incident on Telegraph Avenue. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $80,000, and is set for a preliminary examination Dec. 22.

A vehicle was stolen at 4:30 p.m. in the 2500 block of Durant Avenue. According to UCPD, a vehicle also was stolen at 8:23 p.m. from the West Berkeley Lot.

There was a home burglary at 10 p.m. in the 2200 block of Durant Avenue.

There were 21 burglaries (shown in black) reported over this period, via CrimeMapping.com. The prior week there were 21. There were also eight robberies (in blue), following five the prior week. Click the map for a list of both.

Friday, Dec. 5

UCPD handled a weapon-involved call at 3:54 a.m. in the 2200 block of Bancroft Way and Fulton Street.

Police handled three disturbance calls: at 9 a.m. in the 2100 block of Haste; at 3 p.m. in the 1400 block of Eighth; and at 4:15 p.m. at 10th and Gilman streets.

There were three home burglaries: at 9 a.m. in the 1500 block of 62nd Street; at 2 p.m. in the 1900 block of Delaware Street; and at 6 p.m. in the 2200 block of Parker Street.

A vehicle was stolen at 11 a.m. at Cedar and California streets.

There was a felony assault or battery at 9:59 p.m. in the 400 block of Gilman.

Police handled a “second response” call at 10:59 p.m. in the 2500 block of Regent Street.

A black 1997 Honda Accord was stolen from Ashby BART sometime on Dec. 5. (This item first appeared in last week’s crime blotter for timeliness.)

Saturday, Dec. 6

Two vehicles were stolen, at midnight in the 400 block of Grizzly Peak Boulevard, and at 11:59 a.m. in the 1200 block of Carrison Street.

There were two “second response” calls, at 12:06 a.m. in the 2300 block of Piedmont Avenue, and at 12:44 a.m. in the 2400 block of Carleton Street.

There were three home burglaries: at 7:30 a.m. in the 2200 block of Durant Avenue; at 2 p.m. in the 1800 block of Ninth Street; and at 3 p.m. in the 1600 block of Cornell Avenue.

There were two disturbance calls, at 9:50 a.m. in the 2000 block of University Avenue, and at 9:25 p.m. at Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue.

There was a felony assault or battery at 5 p.m. in the 2100 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Way. After that, there were also three misdemeanor calls within demonstrations held in Berkeley related to the police-involved deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown: at 9 p.m. at Telegraph and Durant avenues; at 10 p.m. in the 2300 block of Telegraph; and at 10 p.m. at Telegraph and Durant avenues.

There was a commercial burglary at 7:02 p.m. in the 1200 block of Seventh Street.

See Berkeleyside’s live blog of the Dec. 6 protests in Berkeley, as well as complete protest coverage.

There were 18 thefts or burglaries from vehicles reported on CrimeMapping. There were 20 the prior week. There were also 10 vehicles stolen (in purple). Click the map for a list of incidents.

Sunday, Dec. 7

There were three misdemeanor assaults: at 12:45 a.m. at Telegraph Avenue and Haste Street; at 8:24 p.m. in the 1700 block of San Pablo Avenue; and at 11:30 p.m. at Telegraph and Ashby avenues.

There were two home burglaries, at 4 a.m. in the 2200 block of Dwight Way, and at 6:45 p.m. in the 1100 block of University.

Two BART Police officers contacted a man at the downtown Berkeley BART station at about 2:20 p.m. who was reportedly distressed and crying. While there, BART officers ran a warrants check on the man and found him to be out of compliance with his sex registrant requirements, according to BART. The man was arrested and taken to county jail.

Someone reportedly brandished a weapon at 4:30 p.m. in the 2100 block of Shattuck Avenue.

Authorities say four teens broke the windows of four vehicles in an Ashby BART parking lot and ransacked them. Someone called 911 just after 7 p.m. to report a group of teens burglarizing vehicles in the Woolsey Street parking lot. BART police officers responded to look for the teens but were unable to find them. (This item first appeared in last week’s crime blotter for timeliness.)

There was a felony battery at 7:35 p.m. at Dwight Way and Shattuck Avenue, in which a man who tried to stop looters from breaking into Radio Shack was struck in the face with a hammer by one of the looters. A video of that incident, by Berkeleyside’s Emilie Raguso, follows.

There were two commercial burglaries, at 8 p.m. in the 2200 block of Shattuck Avenue, and at 10 p.m. in the 1900 block of Shattuck. Read more about the vandalisms in Berkeley on Dec. 7.

There was an armed robbery, reported to have involved a firearm, at 11:04 p.m. at Fulton and Ward streets.

See Berkeleyside’s live blog of the Dec. 7 protests in Berkeley, a follow-up story from Dec. 8, a photo gallery from Dec. 6-7, and complete protest coverage.

Monday, Dec. 8

There was an incident involving a gun at 12:12 a.m. in the 1800 block of Carleton Street. According to police, a resident confronted four males sorting through loot that appeared to have been stolen from Radio Shack on Sunday night, and one of them then fired through the resident’s door. Police said they believe the group responsible for Sunday night’s Radio Shack attack and the robbery at Fulton and Ward, as well as this incident, may be one and the same. The individuals were described as four young black men who at times were riding BMX-style bicycles and wearing white medical masks.

There were five disturbance calls: at 1:40 a.m. and 1:45 a.m. at Telegraph Avenue and Prince Street; at 3:05 a.m. at Adeline and Oregon streets; and at 11:30 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. at 61st and Market streets.

There were three robberies: at 2:16 a.m. at Dwight Way and Regent Street; at 5:05 p.m. in the 2200 block of San Pablo Avenue; and at 6:20 p.m. at Hillegass Avenue and Derby Street.

There were three home burglaries: at 11:20 a.m. at 300 block of Alvarado Road; at 8:50 p.m. in the 2200 block of Channing Way; and at 10 p.m. in the 2300 block of Fulton Street. Police arrested Robin Vongphacanh, 26, in connection with the Fulton Street incident on suspicion of misdemeanor possession of burglary tools and felony receiving stolen property.

There was a commercial burglary at 2:45 p.m. in the 1700 block of Solano Avenue.

At 5:40 p.m., a BART police officer responded to the Ashby BART station regarding a call about a child (6-7 years old) who had been abandoned there by his mother. According to BART, the officer contacted a relative who said the mother had “alcohol dependency problems and often leaves the child alone.” The caller told police that a family friend had temporary custody of the child, and would return the boy to the station. The officer contacted Child Protective Services, which took custody of the child and took him to an assessment center. The mother showed up at the BART station approximately one hour after the call, according to police, and had been drinking. She was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment, and was booked at Santa Rita Jail.

There was a misdemeanor sexual assault at 7 p.m. in the 1200 block of University Avenue.

There was a misdemeanor assault or battery at 11:32 p.m. at Oregon and Fulton streets.

See Berkeleyside’s live blog of the Dec. 8 protests in Berkeley, a photo gallery from Dec. 8, and complete protest coverage.

Shown above: assaults or batteries, weapon calls, sexual assaults, arsons and disturbances. Click the image for a list.

Tuesday, Dec. 9

There were nine disturbance calls: at midnight and 12:05 a.m. at 61st and Market streets; at 1:20 a.m. in the 2500 block of San Pablo Avenue; at 1:30 a.m. at San Pablo Avenue and Parker Street; at 1:30 a.m. at Dwight Way and 10th Street; at 2:03 a.m. at Shattuck Avenue and Allston Way; at 2:23 a.m. in the 2300 block of Fulton Street; at 8:30 a.m. in the 1600 block of California Street; and at 10:05 a.m. at College Avenue and Derby Street.

There were three vehicles stolen: at 12:01 a.m. in the 1100 block of Euclid Avenue; at 5 p.m. in the 2900 block of Newbury Street; and at 8 p.m. in the 2900 block of Benvenue Avenue.

Police responded to a call involving a gun or other weapon at 1:57 a.m. at Parker and Eighth streets.

There were two commercial burglaries, at 3:07 a.m. in the 1700 block of Fourth Street, and at 6 p.m. in the 900 block of Parker Street.

A vehicle was stolen at 9:47 a.m. from a location identified only as UVA-162, according to the University of California Police Department.

Berkeley Police officers arrested a 23-year-old Berkeley man in connection with a warrant regarding a robbery in late October. According to online court records, police arrested Alphonzo McInnis at noon in connection with a robbery Oct. 29 at 8:10 p.m. in the 900 block of University Avenue. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $355,000 on suspicion of second-degree robbery and grand theft, as well as parole violation. Online court records indicate he was first arrested in Vacaville on Dec. 5 on suspicion of destroying evidence, burglary, conspiracy and other violations. According to a report on fugitive.com, McInnis was also arrested in Brentwood in 2011 on suspicion of home burglary. He is scheduled for a procedural hearing Dec. 22, and is not eligible for bail due to his status as a parolee.

There was a robbery at 5:50 p.m. in the 2600 block of Grant Street.

There was a home burglary at 11 p.m. in the 2800 block of Hillegass Avenue.

UCPD received a robbery report at 11:36 p.m. in Bowles Lot.

A white 1988 Honda Accord was stolen from the North Berkeley BART station sometime on Dec. 9. (This item first appeared in last week’s crime blotter for timeliness.)

See Berkeleyside’s live blog of the Dec. 9 protests in Berkeley and complete protest coverage.

Wednesday, Dec. 10

There were two arson calls, at 2:10 a.m. at Cedar Street and Shattuck Avenue, and at 3 a.m. in the 1200 block of Seventh Street.

There were three vehicles stolen: at 3:30 a.m. in the 2100 block of Sixth Street; at 8 a.m. at Ellsworth and Stuart streets; and at noon in the 600 block of Hearst Avenue.

There were two home burglaries, at 12:01 a.m. in the 2100 block of McKinley Avenue, and at 6 p.m. in the 700 block of Contra Costa Avenue.

There was a robbery at 1:45 p.m. in the 1000 block of University Avenue.

Police arrested 34-year-old Nathan Marshall in connection with his failure to register as a sex offender and for parole violation. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail and is scheduled for a parole revocation hearing Dec. 19 at Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in downtown Oakland. He is being held without bail due to his status as a parolee.

There was a misdemeanor sexual assault at 6:10 p.m. in the 2000 block of Dwight Way.

UCPD received a report about a robbery at 7:38 p.m. at University House.

There was a disturbance at 7:45 p.m. in the 2100 block of Blake Street.

Other recent incidents

UCPD released a statement about an armed robbery Dec. 17 within the city of Berkeley, at Parker and Ellsworth streets at 12:20 a.m. A 19-year-old man was walking when he heard footsteps behind him. Two people approached him. Police said one person with a gun demanded the man’s property, and the duo then stole his backpack, cellphone and other items. They fled east on Parker and police were unable to find them. According to police, both wore black beanie hats. One, in dark jeans, was described as a Hispanic man in his late teens to early 20s, about 5 feet 9 inches tall and 165 pounds. The other, whose race was unknown, had on dark clothing; no further description was provided.

UCPD received a report of one cellphone robbery and three cellphone thefts on campus Dec. 15 that took place within about 20 minutes of each other. Police made one arrest, of a 17-year-old boy seen running from the last incident, but said they do not know if he was involved in the prior crimes. At 6:23 p.m., a male was walking near the West Crescent when three male juveniles robbed him of his cellphone; all of them wore hooded sweatshirts and fled toward Center Street and Oxford Way. At 6:36 p.m., a female student was walking through Sproul Plaza talking on her phone when a male snatched the phone out of her hand and left the area. At 6:40 p.m., a female student was walking on the Grinnell Pathway when a young man who approached from behind, grabbed her phone and ran off. Finally, at 6:42 p.m., a female student was by the Moffitt Library Café texting on her phone when a male approached her and grabbed it, then fled westbound toward the Eucalyptus Grove. The victim chased after him. Responding UCPD officers saw the chase and intervened, and were able to arrest the suspect. The 17-year-old’s name was not released due to privacy laws protecting minors. Police ask anyone with information about these incidents to call UCPD at 510-642-6760.

See the Berkeley Police Department’s crime reports 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. The Berkeley Police Department also posts “calls for service” spreadsheets — containing more data — online for those who would like to see more. New reports may be added to CrimeMapping in an unpredictable manner, so numbers may increase in the days after this report. This post does not reflect every call. See recent Berkeley crime blotters here. See complete Berkeleyside coverage of the recent Berkeley protests.

Get the latest Berkeley news in your inbox with Berkeleyside’s free Daily Briefing. And make sure to bookmark Berkeleyside’s pages on Facebook and Twitter. You don’t need an account on those sites to view important information.