Berkeleyside blotter: Crime in Berkeley, Dec. 18-24

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 detailed maps. Click the map above for the 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. 18-24, there were reports of 19 burglaries, 33 auto break-ins or thefts from vehicles, 10 stolen vehicles and 13 disturbances, according to CrimeMapping.com. Seven robberies, 13 assaults or batteries, two weapon-related calls and two sexual assaults were reported. Significant incidents from the University of California Police Department (UCPD) included three burglaries and three vehicle thefts. These numbers are subject to change. Click the links above for the latest numbers.

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Thursday, Dec. 18

There were five home burglaries: at midnight in the 1900 block of Berkeley Way; at 5 a.m. in the 1800 block of Oxford Street; at 5 p.m. in the 900 block of Cragmont Avenue; at 5:30 p.m. in the 800 block of Contra Costa Avenue; and at 8 p.m. in the 1600 block of University Avenue. Police arrested Sonya Taylor, 41, in connection with the University Avenue incident; she remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $75,000 and is scheduled for a pretrial hearing Jan. 5.

Police arrested 50-year-old Teena Alexander of Berkeley on a warrant for a robbery Nov. 28 a 1:30 a.m. at San Pablo and University avenues. She remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $80,000 and is scheduled for a preliminary examination Jan. 6.

UCPD handled a burglary at 9:31 a.m. in the 2400 block of Durant Avenue in Unit 3.

Berkeley Police arrested 21-year-old Janell Wheat of Berkeley on a warrant from a burglary Oct. 13 at 1:30 p.m. in the 200 block of The Bridge Road in Berkeley. She is set for further pretrial Jan. 8 and remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $50,000.

Police handled a call involving a gun or other weapon at 1:24 p.m. on Interstate 80. Officer Byron White, a Berkeley Police spokesman, said the CHP had issued an alert for officers to be on the lookout for a driver who had pointed a gun at another driver on the freeway. Berkeley officers patrolling around Ashby Avenue spotted the vehicle and detained the driver at Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Police recovered a handgun inside the vehicle, and the case remains under investigation. White said, by email, that “the case will most likely be forwarded to the DA’s office for a decision on whether or not to charge it.”

Police arrested a man and two women just before 5:30 p.m. in connection with several drug-related violations. Torrance Hill, 45, Alma Pernell, 41, and Yvette Price, 54, were arrested in Oakland but booked into the Berkeley Jail on suspicion of crimes related to drug sales, cocaine and methamphetamine. Berkeleyside has requested additional information from the Alameda County district attorney’s office. All three remain in custody and are scheduled for a preliminary examination Jan. 7 at the Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in downtown Oakland.

There were two commercial burglaries, at 7:15 p.m. in the 2900 block of Shattuck Avenue, and at 10:56 p.m. in the 2300 block of Telegraph Avenue.

From the BART Police, two bike thefts at the North Berkeley BART station: One theft took place between 9 a.m. and 10:15 p.m. when a thief stole a locked silver-colored women’s Cannondale Q-5 hybrid bicycle, valued at $800, from the bike racks. In the other incident, at about 11:30 a.m., a man left his bike unlocked when he went to use the restroom at the BART station; a station agent saw a man take the bike, a dark-colored 10-speed Cannondale, and flee. Authorities described the thief as white and 30-35 years old with a blonde mustache and thin build. He was wearing a red and gray striped knit cap.

There was a felony sexual assault at 11 p.m. in the 3000 block of Ellis Street.

Police responded to a disturbance at 11:52 p.m. at San Pablo Avenue and Bancroft Way.

There were 19 burglaries (shown in black) reported over this period, via CrimeMapping.com. The prior week there were nine. There were also seven robberies (in blue), following three the prior week. Click the map for a list of both.

Friday, Dec. 19

There was a robbery at midnight at San Pablo Avenue and Page Street.

Four vehicles were stolen: at 2 a.m. in the 1200 block of Carlotta Avenue; at 5:20 a.m. in the 1300 block Second Street; at 2:30 p.m. at 10th and Delaware streets; at 4:50 p.m. in the 600 block of University Avenue.

There were four disturbances: at 2:30 a.m. in the 2000 block of McGee Avenue; at 4:25 a.m. in the 1500 block of Spruce Street; at 12:19 p.m. in the 2900 block of Ninth Street; and at 5:43 p.m. in the 2400 block of Telegraph. Police arrested Berkeley resident William Gomez, 35, on suspicion of felony criminal threats in connection with the incident on McGee. He is no longer in custody.

There were two home burglaries, at 7:45 a.m. in the 100 block of Hillside Court, and at 4:30 p.m. in the 1500 block of Grant Street.

From the BART Police: A thief stole a $200 white-and-green-colored 18-speed hybrid bicycle from the bike racks at the North Berkeley BART station between 6 p.m. Thursday and 6 p.m. Friday.

UCPD handled a burglary at 9:27 p.m. in the Cesar Chavez Center.

Saturday, Dec. 20

UCPD handled two motor vehicle thefts, at 12:27 p.m. in the 400 block of Kula Gulf Way, and at 4:19 p.m. from the Recreational Sports Facility garage.

There was a home burglary at 7 p.m. in the 1300 block of Acton Street.

There was a misdemeanor sexual assault at 10:45 p.m. at Durant Avenue and Dana Street.

There was a robbery at 11:25 p.m. in the 2400 block of Telegraph Avenue.

A 20-year-old man, and UC Berkeley junior, identified as Apoorve Agarwal died from head trauma outside his Southside neighborhood home in the 2500 block of Piedmont Avenue. Toxicology results from his autopsy have not yet been made available by authorities.

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

Sunday, Dec. 21

Police handled a “second response” call at 2 a.m. in the 2100 block of Essex Street.

There were three home burglaries: at 5:45 a.m. in the 2700 block of Haste Street; at 2 p.m. in the 1700 block of Euclid Avenue; and at 8 p.m. in the 1400 block of Spruce Street.

UCPD reported that a vehicle was stolen at 9:31 a.m. on Red Oak Avenue west of Eighth Street in University Village.

There was a disturbance at 5:04 p.m. in the 2200 block of Haste.

Someone reportedly brandished a weapon at 10:24 p.m. at Virginia and 10th streets.

Monday, Dec. 22

There were two robberies, at 12:14 a.m. in the 2200 block of Sacramento Street, and at 2:10 a.m. in the 2100 block of Kittredge Street. Police arrested Laron Stanton, 23, in connection with the incident on Kittredge. He remains in custody and appears to have been sentenced.

There was a home burglary at 9 a.m. in the 2400 block of Browning Street.

There was a disturbance at 12:34 p.m. at Telegraph and Durant avenues.

UCPD handled a burglary on Lower Sproul Plaza at 2:20 p.m.

There was a felony assault or battery at 5:30 p.m. in the 2100 block of Carleton Street.

There was a commercial burglary at 6 p.m. in the 200 block of University Avenue.

A vehicle was stolen at 8 p.m. at Fifth and Virginia streets.

There were 33 thefts or burglaries from vehicles reported on CrimeMapping. There were 25 the prior week. There were also 10 vehicles stolen (in purple). Click the map for a list of incidents.

Tuesday, Dec. 23

There were three home burglaries: at midnight in the 3000 block of Dohr Street; at 7 a.m. in the 600 block of Ensenada Avenue; and at 5:10 p.m. in the 1000 block of Delaware Street.

There was a felony assault or battery at 12:25 a.m. at University Avenue and Grant Street.

There was a robbery at 5:45 a.m. at Milvia Street and Allston Way.

Four vehicles were stolen: at 6 a.m. in the 1700 block of Prince Street; at 12:36 a.m. in the 2400 block of Durant; at 4 p.m. in the 1100 block of Hopkins Street; and at 9 p.m. at Virginia Street and San Pablo Avenue.

There were three disturbance calls: at 1:59 p.m. in the 2500 block of Telegraph; at 10 p.m. in the 2400 block of Ashby Avenue; and at 11:05 p.m. at Shattuck Avenue and Parker Street.

From the BART Police: A thief stole a white IRO Flip Flop woman’s road bike that had been locked with both Kryptonite and U locks on the west side of the Ashby BART station. The theft took place between 7:45 p.m. Monday and 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Wednesday, Dec. 24

There were two disturbance calls, at 12:50 a.m. in the 2400 block of Ashby Avenue, and at 2:07 a.m. in the 1800 block of Sacramento Street.

There was a commercial burglary at 5 p.m. in the 3000 block of Adeline Street.

There was an arson call at 8 p.m. in the 2300 block of Prospect Street.

There were two robberies, at 8:20 p.m. in the 2200 block of Shattuck Avenue, and at 11:30 p.m. in the 2000 block of Ninth Street.

A vehicle was stolen at 9 p.m. in the 2100 block of Dwight Way.

Other recent incidents

The Oakland Police Department stepped up patrols on Grizzly Peak Boulevard after two incidents in December. On Dec. 19, at 10:30 p.m., the vehicle of a couple parked near the 5100 block of Grizzly Peak was hit by gunfire. The couple was not injured and could not provide any motive or surrounding circumstances that may have led to the encounter, police said. On Dec. 28, at about 11:30 p.m., a man was parked alone in the 5400 block of Grizzly Peak when two people with a gun approached him and robbed him: “Despite his cooperation he received one gunshot wound to the leg,” police said in a prepared statement. Officers described the robbers as a 17-year-old and a 25-year-old. Oakland Police Lt. Chris Bolton wrote in the prepared statement that “I’m listing these offenses together due to proximity and their seriousness; I do not feel, absent additional information, that these crimes are connected. However, I’m asking that all persons who routinely travel any portion of Grizzly Peak or other nearby routes to report potentially related or suspicious activity or persons in order to better direct and inform patrols in the area.” Read more about recent incidents on Grizzly Peak Boulevard in past Berkeleyside coverage.

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.

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Other recent incidents

Emilie Raguso