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 Jan. 8-14, there were reports of six robberies, 24 burglaries, 10 assaults or batteries, four weapon-involved calls and no sexual assaults, according to CrimeMapping.com. There were also 16 stolen vehicles, six disturbances and 37 auto break-ins or thefts from vehicles reported. Significant incidents from the University of California Police Department (UCPD) included a burglary and two calls involving a weapon. These numbers are subject to change. Click the links above for the latest numbers.
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Thursday, Jan. 8
There was a home burglary at 4 a.m. in the 3000 block of Benvenue Avenue.
There were three vehicles stolen: at 8:45 a.m. in the 1800 block of Derby Street; at 7:30 p.m. in the 1300 block of Carrison Street; and at 9 p.m. in the 2100 block of Ward Street.
There was a commercial burglary at 3:04 p.m. in the 1800 block of Fourth Street.
Friday, Jan. 9
A 52-year-old Berkeley man arrested in 2013 after police said he stabbed two people and set a South Berkeley house on fire, killing a puppy, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Read more about the case on Berkeleyside.
There were three home burglaries: at 1:30 a.m. in the 2400 block of Prospect Street; at 11 a.m. in the 1500 block of Allston Way; and at 6:30 p.m. in the 2400 block of Ridge Road.
There were two disturbance calls — at 5 a.m. in the 1900 block of Sixth Street, and at noon in the 900 block of Delaware Street — and a second-response call, at 9:48 p.m. in the 2100 block of Russell Street.
Berkeley police arrested 63-year-old Cal Bunton in Oakland on a slew of drug-related violations and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the Alameda County sheriff’s department. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin with a bail of $630,000. He is scheduled for a preliminary examination hearing Jan. 27 at the Wiley Manuel Courthouse in Oakland. Berkeleyside has requested additional information from the Alameda County district attorney’s office.
There were two robberies, at 3:54 p.m. at Shattuck Avenue and Parker Street, and at 8:25 p.m. at Bancroft Way and Bowditch Street. According to a notice sent out by UCPD, a man was walking in the 2500 block of Bancroft Way at about 8:30 p.m. when three males who appeared to be in their mid- and late teens robbed him with a handgun. One of the males “brandished a handgun and demanded the victim’s property. The victim refused and one of the suspects struck him.” They took the man’s cellphone and fled the scene in a beige 4-door sedan driven by a fourth person (no description provided). They were last seen driving west on Bancroft. The victim sustained minor physical injuries during the robbery. Police searched the area but could not locate robbers. All three were described as black. Two appeared to 14-16 years old and 5 feet 7 to 5 feet 9 inches tall with thin builds. One wore a gray hooded sweatshirt and jeans, and the other was wearing a light-colored hooded sweatshirt. The third robber appeared to be 18-20 years old, and a bit taller, 5 feet 10 to 5 feet 11 inches tall, also with a thin build. He was wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt. Authorities ask anyone with information about this group or this incident to call the Berkeley Police Department at 510-981-5900. (This item first appeared in last week’s blotter for timeliness.)
Two vehicles were stolen, at 5 p.m. in the 1000 block of Keeler Avenue, and at 8:30 p.m. in the 3000 block of San Pablo Avenue.
There was a commercial burglary at 6:34 p.m. in the 1400 block of Fourth Street.
Saturday, Jan. 10
There was a commercial burglary at 1 a.m. in the 3200 block of College Avenue.
There were four home burglaries: at 8:30 a.m. in the 2900 block of Hillegass Avenue; at 1:13 p.m. in the 1900 block of Yosemite Road; at 4 p.m. in the 1800 block of Russell; and at 6:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of Carleton Street.
Police handled a call involving a gun or other weapon at 12:08 p.m. in the 2700 block of Milvia Street.
A vehicle was stolen at 12:30 p.m. at Heinz Avenue and Ninth Street.
Sunday, Jan. 11
There was felony assault or battery at midnight at Shattuck and Vine Street.
Berkeley emergency responders rescued a woman from the water at the Berkeley Marina early in the morning on Sunday. At 5:32 a.m., Berkeley’s emergency communication center received a report of someone in the water at the Berkeley Pier yelling for help, according to Berkeley Deputy Fire Chief Avery Webb. Berkeley police and firefighters responded. Read more on Berkeleyside.
There were two commercial burglaries, at 7 a.m. in the 1500 block of Solano Avenue, and at 3 p.m. in the 2100 block of Sixth Street.
There were two home burglaries, at 1 p.m. in the 2700 block of Prince Street, and at 9 p.m. in the 2900 block of Acton Street.
Police handled a call involving a gun or other weapon at 5:42 p.m. in the 1600 block of Ashby Avenue.
Two vehicles were stolen, at 9:30 p.m. in the 1900 block of Chestnut Street, and at 11:30 p.m. in the 1900 block of Seventh Street.
Monday, Jan. 12
There were two commercial burglaries, at 12:01 a.m. in the 2300 block of Ellsworth Street, and at 1 p.m. in the 2600 block of College.
Police handled a call involving the brandishing of a weapon at 1:18 a.m. in the 2300 block of Shattuck, and one involving a gun at 10:14 a.m. at Derby and Dana streets. In the second instance, police arrested Benjamin Snell, 19, on suspicion of possession of marijuana for sale, being a felon in possession of a firearm and carrying a concealed firearm, according to the Alameda County sheriff’s department. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail, with a bail of $135,000, and is set for further pre-trial Jan. 27 at Wiley Manuel Courthouse in downtown Oakland.
There was a felony assault or battery at 3 a.m. in the 1800 block of 10th Street.
There were three home burglaries: at 9:33 a.m. in the 2900 block of Hillegass Avenue; at 11 a.m. in the 2700 block of Park Street; and at 11:30 p.m. in the 2400 block of Prince.
Police responded to an arson call at 4:36 p.m. in the 2900 block of Otis Street.
A vehicle was stolen at 6:30 p.m. in the 1200 block of Virginia Street.
Tuesday, Jan. 13
There was an arson call at 12:27 a.m. in the 3000 block of San Pablo Avenue.
Three vehicles were stolen: at 1:30 a.m. in the 2200 block of Vine; at 6 p.m. in the 2200 block of Fourth; and at 9 p.m. in the 200 block of Tamalpais Road.
UCPD responded to a burglary at about 2 p.m. at Doe Library on the UC Berkeley campus. Officers arrested 56-year-old Kirk Robinson on suspicion of burglary, resisting arrest, violation of probation and violation of a court order. He was taken to Berkeley Jail. He remains in custody, according to the sheriff’s department.
Police responded to a disturbance at 10:40 a.m. at Eighth and Cedar streets.
There were two robberies, at 11:25 a.m. at Shattuck Avenue and Center Street, and at 4:30 p.m. in the 2500 block of Telegraph Avenue.
UCPD responded to a weapons call at People’s Park at about 6 p.m. Police arrested 40-year-old Allen Lange of Berkeley on suspicion of possession of an illegal knife, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was taken to Berkeley Jail. He is no longer in custody, according to the sheriff’s department.
Wednesday, Jan. 14
There were two robberies, at 7:27 a.m. at Acton and Virginia streets, and at 11:30 p.m. in the 2500 block of Dwight Way.
There were four home burglaries: at 8 a.m. in the 2500 block of Mabel Street; at 11:30 a.m. in the 1300 block of Hopkins Street; at 4 p.m. in the 1100 block of Spruce Street; and at 7:40 p.m. in the 2700 block of Claremont Boulevard.
UCPD responded to a weapons call at University Village in Albany, in the 1100 block of Jackson Street, at 9:25 a.m. Police arrested 51-year-old Anthony Martinez on suspicion of possession of a concealed weapon, and possession of a knife on UC Berkeley property. He was taken to North County Jail.
Four vehicles were stolen: at 10 a.m. in the 1600 block of Harmon Street; at 2:30 p.m. in the 2200 block of Vine; at 7 p.m. in the 100 block of Alvarado Road; and at 8 p.m. in the 800 block of Keeler.
Police received two disturbance calls, at 11:14 a.m. at Telegraph and Dwight, and at 7:27 p.m. in the 1600 block of Eighth Street.
Other recent incidents
According to UCPD: On Thursday, Jan. 15, at 9:55 p.m., a strong-arm robbery occurred along the 900 block of Ohlone Avenue, at University Village in Albany. Two male students, ages 24 and 38, were walking when three people approached from behind and tried to pull their backpacks off them. One of the students was struck in the head. (He received minor injuries and was treated and released at the scene by Albany paramedics.) The robbers managed to get one of the backpacks, but dropped it and then ran away. Officers searched the area but could not find the suspects. One was described as a white man, 18 to 20 years old, with a thin build, about 5 feet 10 inches tall, with brown hair and wearing a brown hooded sweatshirt. Another appeared to be the same race, age and build, but had blond hair and was wearing a hooded sweatshirt. No description was available for the third suspect. Police ask anyone with information 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 in brief 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.
Related:
Two boar heads found in separate locations in Berkeley (01.21.15)
Citizen panel on police to launch Berkeley protests probe (01.20.15)
Berkeley town hall examines race, police relations (01.18.15)
Residents air concerns about police staging to Police Review Commission (01.15.15)
For black students at UC Berkeley, protests are about Ferguson — and their own lives (01.15.15)
Cyclist seriously injured in Berkeley hit-and-run (01.15.15)
Berkeleyside blotter: Crime in Berkeley, Jan. 1-7 (01.14.15)
Man sentenced to 15 years in Berkeley double stabbing, arson that killed puppy (01.13.15)
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