Berkeleyside blotter: Crime in Berkeley, 1/29-2/4

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 overview of recent crime in Berkeley is based on reports to the Berkeley Police unless otherwise noted. Please don’t hesitate to share photos, videos or tips, about breaking news or neighborhood safety issues, via email at tips@berkeleyside.com or on Facebook or Twitter; let us know 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.

From Jan. 29 to Feb. 4, there were reports of six robberies, 22 burglaries, 16 assaults or batteries, two weapon-involved calls and two sexual assaults, according to CrimeMapping.com. There were also 16 stolen vehicles, 22 disturbances and 36 auto break-ins or thefts from vehicles reported. Significant incidents from the University of California Police Department (UCPD) included an arson, a sex crime and a weapons call. These numbers are subject to change. Click the links for the latest numbers. The following items represent a sampling of calls, and times may be approximate.

Thursday, Jan. 29

Neighbors around the 100 block of Fairlawn Drive have been concerned about two threatening notes left recently at the home of a local resident. On Jan. 28, the culprit “upturned a can of oil based paint on our car and left a note” on the car indicating frustration about noise caused by crying children. A previous anonymous letter making threats about the same situation was left in the home’s mailbox. A resident on Avenida wrote on Nextdoor that she “was shocked to see this. The very same thing happened to me a bit over 10 years ago – paint in a plastic bag placed on top of my car with a note threatening to burn down my house if my son did not stop playing his drums.” Berkeley police are investigating, according to emails circulating among neighbors.

There were two disturbance calls — at 9:38 a.m. at Shattuck Avenue, and at 10:30 a.m. in the 2900 block of Ellis Street — and a “second response” call at 11:37 p.m. in the 2300 block of College Avenue.

There were two home burglaries, at 4:30 p.m. in the 1700 block of McGee Avenue, and at 9 p.m. in the 2200 block of Shattuck. (According to neighbors, burglars have been repeatedly targeting the same home in the 1700 block of McGee — first several months ago and again recently — and have stolen multiple Apple laptops. Councilwoman Linda Maio called the incidents “highly disturbing,” and asked the city manager in late January about the potential for fingerprint analysis, according to an email circulated among neighbors.)

There was a felony assault or battery at 8 pm. in the 2400 block of Durant Avenue.

There were 22 burglaries (shown in black) reported over this period, via CrimeMapping.com. The prior week there were 22. There were also six robberies (in blue), following three the prior week. Click the map for a list of both.

Friday, Jan. 30

There was a robbery at 2:04 a.m. at San Pablo Avenue and Cedar Street.

There were six vehicles stolen: at 5:55 a.m. in the 1600 block of Jaynes Street; at 1 p.m. at Vine and Josephine streets; at 3 p.m. in the 1400 block of Grant Street; at 8 p.m. in the 1500 block of Harmon Street; at 8:30 p.m. in the 1300 block of Rose Street; and at 11 p.m. in the 2500 block of Le Conte Avenue.

Police arrested 26-year-old Jamar Jones of Richmond at 9:30 a.m. on suspicion of being a fugitive from justice; he remains in custody at Glenn Dyer Jail, where he is being held without bail.

BART police arrested someone on suspicion of fare evasion and resisting arrest at the Ashby BART station at 9:54 a.m.

There were four home burglaries: at noon in the 1600 block of Channing Way; at 4:15 p.m. in the 1600 block of Alcatraz Avenue; at 5:45 p.m. in the 2000 block of Fourth Street; and at 10 pm. in the 1900 block of Curtis Street.

There were four disturbance calls — at 1:37 p.m. in the 1600 block of Russell Street; at 1:52 p.m. in the 1800 block of Harmon Street; at 11:12 p.m. in the 2500 block of Benvenue Avenue; and at 11:38 p.m. in the 1300 block of La Loma Avenue — and three “second response” calls: at 10:35 p.m. in the 2500 block of Piedmont Avenue; at 11:13 p.m. in the 2100 block of Hearst Avenue; and at 11:38 p.m. in the 2400 block of Hilgard Avenue.

Someone reportedly brandished a weapon at 10:30 p.m. in the 2500 block of Durant Avenue.

Saturday, Jan. 31

There were three disturbance calls — at 12:20 a.m. in the 2500 block of Warring Street; at 8 a.m. in the 900 block of Addison Street; and at 1:31 p.m. in the 2500 block of San Pablo Avenue — and a “second response” call at 1:05 a.m. in the 2900 block of Channing Way.

There was a felony assault or battery at 1:49 p.m. in the 2600 block of San Pablo Avenue.

There were three home burglaries: at 11 a.m. in the 2100 block of Delaware Street; at noon in the 2900 block of Otis Street; and at noon in the 600 block of Vicente Avenue.

There was a misdemeanor sexual assault at 2:20 p.m. in the 2000 block of Kittredge Street.

Three vehicles were stolen: at 4 p.m. in the 700 block of San Diego Road; at 6 p.m. in the 2000 block of Prince Street; and at 6 p.m. in the 1000 block of University Avenue.

There was a robbery at 7:30 p.m. in the 3200 block of Adeline Street.

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

Sunday, Feb. 1

There was a “second response” call at 1:24 a.m. in the 2300 block of Webster Street, and three disturbance calls: at 8 a.m. in the 600 block of University Avenue; at 11 a.m. in the 2100 block of Kittredge; and at 8:37 p.m. in the 2500 block of San Pablo.

UCPD responded to an arson call at 12:03 p.m. at University Village in Albany. The incident is still under investigation.

Police arrested Niu Halatoa, 24, on a warrant for kidnapping and robbery. He is being held without bail. A co-defendant in that case, Mele Kivalu, 33, was arrested Jan. 14 in Oakland. Both remain in custody at Santa Rita Jail. Kivalu is set for a pre-trial hearing March 4, and Halatoa is scheduled to enter a plea Feb. 18. Berkeleyside has requested additional information from the Alameda County district attorney’s office.

There was a call involving a gun or other weapon at 3:40 p.m. in the 2400 block of Telegraph Avenue.

Police found the body of a man later identified as 70-year-old Gary Skupa on West Street near Delaware Street at about 4:30 p.m. Read more on Berkeleyside.

There was a felony sexual assault at 8 p.m. in the 2100 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

There were two vehicles stolen, at 8 p.m. in the 2100 block of Sacramento Street, and at 10 p.m. in the 1000 block of Hearst Avenue.

Monday, Feb. 2

There were seven home burglaries: at 9:30 a.m. in the 1600 block of Lincoln Street; at 9:40 a.m. in the 3000 block of Bateman Street; at 9:45 a.m. in the 1600 block of Virginia Street; at 10:30 a.m. in the 1300 block of Rose Street; at 2:05 p.m. in the 1000 block of Addison Street; at 5:50 p.m. in the 3300 block of California Street; and at 10:15 p.m. in the 1100 block of Woodside Road.

UCPD responded to a weapons call at 4:02 p.m. in the Underhill parking garage at Channing Way and Haste Street. Police arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of possession of a dirk or dagger on UC Berkeley property, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was cited and released.

There were 36 thefts or burglaries from vehicles, via CrimeMapping. There were 32 the prior week. There were also 16 vehicles stolen (in purple). Click the map for a list of incidents.

Tuesday, Feb. 3

There were three vehicles stolen: at 7:30 a.m. in the 1900 block of Seventh Street; at 9:15 a.m. in the 100 block of Spinnaker Way; and at 10 p.m. in the 2300 block of Dwight Way.

There were two disturbance calls, at 8:20 a.m. at Wheeler and Prince streets, and at 5:50 p.m. in the 2800 block of Telegraph.

There were three home burglaries: at 9 a.m. in the 2400 block of McGee Avenue; at 10:30 a.m. in the 1700 block of Blake Street; and at noon in the 1300 block of Kains Avenue.

There were two robberies, at 5:40 p.m. in the 2700 block of Channing Way; and at 9:25 p.m. in the 2900 block of Shattuck Avenue.

Police arrested Terrell Smith, 33, on suspicion of second-degree burglary, attempted grand theft, identity theft and other violations, at 5:30 p.m. in the 700 block of Potter Street. He is being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail and will next appear in court Feb. 19.

Police arrested 44-year-old Rachel Diprinzio, at 7 p.m. in the 2500 block of Grant Street, on suspicion of the use of a firearm during a felony, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of ammunition and possession of a controlled substance for sale. She remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $30,000, and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing Feb. 17.

Wednesday, Feb. 4

There were three home burglaries: at 6:39 a.m. in the 1100 block of Shattuck Avenue; at 12:42 p.m. in the 2600 block of Stuart Street; and at 3:15 p.m. in the 2200 block of Haste Street.

There were two disturbance calls, at 10:55 a.m. in the 1300 block of Bonita Avenue, and at 1 p.m. in the 1700 block of Rose Street.

There were two robberies, at 2:10 p.m. at Parker and Warring streets, and at 7:52 p.m. at Bancroft Way and Piedmont Avenue.

UCPD police arrested 85-year-old George Whaley on suspicion of indecent exposure at 4:02 p.m. in Dwinelle Hall. Whaley was ordered to stay away from campus for seven days. He was booked into Berkeley Jail, but is no longer in custody.

Two vehicles were stolen, at 7 p.m. at Cedar and 10th streets, and at 9 p.m. in the 900 block of Cedar (around Seventh Street).

Other recent incidents

The Berkeley Police Department responded to multiple 911 calls of possible gunshots in the area of Bancroft Way and Bonar Street at about 9 p.m. last Thursday, Feb. 5. There were no injuries reported but someone shot through a window of an apartment. Read more on Berkeleyside.

Police detained two people after a home burglary this Wednesday, Feb. 11, at Ashby Avenue and Sacramento Street. Berkeleyside has requested additional information from police.

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.

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.

Other recent incidents

Emilie Raguso