Berkeleyside blotter: Crime in Berkeley, 2/26-3/4

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. We very much want to know about issues of neighborhood concern.

From Feb. 26 to March 4, there were reports of five robberies, 28 burglaries, 13 assaults or batteries, one weapon-involved call and one sexual assault, according to CrimeMapping.com. There were also 16 stolen vehicles, 11 disturbances and 28 auto break-ins or thefts from vehicles reported. Significant incidents from the University of California Police Department (UCPD) included a motor vehicle theft and one sex crime. 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, Feb. 26

There were seven home burglaries: at 12:01 a.m. in the 2600 block of Benvenue; at 9 a.m. in the 2200 block of Stuart Street; at 9:54 a.m. in the 2300 block of Eunice Street; at 11 a.m. in the 1600 block of Channing Way; at 2 p.m. in the 1500 block of Walnut Street; at 10:30 p.m. in the 3100 block of College Avenue; and at 11 p.m. in the 200 block of Tanglewood Road. A resident in the Claremont neighborhood reported that an intruder who broke into a home in the Uplands, on Tanglewood, in the middle of the night was apprehended. (This item appeared in last week’s crime blotter for timeliness.) The man police arrested was identified as Leon Dechenne, 39. He was arrested at 4:27 a.m. on suspicion of burglary, possession of burglary tools and receiving stolen property. Berkeleyside also reported previously about the incident on Eunice.

Police arrested Michael Mumphrey, 57, on suspicion of shoplifting on Solano Avenue, and found him to have warrant for failure to register as a sex offender.

Six vehicles were stolen: at 6:30 a.m. in the 200 block of University Avenue; at 8 a.m. in the 2400 block of Fulton Street; at 2 p.m. in the 400 block of Boynton Avenue; at 5 p.m. in the 2200 block of Ninth Street; at 7:55 p.m. in the 2400 block of Bonar Street; and at 11 p.m. at San Pablo Avenue and Parker Street.

Police received a report of a collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian at about 1 p.m. at San Pablo Avenue and Allston Way. A pedestrian was struck by a man driving a van. Read more on Berkeleyside.

There was a robbery at 3:41 p.m. in the 2700 block of College Avenue.

There was a commercial burglary at 5 p.m. in the 600 block of Cedar Street.

A pedestrian was taken to Highland Hospital after a vehicle struck her in Berkeley at about 7:45 p.m. (Read more on Berkeleyside.) Gremel Madolora shared the following description of the crash with Berkeleyside on Facebook: “The car involved was a Toyota Prius traveling eastbound. Elderly male driver with two grandkids in the back seat. Car sustained front end damage to the right front near bumper/hood area, large dent in hood, and entire windshield, from edge to edge was shattered, but still intact. Impact to the young woman was severe, she was thrown 50+ feet and was unconscious to first responders–other drivers and people living near that corner of Ashby and Deakin, including myself and my girlfriend. The sound impact was very loud, at first thought, a cyclist being hit or car rear-ending another. She was attended to by a nurse, a passing motorist, who kept her still and my girlfriend held her hand. She became conscious as the police/ambulance appeared. It was scary for all involved, hope she’s ok and that she and the driver can get their lives’ back. She appeared to be a Cal student.” (This item first appeared in last week’s crime blotter for timeliness.)

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

Friday, Feb. 27

There were four home burglaries: at 8 a.m. in the 2400 block of Ellsworth Street; at 8:45 a.m. in the 3100 block of College; at 10 a.m. in the 900 block of Hilldale Avenue; and at 8 p.m. in the 1700 block of Cedar.

UCPD responded to a motor vehicle theft at 9:34 a.m. on Sixth Street.

Four vehicles were stolen: at 10 a.m. in the 3000 block of Hillegass Avenue; at 10 a.m. in the 1400 block of Harmon Street; at 10:30 a.m. in the 2800 block of Benvenue Avenue; and at 11 p.m. in the 2700 block of Benvenue.

The BART police responded to an auto theft at Ashby station at 5:04 p.m. A man reported that his 1994 black Acura Integra 2 door had been stolen while parked in Lot N between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.

There was a commercial burglary at 7 p.m. in the 2400 block of Shattuck Avenue.

There was a disturbance at 7:15 p.m. at Milvia Street and Bancroft Way.

Police arrested Darron Thompson, 23, on suspicion of attempted homicide at 10:46 p.m. Berkeley Police Lt. Jennifer Louis said his arrest related to a case from another jurisdiction. She said police initially responded and detained Thompson after a report of loud talking, and found him to be wanted on the warrant.

There was a robbery at 11:15 p.m. at Woolsey and California streets. Police arrested Damarea Fort, 25, at 1:55 a.m. in Oakland in connection with the case.

Saturday, Feb. 28

There was a home burglary at 2:37 a.m. in the 900 block of Page Street. Police arrested Stephen Green, 48, at 3:03 a.m. in connection with the case.

Two vehicles were stolen, at 8:30 a.m. at Curtis Street and Hearst Avenue, and at 7 p.m. in the 2400 block of Parker Street.

There were two disturbance calls, at 1:35 p.m. in the 1800 block of Addison Street, and at 2:16 p.m. in the 1300 block of Carrison Street.

There was a misdemeanor sexual assault at 3:45 p.m. in the 1300 block of University.

There were two robberies, at 5:55 p.m. in the 2800 block of College, and at 8 p.m. in the 2600 block of Parker.

There were 28 burglaries (shown in black) reported over this period, via CrimeMapping.com. The prior week there were 24. There were also five robberies (in blue), following four the prior week. Click the map for a list of both.

Sunday, March 1

There were two disturbance calls, at 12:40 p.m. in the 1300 block of University, and at 1:49 p.m. in the 2900 block of Dohr Street.

Two vehicles were stolen, at 6 p.m. in the 2100 block of Emerson Street, and at 8 p.m. in the 2900 block of Benvenue.

There was a robbery at 7:05 p.m. in the 3000 block of Acton Street.

Monday, March 2

There were two disturbance calls, at 7:11 a.m. at Shattuck Avenue and Kittredge Street, and at 10 p.m. in the 3000 block of Tremont Street.

There were two home burglaries, at 10 a.m. in the 1800 block of Channing Way, and at 2:30 p.m. in the 2700 block of Channing.

Someone reportedly brandished a weapon at 11:55 a.m. in the 2200 block of Shattuck Avenue.

Two vehicles were stolen, at 3:15 p.m. in the 1300 block of Josephine Street, and at 9 p.m. in the 2400 block of Hilgard Avenue.

There was a felony assault or battery at 9:33 p.m. at Dana Street and Durant Avenue.

There were 28 thefts or burglaries from vehicles, via CrimeMapping. There were 23 the prior week. There were also 16 vehicles stolen (in purple). Click the map for a list of incidents.

Tuesday, March 3

A resident near Regal Road and Spruce Street, in the Berkeley Hills, said March 3 that three tires on the same block have been “punctured through the sidewalls producing a minuscule slow leak with some instrument like a hypodermic needle rendering these tires irreparable.” Two of the incidents affected the same vehicle. Reports have been filed with the Berkeley Police Department. (This item first appeared in last week’s crime blotter for timeliness.)

There were three commercial burglaries: at 2:09 a.m. in the 2800 block of Shattuck Avenue; at 4:44 a.m. in the 2400 block of San Pablo Avenue; and at 2 p.m. in the 1000 block of Gilman Street. Police arrested Richard Lieba, 34, at 4:50 p.m. in connection with the incident on Gilman.

There were two home burglaries, at 3 a.m. in the 1200 block of Carleton Street, and at 1 p.m. in the 2700 block of Acton Street.

There were two disturbance calls, at 2:54 p.m. in the 2400 block of Telegraph Avenue, and at 10:05 p.m. in the 1500 block of Fairview Street. The incident on Fairview led to a call by police for emergency back-up as well as an officer crashing into two parked vehicles to avoid hitting a pedestrian, according to authorities. Berkeley Police Officer Ethell Wilson, a department spokesman, said an officer was patrolling the 1500 block of Fairview and noticed an argument that turned physical. “During his attempt to intervene one of the involved parties became combative,” Wilson said by email. “The officer had to call for immediate cover for assistance.” Other officers responded to help, and police made an arrest at the conclusion of the investigation. Wilson did not provide the name of the person who was arrested. Wilson continued: “While one of our officers was responding to the request for urgent assistance, he was involved in a vehicle collision near the intersection of Fairview and Sacramento.” The officer had his lights and siren activated when, said Wilson, a pedestrian stepped in front of his vehicle. “The officer had to take evasive action to avoid hitting the pedestrian. In doing so the officer struck the raised median and two parked vehicles. The pedestrian was not struck and our officer was not injured.” Wilson said the pedestrian could not be contacted for a statement. (This item first appeared in last week’s crime blotter for timeliness.)

UCPD received a report of a sex crime at 4:55 p.m. at Foothill-8. An 18-year-old female student said she had been raped. The case remains under investigation.

There was a felony assault or battery at 5:44 p.m. at Telegraph and Blake Street.

Many residents reported a loud boom on Thursday, Feb. 26. Police said they looked for the source but could not find it. On March 1, Sunday, one local resident said he thought he found the cause. Writing on Facebook, Jim Emerson said, “Explosive mystery solved in South Berkeley. For second night a loud boom rattled windows, vibrated floorboards and set off car alarms. This time (maybe it was about 9:30?) an orange colored, apparently homemade, fireworks rocket streaked upwards in the sky and really spooked my dog while he was attending to his evening business. It appeared to originate near Ashby and Sacramento, though it have been closer to Alacatraz.” Then, on Tuesday March 3, many residents again reported hearing what they have dubbed the #BerkeleyBoom. Berkeleyside has asked the Police Department for additional information. See more #BerkeleyBoom reports in last week’s crime blotter.

Wednesday, March 4

There were five home burglaries: at 4:30 a.m. in the 2700 block of Woolsey Street; at 5 a.m. in the 2700 block of Prince Street; at 10 a.m. in the 1800 block of Grant Street; at 11 a.m. in the 1300 block of Carlotta Avenue; and at 11 a.m. in the 2000 block of Delaware Street.

There were two disturbance calls, at 8:45 a.m. in the 2900 block of Regent Street, and at 7″09 p.m. in the 1800 block of Delaware.

There were two commercial burglaries, at 2:40 p.m. in the 2400 block of Bancroft Way, and at 5:30 p.m. in the 600 block of Gilman Street.

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.

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Emilie Raguso