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 March 5-11, there were reports of four robberies, 23 burglaries, 12 assaults or batteries, one weapon-involved call and no sexual assaults, according to CrimeMapping.com. There were also seven stolen vehicles, 13 disturbances and 30 auto break-ins or thefts from vehicles reported. Significant incidents from the University of California Police Department (UCPD) included one sex crime and one 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, March 5
There were four home burglaries: at 5 a.m. in the 2700 block of Ellsworth Street; at 10 a.m. in the 1800 block of Stuart Street; at 1 p.m. in the 2100 block of Stuart; and at 1:30 p.m. in the 2700 block of Mathews Street.
Police made at least three arrests at undisclosed locations around Berkeley beginning around 5:20 a.m. Those operations were reportedly part of a broader sweep by the Oakland Police Department to crack down on gang activities tied to East Oakland. Read more on Berkeleyside.
There was a disturbance at 8:59 a.m. at Jones and Second streets.
The BART Police reported the arrest of a man detained on suspicion of fare evasion at 11 a.m. at the downtown Berkeley BART station after he was found with a $20,000 warrant for threatening an officer. He was booked into Berkeley City Jail for the warrant.
There was a robbery at 8:30 p.m. at Adeline Street and Ashby Avenue.
A vehicle was stolen at 8:30 p.m. in the 1900 block of Hearst Avenue.
As per the BART Police, a thief stole a $500 men’s 15-speed 21-inch Trek bike, maroon in color, from the North Berkeley BART station between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Police said in a statement that the frame, rather than the U-lock, appeared to have been cut.
As reported by the Alameda County district attorney’s office: A jury convicted John Richard Kannon of the attempted rape, and assault with intent to commit rape, of an unconscious woman. The woman met Kannon on May 9, 2014, at a concert in Berkeley. Several people came back to her home after the concert, including Kannon, who was invited by a mutual friend. The woman went to bed earlier than the rest of the group because she was tired and intoxicated. After she had been sleeping for some time, Kannon entered her room and began to grope her, according to the district attorney’s office. When she would wake up and say “no,” Kannon would stop, “only to start again a little while later.” He eventually pulled the woman’s pants down and she woke up as he tried to penetrate her. The case was prosecuted by deputy district attorney Angela Steffes.
Friday, March 6
There were six home burglaries: at 3:30 a.m. in the 2100 block of Russell Street; at 8 a.m. in the 1200 block of Ashby; at 8:30 a.m. in the 2800 block of Regent Street; at 10 a.m. in the 2200 block of Dwight Way; at 4:43 p.m. in the 1600 block of Ashby; and at 10 p.m. in the 2400 block of Piedmont Avenue.
Police detained a man after he reportedly challenged officers to a confrontation in South Berkeley on Woolsey Street shortly before 9 a.m. Read more on Berkeleyside.
UCPD responded to a call about a sex crime at 10 a.m. in University Village in Albany. On March 10, police arrested a 25-year-old man in San Pablo on a warrant for continued sexual abuse of a child. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $250,000, and is scheduled for an attorney and plea hearing Monday, March 23. (Update, Sept. 29, 2020: Berkeleyside has removed the man’s name from this story because the case against him was ultimately dismissed.)
Three vehicles were stolen: at 1 p.m. in the 2700 block of Bancroft Way; at 4 p.m. at Alcatraz and King Street; and at 10:07 p.m. at Woolsey and Sacramento streets.
A reader told Berkeleyside about the arrest of a teenage boy on Shattuck Avenue at Allston Way at 3:45 p.m.: “The teenager was removed from a large crowd of Berkeley High School students walking northward on Shattuck. Throughout his arrest, the teenager yelled at the police and the large crowd that gathered to watch. He pleaded that he was just ‘walking home from school.’ Many teenagers followed their peer toward three cop cars parked in front of 2202 Shattuck. One recorded the arrest on his cellphone. After the arrest, many teenagers lingered at the Downtown Berkeley BART plaza, asking each other why it had happened.” Berkeley Police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer Coats told Berkeleyside that “The young man was detained because of a probation violation.”
There was a commercial burglary at 4 p.m. in the 2600 block of Ashby.
As per the BART Police, officers detained a man with an open container of an alcohol shortly after 7:30 p.m. at Ashby BART: “During the detention the suspect became uncooperative and stated ‘I will fight you.’ The suspect got in a fighting stance and did not cooperate. The officers then used physical prowess (use of force) to handcuff the suspect.” Police arrested the man and took him to the Glenn Dyer Jail in Oakland for booking.
Saturday, March 7
According to Berkeley Police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer Coats: Officers responded to a report of an auto collision at 12:14 a.m. near Domingo Avenue and El Camino Real in North Berkeley. A local resident described the “huge commotion just outside our apt on Domingo” with “Someone crashing into parked cars repeatedly.” A 24-year-old San Francisco woman had been driving north on Domingo when she struck a parked vehicle, said Coats. No one was injured. When officers contacted the woman, they observed “objective symptoms of impairments,” and arrested her on suspicion of driving under the influence.
As per the BART Police, a thief stole a $350 Transeo 27-speed hybrid mountain/road bicycle from the North Berkeley Station sometime between Friday at 8:30 a.m. and Saturday at 12:30 a.m.
There was a disturbance at 11:17 a.m. in the 3200 block of California Street.
There was a robbery at 11:26 p.m. in the 2400 block of Webster Street.
Two vehicles were stolen, at 3:10 p.m. in the 2000 block of Oregon Street, and at 6 p.m. in the 700 block of Bonnie Lane.
Police handled a “second-response” call at 11:55 p.m. in the 2300 block of Piedmont.
Sunday, March 8
There were three “second-response” calls: at 12:05 a.m. in the 2600 block of Regent and also in the 2400 block of Warring; and at 12:28 a.m. in the 2300 block of Prospect Street.
A vehicle was stolen at 8 p.m. in the 900 block of Arlington Avenue.
There was a disturbance at 9:45 p.m. in the 2300 block of Telegraph Avenue.
There was a felony assault or battery at 11 p.m. at Hillegass Avenue and Russell Street.
Monday, March 9
Police handled a call involving a gun at 2:43 a.m. at Market and Occidental streets. Police arrested Berkeley resident Anthony Fail, 40, in connection with several firearm-related violations including being a felon with a concealed firearm, carrying a loaded firearm with a felony conviction, and possession of ammunition. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $145,000, and is scheduled for further pre-trial Monday, March 23.
At about 8:30 a.m., a 56-year-old man walked into UCPD’s office at Sproul Hall to report that he had just been the victim of a robbery, according to a statement released by UCPD. He had been standing next to his car in front of Café Milano in the 2500 block of Bancroft Way, and had put his cellphone and wallet on top of the car. A man in his 60s walked up to the car and grabbed both items. The victim and suspect struggled briefly, “but eventually the suspect left the area with the victim’s phone and cash from the victim’s wallet.” UCPD searched the area but could not find the suspect. Authorities ask anyone with information about this incident to call the Berkeley Police Department at 510-981-5900. (This incident was not listed as a robbery by the Berkeley Police Department on CrimeMapping.com.)
UCPD handled a weapons call at 8:51 a.m. at the Clark Kerr Campus and arrested Kaidi Clutchette, 36, on suspicion of the possession of a dirk or dagger on UC property, and possession of methamphetamine.
There were four disturbances: at 11:25 a.m. in the 2000 block of Milvia Street; at noon in the 1900 block of Hopkins Street; at 1:26 p.m. in the 2100 block of Sixth Street; and at 2:40 p.m. in the 2900 block of Seventh Street. According to Berkeley Police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer Coats, officers responded to the 2100 block of Sixth for a report of a suspicious person with an axe. A caller told police a suspicious person had entered a house under construction: “The subject took an axe from the job site and appeared to be hiding on the property. Officers established a perimeter around the house and attempted to call the subject out.” Officers tried to call the man out but there was no response. Ultimately, they searched the property, but found it to be empty. Coats said the man is known to police, and the investigation continues.
There was a felony assault or battery at 1:15 p.m. in the 1400 block of Walnut Street. Coats said the Berkeley Fire Department responded to a report of a small fire in a yard there. As they arrived, “they were confronted by a male subject who became agitated and confrontational.” Firefighters asked for help from the Berkeley Police Department. Officers responded, said Coats, adding that “the subject became combative with the officers and additional assistance was requested. It took several officers to safely detain the subject.” The man was taken for a medical evaluation, and the investigation continues, Coats said.
There was a home burglary at 1:30 p.m. in the 2400 block of Sacramento.
There was a commercial burglary at 5:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of Walnut.
Tuesday, March 10
There were four home burglaries: at 3:30 a.m. in the 1800 block of Virginia Street; at 9:20 a.m. in the 2400 block of Prince Street; at 12:05 p.m. in the 3000 block of Dana Street; and at 1:10 p.m. in the 2700 block of Webster.
Drivers were advised to avoid I-80 after a big rig spilled its load of wood pallets by the pedestrian overpass near the University Avenue exit of the freeway at around 5:45 a.m. Read more on Berkeleyside.
There was a commercial burglary at 12:55 p.m. in the 2900 block of College Avenue.
Wednesday, March 11
There were two robberies, at 6 a.m. at Stuart Street and Shattuck Avenue, and at 9:29 p.m. in the 2200 block of Carleton Street. Police arrested 18-year-old Imani Allen of Oakland on suspicion of robbery in connection with the incident on Carleton. She is no longer in custody, having posted bail, and is scheduled for an attorney and plea hearing March 23.
Police arrested 19-year-old William Lamont Arnold of Berkeley on a warrant for a robbery earlier this year. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $100,000 and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing March 23. According to CrimeMapping.com, that incident took place Jan. 3 at 6 p.m. in the 1800 block of Woolsey Street.
Police arrested Berkeley resident Angus Deraadt, 35, on suspicion of felony assault likely to cause great bodily injury in connection with an incident in the 900 block of Colusa Avenue at 1:36 p.m. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $30,000 and is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing March 24.
There were five home burglaries: at 9 a.m. in the 1200 block of Carlotta Avenue; at noon in the 1900 block of Grant Street; at 12:23 p.m. in the 1800 block of Delaware Street; at 5 p.m. in the 2900 block of Linden Street; and at 6 p.m. in the 2400 block of Prince.
There were two disturbance calls, at 9:25 a.m. in the 2200 block of Shattuck, and at 3:02 p.m. in the 2000 block of Shattuck.
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:
CHP seeks driver who fled after Berkeley crash injures 5 (03.20.15)
Police investigate shooting in South Berkeley (03.17.15)
Caldecott Tunnel bore re-opens after car collision, fire (03.16.15)
Berkeleyside blotter: Crime in Berkeley, 2/26-3/4 (03.13.15)
Berkeley Police work on neighborhood staging guidelines (03.13.15)
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