Berkeleyside blotter: Crime in Berkeley, 12/31-1/6

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. Share photos, videos and tips, about breaking news or neighborhood safety issues, via email at crime@berkeleyside.com or on Facebook or Twitter. Don’t assume someone else will alert us. We want to know about issues of concern and rely on readers to help us stay informed.

From Dec. 31 to Jan. 6, there were reports of five robberies, 14 burglaries, 11 assaults or batteries, three weapon-involved calls and no sexual assaults, according to CrimeMapping.com. There were also five stolen vehicles, four disturbances and 24 auto break-ins or thefts from vehicles reported. A weapons call and a burglary were reported by the University of California Police Department (UCPD). The following items represent a sampling of calls; incidents that took place during a range of time are listed unless otherwise noted by the beginning of that time period. Arrested individuals listed in this blotter are presumed innocent.

Thursday, Dec. 31

UCPD arrested David Rivera, 24, on an Oakland Police warrant related to hit-and-run causing injury, and driving on a suspended license. He was arrested at 2:22 a.m. at Channing Way and Telegraph Avenue and taken to Berkeley Jail for booking. He is scheduled for a pretrial hearing Jan. 27 at the Wiley Manuel Courthouse in Oakland, and is no longer in custody.

There was a disturbance call at 1:38 a.m. at Channing Way and Bonar Street.

Two vehicles were stolen, at 11:10 a.m. in the 2400 block of Ashby Avenue, and at 9 p.m. in the 1500 block of Woolsey Street.

There were 14 burglaries (shown in black) reported over this period, via CrimeMapping.com. The prior week there were 23. There was also five robberies (in blue), following four the prior week. Click the map for a list. — There were 14 burglaries (shown in black) reported over this period, via CrimeMapping.com. The prior week there were 23. There were also five robberies (in blue), following four the prior week. Click the map for a list.

Friday, Jan. 1

There was a commercial burglary at 4:30 p.m. in the 2300 block of Telegraph Avenue.

A vehicle was stolen at 5 p.m. in the 400 block of Gilman Street.

There was a call involving a gun at 8 p.m. in the 3200 block of Sacramento Street. Police arrested Tony Walker, 55, on suspicion of several firearm-related violations, including carrying a loaded firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $800,000, and is scheduled for a pretrial hearing Thursday, Jan. 14.

Saturday, Jan. 2

There was a robbery at 10:02 a.m. in the 1800 block of Fourth Street.

A 20-year-old adult film star from Berkeley was arrested Jan. 2 on a warrant for kidnapping in connection with an assault case from December. Berkeley Police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer Coats said the initial case took place Dec. 19 when a female victim told authorities her former boyfriend forced her to drive from Berkeley to Emeryville where he assaulted her. She “was able to get away” from the man, and contacted police, Coats said. The man fled prior to the arrival of officers, who sought a warrant for his arrest. On Jan. 2, officers learned the man was in the 2600 block of Dana Street, near Carleton Street, and arrested him at about 4 p.m. The man is no longer in custody but the case has been forwarded to the Alameda County district attorney’s office for charging consideration, said Coats. (This item first appeared in last week’s blotter for timeliness.)

Supporters of the couple injured during a shooting in Richmond have raised nearly $50,000 to help with medical costs. — Supporters of the couple injured during a shooting in Richmond have raised nearly $50,000 to help them.

A 52-year-old elementary school teacher was injured by a stray bullet in Richmond. The woman, who teaches fourth grade at Berkeley’s Cragmont Elementary School, was shot in the face as she was driving on Cutting Boulevard near 22nd Street a little after 6 p.m., police said. The community has raised nearly $50,000 to help the teacher and her partner, who was injured in the car crash that followed the shooting. Read more on Berkeleyside.

A vehicle was stolen at 8 p.m. in the 800 block of Arlington Avenue.

According to the BART Police, the downtown Berkeley station agent reported just after 8:40 p.m. that a man carrying crutches “was blocking the fare gates, preventing other patrons from entering/exiting.… The man refused to leave even after being told by the agent that he could ride for free.” Responding officers located the man, “who resisted being detained.” He was taken into custody “after a brief struggle” and was booked at the Berkeley Jail on suspicion of blocking free movement, resisting arrest and trespassing.

There was an arson call at 10:30 p.m. in the 2100 block of Shattuck Avenue.

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

Sunday, Jan. 3

There were two home burglaries, at 4 p.m. in the 2300 block of Carleton Street, and at 6 p.m. in the 1700 block of Hearst Avenue.

Someone reportedly brandished a weapon at 4:10 p.m. at Center and Milvia streets.

There were two robberies, at 6 p.m. at Fulton Street and Durant Avenue, and at 6:22 p.m. at Gilman Street and San Pablo Avenue.

There was a commercial burglary at 10:14 p.m. in the 2000 block of San Pablo Avenue.

Monday, Jan. 4

Nearly 5,900 PG&E customers in Berkeley lost power due to an equipment failure of some kind that may have been weather related. The outage began just after 11:30 a.m. Berkeleyside provided continuing coverage and updates.

Police arrested two men after they reportedly brandished knives and carjacked a motorist in Berkeley’s Aquatic Park. Berkeley Police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer Coats said authorities received a call at 3:10 a.m. Monday alerting them of the incident. The victim, a man from Hayward, “reported that two suspects brandished knives at him and demanded his property. They also stole his vehicle,” Coats said. Read more on Berkeleyside.

There was a robbery at 4:15 p.m. at Seventh Street and University Avenue.

There was a felony assault or battery at 4:33 p.m. in the 1400 block of Shattuck Avenue.

Police arrested Latisha Logwood, 32, in connection with an assault case in Berkeley from October. Police already had arrested one person — Laquon Walker — in connection with the assault, which took place Oct. 1 in the 2200 block of Bonar Street at just after 11 p.m. A third defendant in the case has been identified as Precious Butler. None of the defendants remain in custody, but are scheduled for future court hearings.

A thief stole a white 1999 Honda Civic from the Ashby BART station between 8 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., the BART Police report.

There were 24 thefts or burglaries from vehicles, via CrimeMapping. There were 27 the prior week. There were also five vehicles stolen (in purple). Click the map for a list of incidents.

Tuesday, Jan. 5

There were six home burglaries: at 12:01 a.m. in the 2300 block of Warring Street; at 1:30 a.m. in the 2500 block of College Avenue; at 5:45 a.m. in the 2400 block of Prospect Street; at 7:45 a.m. in the 1800 block of Francisco Street; at 8:20 a.m. in the 2300 block of Valley Street; and at 1 p.m. in the 2700 block of Haste Street.

There was a felony assault or battery at 7 p.m. in the 1800 block of San Pablo Avenue.

There was a call involving a gun or other weapon at 7:39 p.m. in the 1800 block of San Pablo.

Wednesday, Jan. 6

UCPD arrested 20-year-old Taiwan Perrin of Berkeley at 12:15 a.m. on suspicion of having a knife on UC Berkeley property, at People’s Park, probation violation and violation of a court order. He was taken to Berkeley Jail for booking. He remains in custody and appears already to have been sentenced in connection with the case, according to the Alameda County sheriff’s department Inmate Locator website.

There were three disturbance calls: at 12:45 a.m. in the 1900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Way; at 2:17 p.m. in the 3200 block of King Street; and at 7:06 p.m. in the 1400 block of Ninth Street.

There were two commercial burglaries, at 2 a.m. in the 900 block of Dwight Way, and at 5:33 a.m. at the Burton Snowboard store at 1840 Fourth St. Said Officer Jennifer Coats, Berkeley Police spokeswoman, officers responded to the shop for an audible alarm call. When officers arrived, they found an open door. While checking the store, they discovered 25-year-old Matthew Spiller of Berkeley. He was arrested on suspicion of burglary. He is no longer in custody and is set for a hearing to determine restitution in early February.

There were two home burglaries, at 11:12 a.m. in the 1400 block of Ordway Street, and at 1:45 p.m. in the 600 block of Neilson Street.

There was a robbery at 5:30 p.m. in the 2000 block of Durant Avenue. Police arrested Robert Moore, 27, in connection with both robbery and burglary. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $120,000, and is scheduled for a pretrial hearing Thursday, Jan. 14.

A vehicle was stolen at 6:45 p.m. in the 2900 block of Wheeler Street.

After hearing sometimes chilling testimony from three witnesses at a preliminary hearing in Alameda County Superior Court, Judge Trina Thompson ordered Anthony Durant to stand trial in the October 2015 killing of Christian Sheppard, Berkeley’s only recorded homicide last year. Read more on Berkeleyside.

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, and UCPD crime alerts. 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