Police arrested three males, and are seeking a fourth, after a strong-arm robbery and assault in downtown Berkeley on Thursday evening.
According to a notice released by the University of California Police Department, the incident took place just before 7 p.m. at Shattuck and Durant avenues, not far from the UC Berkeley campus.
A 35-year-old man was walking when four people approached him.
They “demanded the victim’s property, punched him, took property out of his hands, and fled the scene on foot,” according to UCPD.
Police responded and were able to arrest three of the four suspects, identified as two 17-year-olds and a 22-year-old named Alex Foster.
The fourth suspect was not located. He was described by police as “An unidentified male with unknown clothing description.”
“The suspects were positively identified by the victim and the stolen property was recovered,” police said.
Berkeley Police officers took the trio into custody. Foster is scheduled for arraignment Monday at 2 p.m. at the Wiley Manuel Courthouse in downtown Oakland. He is being held with a bail of $50,000. No further information was available about the juveniles due to privacy laws protecting minors.
The victim received minor injuries but refused medical attention.
There have been at least 43 robberies reported in Berkeley — to BPD and UCPD — since Jan. 1, according to CrimeMapping.com.
UCPD listed the following safety tips:
- Travel with a friend or in a group
- Be alert and aware of your surroundings
- When out and about, keep electronic devices out of public view as they are a popular robbery target
- Please do not delay in calling 911: UCPD strongly encourages the reporting of criminal or suspicious activity in a timely manner to assist in intervening in crimes and apprehending suspects
- Campus community members can utilize the free Night Safety Services
See more crime stories on Berkeleyside.
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