Berkeleyside blotter: Crime in Berkeley, March 3-9

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 by email at crime@berkeleyside.com or on Facebook and Twitter. Don’t assume someone else will alert us. We rely on readers to help us stay informed.

From March 3-9, there were reports of five robberies, 19 burglaries, 16 assaults or batteries, no weapon-involved calls and five sexual assaults, according to CrimeMapping.com. There were also six stolen vehicles, 18 disturbances and 42 auto break-ins or thefts from vehicles reported. A sex crime, a burglary and a vehicle theft were reported to 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 and charged individuals listed in this blotter are presumed innocent.

Thursday, March 3

There were three robberies: at 3:50 a.m. in the 2500 block of Shattuck Avenue; at 11:30 a.m. in the 400 block of Vincente Avenue; and at 9:19 p.m. in the 2900 block of San Pablo Avenue. (A local resident said the Vincente incident was an armed robbery.)

A vehicle was stolen, at 5:25 a.m. in the 700 block of Bancroft Way.

There were three disturbance calls: at 10:29 a.m. in the 1200 block of San Pablo; at 11:30 a.m. at Dana and Parker Streets; and at 11:45 a.m. in the 1900 block of Allston Way.

Authorities responded to West Berkeley after an Amtrak train struck an RV that had stalled on the tracks near Bancroft Way and Fourth Street. One person, who was able to get out of the RV before it was hit by the train, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries after being struck by debris from the crash, police said. Read the full story.

There was a commercial burglary at 7:30 p.m. in the 2900 block of College Avenue.

There were 19 burglaries (shown in black) reported over this period, via CrimeMapping.com. The prior week there were 16. There was also five robberies (in blue), following four the prior week. Click the map for a list. — There were 19 burglaries (shown in black) reported over this period, via CrimeMapping.com. The prior week there were 16. There were also five robberies (in blue), following four the prior week. Click the map for a list.

Friday, March 4

A man climbed a tree in Berkeley, and police responded after someone called due to concern. Photo: Brian Bednarz

There was a felony assault or battery at 5:30 a.m. in the 700 block of Harrison Street.

A vehicle was stolen at 8:30 a.m. in the 700 block of Gilman Street.

Police were called because a man climbed a tree downtown. Someone called 911 because they were concerned. Said BPD: “We initiated a substantial response, in case this was something more than just a guy in a tree. We sent two officers, a supervisor, a crisis intervention trained officer, and the fire department. It was determined that he was not an issue for the police department, so we reduced our response. At some point, the man came down and went on his way.” (Berkeleyside first posted this on our Facebook page.)

At about 9:20 a.m., UCPD said a 51-year-old woman was taken for a psychiatric evaluation and issued a seven-day stay-away order from campus. The call was listed as a sex crime on CrimeMapping, but no information about that was provided in the UCPD log. According to scanner recordings reviewed later, a woman told UCPD that a homeless woman she was giving food to had grabbed her breast.

There were four home burglaries: at 10:45 a.m. in the 1900 block of Parker Street; at 1:30 p.m. in the 500 block of Tunnel Road; at 6 p.m. in the 100 block of Alvarado Road; and at 9:17 p.m. in the 900 block of Pardee Street.

There was a robbery at 11:50 a.m. in the 2000 block of San Pablo Avenue.

There was a disturbance at 2:43 p.m. in the 2200 block of Shattuck Avenue.

There was a commercial burglary at 7 p.m. in the 1600 block of Solano Avenue.

Police received a call about the sound of a female voice screaming in the area of Channing Way and Dana Street, said BPD spokeswoman Officer Jennifer Coats. The caller said he or she had heard this 10 minutes earlier, at about 11:45 p.m. Officers checked the area, but could not find the source.

Saturday, March 5

There was a felony sexual assault at about 12:10 a.m. in the 2500 block of Etna Street. A 21-year-old woman was “approached from behind by the male suspect who dragged her off of the sidewalk and sexually assaulted her.” Police said they believe the case relates to three others around campus in February. Watch video of the man authorities have linked to the assaults.

There were three second-response calls: at 12:55 a.m. in the 2200 block of Dwight Way; at 10:30 p.m. in the 2500 block of College Avenue; and at 11:48 p.m. in the 2900 block of Dwight.

There was a disturbance call at 1 a.m. in the 2300 block of Telegraph Avenue.

There was a commercial burglary at noon in the 2000 block of Addison Street.

A vehicle was stolen at 6 p.m. at Grizzly Peak Boulevard and South Park Drive.

Police asked residents in the 2300 block of Derby Street to shelter in place at about 7:20 p.m. due to live wires that were down. They lifted the shelter in place request about 15 minutes later. PG&E was on the scene.

There was a home burglary at 9 p.m. in the 1700 block of Chestnut Street.

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

Sunday, March 6

There were two arson calls, at 6:50 a.m. in the 700 block of Harrison Street, and at 6:53 p.m. in the 1700 block of University Avenue.

UCPD reported that a suspicious man tried to grab a 16-year-old visiting campus to force her to walk outside with him about an hour before a “similar incident” occurred with a 17-year-old girl. At about 11:40 a.m., the man — who was in his mid-20s with short blonde hair, and was wearing blue jeans with a button-down shirt and backpack — walked up to the first girl outside Evans Hall on campus and said he was a graduate student conducting a survey. He asked her to take the survey and told her to go outside with him: “When the victim refused the suspect grabbed her by the wrist in an attempt to force her outside. The victim broke free of the suspect and ran away.” About an hour later, a similar incident happened outside Boalt Hall. The man approached a girl, told her he was conducting a survey and asked if he could take photos of her. She refused and left. UCPD searched the area but could not find the man.

There was a felony assault or battery at 6:07 p.m. at McGee Avenue and Russell Street. Police were called to the 2800 block of McGee, near Oregon and Russell streets, for multiple reports of gunfire. Gunfire reportedly struck two homes. Read more on Berkeleyside.

Shortly before 7 p.m., the Berkeley Fire Department responded to a report of an active fire inside a building in the 1700 block of University, near McGee. Firefighters had to rescue one person through a window and down a ladder, and help another person out the front door. One person was taken to the hospital for medical care. Read more on Berkeleyside.

There was a disturbance call at 11:10 p.m. at Berkeley Way and Walnut Street.

Monday, March 7

Five homes were burglarized: at 2:30 a.m. in the 2500 block of Hillegass Avenue; at 3 a.m. in the 2500 block of Benvenue Avenue; at 8:30 a.m. in the 1800 block of Capistrano Avenue; at 2:30 p.m. in the 2000 block of Eunice Street; and at 11 p.m. in the 1100 block of Arch Street.

There were two commercial burglaries, at 9 a.m. in the 600 block of Harrison Street, and at 11:40 p.m. in the 2300 block of Shattuck Avenue.

The BART Police said a thief stole a gold-and-orange-colored men’s 21-speed mountain bike valued at $100 from the downtown Berkeley station between 9 a.m. Saturday and about 9:20 a.m. Monday. It had been locked at the station.

The trial began for a 2010 shooting outside a barber shop on Sacramento Street that left one man dead and another seriously injured. See Berkeleyside’s complete coverage of the trial.

There were two misdemeanor sexual assaults, at 9:51 a.m. in the 2500 block of Telegraph Avenue, and at 6:18 p.m. in the 2000 block of Delaware Street.

There were two disturbance calls, at 10:01 a.m. in the 2200 block of Shattuck Avenue, and at 11 a.m. in the 2400 block of Warring Street.

From UCPD: A female Cal student was walking on Warring near Channing Way when she was approached by a man driving a silver-colored Acura just before 12:40 p.m. He “was aggressive and coercive and tried to convince the victim to get into his car,” said UCPD. She refused and threatened to call 911, and the driver sped off. As she was speaking with BPD on the phone, the man came back, got out of his car and began yelling at her. She screamed, and a male passer-by intervened and began photographing the car. The driver got back inside and drove away. Police searched the area but could not find him. He was described as a Hispanic or Middle Eastern male in his late 20s or early 30s, of average height and build with dark short hair. He was wearing a beige sweatshirt and dark jeans. Spokeswoman Coats said the man “never made physical contact with the victim.” Police ask anyone with information about this incident to call BPD at 510-981-5735. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Bay Area Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

A vehicle was stolen at 2:14 p.m. in the 700 block of Eunice Street.

There was a robbery at 7:24 p.m. in the 1900 block of Ashby Avenue.

There were 42 thefts or burglaries from vehicles, via CrimeMapping. There were 35 the prior week. There were also six vehicles stolen (in purple). Click the map for a list of incidents.

Tuesday, March 8

There were three disturbance calls: at 1:20 a.m. in the 2100 block of Oregon Street; at 4:56 p.m. at Cedar and Second streets; and at 6:07 p.m. in the 2800 block of College Avenue.

A man who injured another driver during a hit-and-run crash in a rental car while trying to evade Berkeley police was arrested after officers found him hiding on a roof in the 2500 block of Hill Court, authorities said. Read more on Berkeleyside.

There was a felony assault or battery at 11:47 a.m. in the 1900 block of Allston Way.

A fourth-grade girl from John Muir Elementary School was hit by a taxi in a crosswalk on Claremont Avenue that parents have long complained is poorly lit and needs the city’s attention. Both of the girl’s legs were broken. Since then, a successful fundraiser has been launched to help her family, and Cal cheerleaders paid a visit to the family, along with mascot Oski. Read more about pedestrian safety in Berkeley.

There was a home burglary at 8 p.m. in the 1100 block of Harrison Street.

Wednesday, March 9

There were two home burglaries, at 2:30 a.m. in the 2700 block of Dwight, and at 1 p.m. in the 1800 block of Sacramento Street.

Two vehicles were stolen, at 8 a.m. at Allston Way and Acton Street, and at noon in the 1900 block of Seventh Street.

There was a sexual assault at 8:34 a.m. at San Pablo Avenue and Camelia Street, and a felony sexual assault at 10 a.m. in the 2100 block of Kittredge Street. Police arrested Eddie Fontenette, 39, on suspicion of felony sexual battery with restraint in connection with the first incident. He remains in custody with a bail of $10,000 at Santa Rita Jail. He is scheduled for a pretrial hearing Tuesday. Fontenette is listed as a transient who lives in Berkeley.

There were four disturbance calls: at 3 p.m. in the 1900 block of San Antonio Avenue; at 5 p.m. in the 1500 block of Shattuck Avenue; at 10:25 p.m. in the 1900 block of Center Street; and at 10:33 p.m. at Telegraph Avenue and Blake Street.

There was a commercial burglary at 10:33 p.m. at Telegraph and Blake.

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