This overview of recent crime in Berkeley is based on reports to the Berkeley Police unless otherwise noted. Share photos, videos and tips by emailing 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.
SNAPSHOT From May 12-18, there were reports of five robberies, 15 burglaries, 16 assaults or batteries, one weapon-involved call and two sexual assaults, according to CrimeMapping.com. There were also eight stolen vehicles, 11 disturbances and 28 auto break-ins or thefts from vehicles reported. Two burglaries, a robbery and a sex crime were reported on CrimeMapping to the University of California Police Department (UCPD). Arrested or charged individuals are presumed innocent. Find the May 12-18 round-up below several more recent items.
Recent public safety news
FIGHT WITH PEPPER SPRAY BPD responded to a fight between two people Wednesday, June 1, around 10:45 p.m. at Ashby Avenue and Adeline Street. Said Berkeley Police spokesman Sgt. Andrew Frankel, “During the course of the fight one used a can of pepper spray on the other.” One person received a ticket and the other person, a 54-year-old man, “became physically combative” with officers. He was subdued and placed under arrest. Charges do not appear to have been filed, according to available records online from the Alameda County sheriff’s office.
STUDENT FIGHT There was a fight Thursday, June 2, around 1 p.m. on University Avenue near Realm Charter School that drew a crowd of about 100 students. Berkeleyside readers reported “commotion and heavy police presence on university near San Pablo” and police “talking to folks @ realm high school.” One student was arrested on suspicion of resisting arrest, Frankel said.
ABANDONED VEHICLE REPORT LEADS TO ARREST A Berkeley parking enforcement officer (PEO) spotted and reported an abandoned vehicle, which led to the arrest of a woman police said had burglary tools and electronic payment cards that did not belong to her. On May 19 at about 1:50 p.m., the officer was in the 1900 block of Milvia Street when he saw someone inside the vehicle as he checked it out. The parking officer discovered that the vehicle had been reported stolen from Antioch; in the meantime, the person inside had walked away.
Said Officer Byron White, a BPD spokesman: “Concerned that the suspect would escape, the PEO drove around the area to see if he could find the suspect while officers were on their way to the area. The PEO spotted the suspect on the 1900 block of Delaware Street and called in officers with his police radio. Officers quickly detained the suspect and took her into custody.” She was identified as 41-year-old Anya Dreher of Berkeley.
When officers searched her, White said, they found she had burglary tools, such as a crow bar, as well as several electronic payment access cards that did not belong to her. Said White: “This is an excellent example of why it’s important to report suspicious or abandoned vehicles. Left unchecked, criminals can continue to use these vehicles to commit other crimes as well.” Dreher does not appear to be in custody, according to sheriff’s office records, and no further information was available about the status of her case.
The week in review: May 12-18
Thursday, May 12
There were two home burglaries, at 7 a.m. in the 1600 block of 62nd Street, and at 4 p.m. in the 1600 block of Virginia Street.
There were two disturbances, at 10:08 a.m. in the 2000 block of Berryman Street, and at 9:44 p.m. in the 1900 block of Shattuck Avenue. Police arrested a 44-year-old man on Shattuck on suspicion of criminal threats, but charges do not appear to have been filed, according to online records from the sheriff’s office. The man remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail in connection with a number of misdemeanors cases from outside Berkeley. He is scheduled for an attorney and plea hearing in Fremont on Wednesday.
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There was a felony assault or battery at 11 a.m. in the 1000 block of Woodside Road.
There was a commercial burglary at 3:30 p.m. at Fifth Street and University Avenue.
Friday, May 13
There were three commercial burglaries: at midnight in the 1500 block of University Avenue; at 1:54 a.m. in the 700 block of Heinz Avenue; and at 3:30 p.m. in the 800 block of University.
There was a home burglary at 5:20 a.m. in the 1700 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Way.
There was a robbery at 8:31 a.m. in the 1800 block of University. Police arrested Justin Shepard-Bowen, 41, in connection with the case. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin with bail of $65,000, according to sheriff’s office records. His next hearing date was not listed.
At about 10 a.m. at the downtown Berkeley BART station, BART officers came across a man known to have a stay-away order from all BART stations. He was arrested and taken to the Glenn Dyer Jail on suspicion of violating the order. His name was not immediately available.
A vehicle was stolen at 4:25 p.m. at Hearst Avenue and Spruce Street.
Via the BART Police: A woman said a male grabbed her cellphone while she was sitting on the platform of the Ashby station at 4:25 p.m. The woman chased the male and patrons stopped him, recovered the phone and returned it to the woman. The suspect fled the station. No description was provided.
Saturday, May 14
UCPD arrested Lovell Trevillion, 30, on suspicion of burglary shortly before 6 a.m. at Unit-1, Deutsch Hall. He remains in custody at Santa Rita Jail with a bail of $50,000, according to sheriff’s office records. His next court appearance was not listed.
There was a disturbance at 6:30 a.m. in the 2600 block of Ridge Road.
Three vehicles were stolen: at 2 a.m. in the 2900 block of Dohr Street; at 5 p.m. in the 1500 block of Prince Street; and at 10 p.m. at Dwight Way and Dana Street.
Sunday, May 15
There were two disturbance calls, at midnight in the 1000 block of University Avenue, and at 11:32 p.m. in the 2200 block of Ward Street (second response).
A UC Berkeley staffer told UCPD a student said she was sexually assaulted at Hearst Avenue and Oxford Street at 2:30 p.m.
There were two home burglaries, at 3:30 p.m. in the 1700 block of Berkeley Way, and at 10 p.m. in the 2500 block of Piedmont Avenue.
There was a robbery at 7:53 p.m. in the 2700 block of Belrose Avenue.
Monday, May 16
There was a home burglary at 7 a.m. in the 1800 block of Addison Street.
There were two misdemeanor sexual assaults, at 4:45 p.m. at Shattuck Avenue and Virginia Street, and at 4:57 p.m. at Gilman and Curtis streets.
Sometime before 10 p.m., a driver struck a parked vehicle at Acton and Hearst streets, said Lt. Dan Montgomery in response to a Berkeleyside inquiry: “The driver and passenger of a red sedan collided with a parked SUV. When officers arrived on scene, both the driver and passenger were unconscious.” Both individuals were taken to local hospitals for treatment. Both regained consciousness and injuries did not appear life-threatening. Montgomery said the crash was being investigated because intoxication may have played a role.
There were two robberies, at 10 p.m. at Shattuck and Hearst avenues, and at 11 p.m. at Francisco and California streets.
As reported by UCPD, two men were victims of an armed robbery near Signpost 14 on Grizzly Peak Boulevard at 10:40 p.m. Read more on Berkeleyside.
Tuesday, May 17
There were two disturbance calls, at 3:12 a.m. in the 800 block of Bolivar Drive, and at 9:30 a.m. in the 1200 block of Hearst Avenue.
There were two home burglaries, at 3:40 a.m. in the 2400 block of Virginia Street, and at 11:30 a.m. in the 2100 block of Woolsey Street.
There was a shooting at 11:08 a.m. in the 2800 block of Park Street, at San Pablo Park. A man estimated to be in his 20s was shot multiple times and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. According to the last report from BPD, the man was still alive. Read more about the initial incident on Berkeleyside.
A vehicle was stolen at noon in the 2600 block of Russell Street.
Wednesday, May 18
There were three home burglaries: at midnight in the 2100 block of Spaulding Avenue; at 9 a.m. in the 2000 block of Delaware Street; and at 8:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of Euclid Avenue.
Three vehicles were stolen: at midnight in the 2900 block of Ellis Street; at 6:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of Second Street; and at 9 p.m. in the 2800 block of Kelsey Street.
There were four disturbance calls: at 1:50 a.m. at Hearst Avenue and Sacramento Street; at 8 p.m. in the 1800 block of Ward Street; at 8 p.m. in the 1200 block of Dwight Way; and at 10:13 p.m. in the 100 block of University Avenue. On University, police arrested a 22-year-old man on suspicion of criminal threats and other violations but charges have not been filed and he is no longer in custody, according to sheriff’s office records.
There was a call involving a gun or other weapon at 1:54 a.m. in the 2200 block of Roosevelt Avenue.
There was a robbery at 7 a.m. in the 2200 block of Seventh Street: Police arrested two men after an incident in which a man was robbed at gunpoint, forced into a bathroom in his home with the suspect, and had his car stolen, according to authorities. Officer White said a 24-year-old man told officers he had just come home when he was confronted by a man with a gun who emerged from the shadows near another apartment building. Police ultimately arrested 25-year-old Joseph Anthony Skyler, a Berkeley massage therapist. Skyler remains in custody without bail and is scheduled to enter a plea June 23, according to the sheriff’s office. The other man arrested with him has not been charged. Read more on Berkeleyside.
There was a felony assault or battery at 8 a.m. in the 2700 block of McGee Avenue.
Berkeley public safety data resources
- The Berkeley Police Department incident log on CrimeMapping and CrimeView Community
- The UCPD crime log, also posted in brief on CrimeMapping, and UCPD crime alerts
- Local Crime News lists arrests of Berkeley residents (not by agency); BPD’s arrest log and booking log (new as of April 2016)
- Nixle public safety alerts, by email and text, from BPD and UCPD
- The Berkeley Police Department’s “calls for service” heat map
- BPD on Twitter: Chief Meehan, spokesman Sgt. Frankel, Officer Byron White
- See what the Berkeley Safe Neighborhoods Committee (BSNC) is up to
- Learn about what info BPD can release to the public
- Find your area coordinator to ask about neighborhood issues (but don’t forget to tip Berkeleyside, too!)
Please note: These 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. 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.
Related:
BFD responds to machinery fire in West Berkeley (06.06.16)
Jury recommends death in double murder case (06.02.16)
Woman arrested (again) in Berkeley after arson (06.02.16)
Former UC housing resident sentenced for child porn (06.02.16)
Jury to begin deliberations in murder trial of ‘psychopath’ (06.01.16)
WWII hand grenade found in planter at Berkeley home (06.01.16)
3 arrested, guns and meth found, in West Berkeley raid (05.27.16)
Narcotics op, session about shooting, checkpoint arrests, ‘Click it or Ticket’ (05.26.16)
Cal student sexually assaulted in Oxford parking lot (05.20.16)
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