Berkeley police officers had to use force Wednesday to take a man tied to two stolen vehicles into custody, authorities report.
The incident happened at 12:15 p.m. when a BPD officer was assigned to locate a stolen vehicle that was being tracked in Berkeley, said Sgt. Andrew Frankel, BPD spokesman.
The officer found the vehicle unoccupied at West Frontage Road and Gilman Street, Frankel said. It was parked next to what turned out to be another stolen car.
As the officer walked up, he saw a man sitting in the driver’s seat rifling through items. The officer tried to make contact, but the man “jumped out and took off running,” Frankel said.
The officer followed and the two fought as the officer tried to take the man into custody. The man broke free and got back to one of the vehicles as a second officer arrived on scene. All three then struggled as the attempt to detain the man continued.
The officers ultimately succeeded and took the man, identified as 29-year-old Cody Boyce, into custody, Frankel said.
Boyce, a homeless man from Berkeley, was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft, possession of stolen property, resisting arrest, probation violation, possession of burglary tools, and an outstanding warrant. At least one of the vehicles had been stolen from Oakland.
Boyce received minor injuries, Frankel said, and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
As of Thursday, Boyce had not yet appeared in the Alameda County sheriff’s office Inmate Locator system online, so no further information about him or pending court hearings was available.
[Note: Boyce’s age and city of residence were added to the story after publication when they became available.]
