Police in Berkeley are asking for the public’s help to find two young men linked to a robbery near the Cal campus Monday afternoon.
Police released a video of the aftermath of the robbery Wednesday after a community member provided it to local media, said Berkeley Police Sgt. Andrew Frankel.
Berkeleyside asked BPD on Monday about the incident and broke the news about it Tuesday. Frankel said police initially weren’t going to release the footage, so as not to jeopardize the investigation, but authorities put it out to the public once a TV station broadcast it.
BPD said officers were called at about 12:50 p.m. to Caffe Strada, at 2300 College Ave, for a robbery in progress. A young man “grabbed a laptop from a patron who was working on it and attempted to run to a waiting car.” Two good Samaritans grabbed the young man and tried to hold onto him until police could get there. But police said the getaway driver intervened.
According to the video, he walked over and punched one of the good Samaritans in the head to get him to release his accomplice. The two young men ran off and left “in a newer model, blue Chevy Impala,” BPD said.
Police said they are still hoping to speak with the good Samaritans in the case, neither of whom stayed to speak with officers.
BPD said anyone with information about the incident can reach the department at 510-981-5742.
