Two Oakland men have been charged with burglary and grand theft in connection with a $93,000 heist from a locked safe at a West Berkeley cannabis extraction business, court records show.
DNA on a black latex glove dropped at the scene helped police identify one of those men, 29-year-old Domineke Dunlap. Police believe Dunlap was able to get inside Organa Brands and its safe with the help of Everett Walker, 27, who worked at Organa at the time of the caper, according to court papers.
The burglary, in the 1300 block of Ninth Street (near Gilman Street) took place back in August. Berkeley police detectives arrested the pair last week. They have since been charged with multiple felonies, according to court papers.
According to police, Walker gave Dunlap “passcodes to the building and the safe” so Dunlap could steal the money. Police said surveillance video shows Dunlap, wearing a “distinctive sweatshirt” and black gloves, talking on his phone and entering the code to get into Organa.
Police said Walker’s cellphone pinged off a cell tower two blocks from Organa on Aug. 31 and was connected to Dunlap’s phone at the time of the burglary, according to phone records, showing that the men were on the phone together.
Police say there are other indications the men knew each other: They are friends on Facebook and police say they saw Dunlap get into Walker’s vehicle during a surveillance operation, according to court documents.
Tuesday, police arrested Walker on a warrant: “Walker denied participating in the burglary, denied knowing Dunlap’s phone number, and denied ever calling Dunlap,” police wrote. “During jail phone calls, Walker asked someone to call/text Dunlap’s phone number” to “tell him to get rid of his (Dunlap’s) phone & phone number.”
The next day, police warrant searched Dunlap’s home after getting a search warrant. The detective “immediately recognized” him from surveillance footage, she wrote. In Dunlap’s room, police found the “distinctive sweatshirt/clothing” that he wore during the burglary, according to police. In the bedroom, police said they also found a loaded semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine, a broken phone and about $4,000.
“Dunlap asked for his attorney immediately after being shown a photo of Walker and being asked if he knew him,” police wrote.
The Alameda County district attorney’s office charged both men Friday with second-degree commercial burglary and grand theft of personal property, both felonies.
Dunlap also was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person.
According to court papers, Walker was convicted in October 2018 of possession of a firearm by a felon. Walker also has past convictions for corporal injury to a relationship partner, possession for sale of cocaine base, and possession of a controlled substance with prior convictions.
Dunlap has past convictions for carrying a concealed firearm and receiving stolen property.
Walker remains in custody on $65,000 bail. He is set for a bail hearing March 18 at the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland.
Dunlap is no longer in custody. He is set for a pretrial hearing March 25 at the Davidson Courthouse.
Organa did not reply to a media inquiry prior to publication.
