Notes from the Field

Crime in Berkeley: June 17 — June 20

By | Senior Staff

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The following is a sample of crime in Berkeley this week, provided by the Berkeley Police Department.

Auto Burglary — 900 block of The Alameda 
On Sunday between 8:30 a.m. and 10:28 a.m., an unknown suspect smashed a window of a new Jeep and stole a backpack. A Berkeley woman locked her vehicle in the 900 block of The Alameda and left a backpack on one of the car seats. When she returned to the vehicle, she saw that the front passenger window had been smashed and the backpack that contained a wallet, credit cards, an Apple iPhone and miscellaneous medications was gone. No one had witnessed the crime.

Commercial Burglary Arrests — 600 Block of Gilman Street
On Sunday at about 1:34 p.m., a BPD patrol officer interrupted a burglary at a recycling center in the 600 block of Gilman Street. Two male suspects had entered the Community Conservation Centers Berkeley Recycling Center by using a bolt cutter to cut  portion of a fence on the perimeter of the business. Once inside the yard of the business, the suspects smashed a window leading to the cashiers office. BPD officers found the suspects hiding in the bushes. BPD arrested one suspect, a 37-year-old Oakland man for PC459 – Burglary. BPD also arrested the other suspect, a 22-year-old Oakland man for PC 459- Burglary, Violation of Felony Probation and a No Bail Felony warrant. BPD booked both men into the BPD Jail.

Theft of Bicycle — 2000 block of Center Street
On Sunday a Berkeley woman parked and locked her bike in the 2000 block of Center Street at about 5:00 p.m. When she returned to the location at 10:25 p.m., she discovered that her Marin mountain bike was gone. She called BPD. She told the BPD officer that she locked her bicycle with a cable lock through the frame and the tire, and when she returned the lock was cut. The cable lock was on the ground next to where her bicycle was when she returned. BPD documented the crime and found no witnesses.
Car Stolen — 3000 Telegraph Avenue
On Monday an Oakland man parked his Honda Civic in the Whole Foods parking lot at about 10:30 a.m. and went inside to shop. When he returned to the location where he parked his car, he discovered it stolen. The man called BPD who documented the crime and entered the car into the Stolen Vehicle System (SVS)
Theft — 1400 block of Kains Avenue
On Monday a Berkeley man called BPD to report a theft. The homeowner in the 1400 block of Kains Avenue said that he left his home at 4:30 p.m. When he returned to his home at 5:30 p.m., he saw that four (4) steel garden chairs that he had in his front yard were gone. The BPD officer documented the crime and after knocking on some neighbors’ doors, the officer found no witnesses.
 
Possession of Narcotics Arrest — University Avenue & McGee Street
On Monday at approximately 9:49 p.m., a BPD patrol officer made a traffic enforcement stop of a Mercedes with expired registration tabs. The stop was at University Avenue and McGee Street. The woman driver had a warrant and her CA. License was suspended. The BPD officer arrested her for the warrant. During a search incident to the woman’s arrest, the BPD officer located over 65 pills that the woman did not have an prescriptions for an were not in any RX bottles. The officer did additional research and confirmed that the pills were Suboxone, Percocet and other controlled substances. The officer booked the woman for violations of 11350(a) H&S and 11377(A) H&S in addition to the warrant.
Car Stolen — 700 Ashby Avenue
On Tuesday at 1:32 p.m., an employee of a car dealership called BPD to report that one of their loaner vehicles had been stolen. The BPD officer learned that an employee parked the black 2011 BMW 328i in the lot. The car keys were left in the car. No one witnessed or recalls anyone driving the car. The BPD officer documented the crime and entered the car into the Stolen Vehicle System (SVS).
Vandalism — 1500 Block of Hopkins Street
On Tuesday at about 4:57 p.m., an employee of a market in the 1500 block of Hopkins Street called to report a customer who had just had an outburst. The BPD officer who responded learned that the suspect became angry when he saw the price of the chicken he had just asked for. He did purchase the meat but struck a credit card transaction machine before he left the shop. The $600 machine was damaged and no longer worked. Another BPD officer detained the suspect, a 46-year-old Berkeley man nearby. An employee signed a Private Person’s arrest. BPD issued the man a field citation with a future court date.
Strong Arm Robbery – 2400 Block of Ashby Avenue
On Wednesday at 11:18 a.m., a male suspect committed a robbery at a gift shop inside a hospital in the 2400 block of Ashby Avenue. The woman employee watched as a male suspect grabbed about 10 flashlights and stuffed them in his pockets. The employee demanded that the suspect give back the items but the suspect walked by her and out of the shop. She alerted hospital security who confronted the suspect near the exit doors. The suspect shoved the security officer and fled the hospital on foot. BPD did area checks for the suspect who went southbound on Telegraph Avenue but did not find him.
 
Auto Burglary – Berkeley Marina
On Wednesday between 6:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., an unknown suspect smashed a rear passenger window of a car in the Berkeley Marina and stole some items. The male victim, a South Dakota man here on business, said he went to eat dinner after he parked his rental car near a restaurant. When he returned to his locked, parked car, he saw that he was the victim of an auto burglary. The victim’s backpack that had an iPad, a laptop and other company related property in it was stolen.
 
Driving Under The Influence — 2200 block of Tenth Street
On Wednesday at 9:55 p.m., a community member called to report that a man had been sitting in his idling vehicle in the 2200 block of Tenth Street for approximately two hours. The caller also said that the man had gotten out of the car and “urinated all over the place.” BPD officers responded to perform a welfare check on the man. They made contact with a male suspect who was sitting in the driver’s seat of a Nissan. The handling officer noted that the suspect displayed objective signs of alcohol intoxication such as bloodshot/watery eyes, slurred speech, odor of an alcoholic beverage on breath and had an open bottle of brandy in the front cup holder of the car. During the subsequent DUI investigation, the suspect was unable to maintain his balance enough to perform the majority of  the Field Sobriety Tests (FSTs), and performed poorly on the ones he was able to complete. Based on the results of the DUI investigation, the BPD officer arrested the 34-year-old Berkeley resident for violation CVC 23152(a) and (b) as the suspect’s results of a breathalyzer were 0.24% and 0.25% Blood Alcohol Content (BAC).