Features

Help Sought 

Berkeley police are asking the public’s help in identifying the man who hijacked a cab in San Francisco on Feb. 5. While he held a knife to the cabbie’s throat, the kidnapper had his victim drive to a parking lot on San Pablo Avenue, where he forced the driver to hand over his valuables. 

The suspect is described as an African American or Latino male between the ages of 40 and 50 who stands about six-feet tall, weighs about 190 pounds and has a light beard. 

Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call Berkeley Police Robbery Detective Steve White at 981-5900 or to email police at police@ci.berkeley.us. 

Outboard gone 

The California Department of Fish and Game called Berkeley police on Feb. 16 to report that during the previous eight months, persons unknown had swiped an outboard motor from one of their boats stored in the Berkeley Marina. 

Robbed 

A 23-year-old Hayward man told Berkeley police that he was robbed that same day in Civic Center Park by a strongarm holdup artist who relieved him of his cash. 

Cell swiped 

A woman who was walking along the 1300 block of 67th Street late last Friday afternoon was struck in the face by one of two teenage bandits who then made off with her cell phone. The victim declined medical attention, said Officer Galvan. 

Takes on cop 

A 23-year-old man decided to take on an officer assigned to Berkeley PD’s Drug Task Force he encountered in the 1400 block of Ashby Avenue just before 6:30 p.m. last Friday. 

As a result, he now faces charges of battery on a police officer, interfering with a police office, a probation violation and a fourth count that could send him back to the slammer to finish out the rest of the sentence he was on probation from. 

Holdup pair 

Two men clad in black robbed a 40-something man of his cash as he walked along the 800 block of Shattuck Avenue last Saturday at 6 p.m. The bandits were last seen fleeing the scene on foot. 

Bandit bust 

Quick action by police ended in the arrest of a 16-year-old male officers say was one of the two suspects who robbed a 51-year-old Richmond man in front of the Long’s Drugs at 2300 Shattuck Ave. at 6:17 p.m. last Saturday. 

The second suspect remains at large. 

Shakes Spear? 

Police arrested a a 71-year-old man early Saturday evening after he was reported to be walking along the 1900 block of Hearst Avenue, brandishing a spear. 

He was booked on one count of possession of a dangerous weapon. 

Snoozes, loses 

Responding to a report of an apparently comatose and non-responsive fellow nodding behind the wheel of a parked vehicle with its engine running, police officers and an ambulance rushed to the 1700 block of La Loma Avenue at 9:26 a.m. Sunday. 

What they found was not a medical emergency, however. Further investigation revealed the fellow was in possession of a dangerous weapon, burglary tools and a quantity of Cannabis indica—the latter, perhaps, accounting for his deep sleep. 

Truck assault 

Police arrested a 38-year-old man just before 9:30 Sunday night after he rammed a stolen pickup truck in to six cars parked in the 1200 block of Gilman Street, said Officer Galvan. 

Because at least one of the cars was occupied by a Berkeley woman, police booked the suspect on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, as well as vehicle theft, probation violation and possession of marijuana. 

Armed robbery 

A 45-year-old Berkeley woman was robbed by a gunman who accosted her in the 1800 block of Solano Avenue at 4 p.m. Monday, said Officer Galvan. 

The gunman then fled in an older model car, possibly a Cadillac. 

Heist foiled 

A masked man carrying what his 31-year-old victim told police may have been a plastic gun failed to convince the San Francisco woman to fork over her valuables after he confronted her in the 800 block of Dwight Way just before 5 p.m. Monday. 

He departed in an older model car, possibly a Saturn. 

Home invasion 

A resident of the 1200 block of Hopkins Street answered the door late Monday afternoon, only to be confronted by two women, who forced their way into the dwelling and grabbed a laptop computer before heading back out the door and fleeing in a purple sedan, possibly a Cadillac. 

The suspect didn’t see a weapon, said Officer Galvan. 

Gang heist 

A woman called police at 8:41 p.m. Tuesday to report that she had just been confronted by a gang of youths, at least one of whom may have been carrying a small handgun, who relieved her of a backpack containing a laptop computer and an assortment of computer games. 

Robbed again 

Roxie Food Center at 2250 Dwight Way was the target of its third armed robbery in recent weeks just before 10 p.m. Tuesday when a man in a red jacket, his face covered by a stocking cap and carrying a pistol walked into the store and demanded the contents of the till. 

He was last seen fleeing on Ellsworth Street with his loot. 

Unhappy Heist 

A young gunman with what a clerk described as a large-framed semiautomatic pistol and with his face concealed by black nylon stocking, burst into Happy Donuts in the 1000 block of Gilman Street at 1 p.m. Wednesday and demanded cash. 

After the clerk complied, the gunman departed. 

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