Features

Newspaper Thieves Charged

By Richard Brenneman
Thursday October 16, 2008 - 09:47:00 AM

A pair of newspaper pilferers were cited for a variety of offenses early Wednesday morning following a citizen’s arrest in North Berkeley. 

Hal Brody of the East Bay Express said the paper’s circulation manager watched as two men in a white van, who were also making home deliveries of the San Francisco Chronicle, scooped up free circulation newspapers from street mounted racks near Solano Avenue. 

“The Berkeley Police arrived, and although they were reluctant to write out a citizen’s arrest warrant, after some extended discussion I was able to convince them it was necessary,” said Brody in an e-mail. 

The two suspects were charged with theft of free publications, driving on the wrong side of the road and driving with expired plates.