Features

Police Investigate Two Berkeley Sexual Assaults

By Riya Bhattacharjee
Thursday July 23, 2009 - 09:50:00 AM
Sketches of the suspects in the Cedar (left) and Hillegass (right) sexual assaults.
Sketches of the suspects in the Cedar (left) and Hillegass (right) sexual assaults.

Berkeley police are investigating two sexual assaults which took place early Thursday morning. 

At approximately 2:32 a.m., Berkeley Police Department patrol officers responded to a report of a sexual assault which took place on the 2100 block of Cedar Street in North Berkeley. 

A high school-aged girl woke up to find the suspect straddling her and lifting her shirt. The girl’s mother—who was sleeping in the same bed—woke up and fought the suspect off until he ran away. 

The girl’s mother called police to make the report. The suspect was described as 16- to 20-year-old male, between 5 feet 7 inches and 6 feet tall, wearing a gray, hooded sweatshirt. 

At 7:24 a.m., Berkeley patrol officers responded to another report of sexual assault on the 2600 block of Hillegass Avenue. A college-aged victim woke up to find the suspect on top of her. When she resisted the attack, the suspect escaped from the apartment. 

The suspect was described as a 16- to 20-year-old black male, between 5 feet 7 inches and 6 feet in height, wearing a gray non-hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. 

The suspects entered the ground-floor residences through unlocked doors and windows in both cases. Police remind resident to lock and secure doors and windows as summer temperatures climb higher. 

Berkeley Police Department spokesperson Officer Andrew Frankel declined to release the victims’ age or details of the investigation. Frankel said a sketch of the suspect would be available by Friday. 

Berkeley police have asked community members with any information on the case to call the BPD Sex Crimes Detail at 981-5734. If the event has just occurred or is in progress, call 911 or from your cell phone 981-5911. 

Callers wishing to remain anonymous can call the Bay Area Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.