Full Notification

In just over eight hours, involved community members were responsible for closing two cases by arrest and taking four suspects out of circulation. 
 
On 10/23/17 at approximately 7:23pm, multiple witnesses called the Berkeley Police Department (BPD) to report a possible robbery or theft had just occurred in the area of Allston Way and Shattuck Avenue. Responding officers were flagged down by the victim who reported that a man grabbed her “Beats by Dre” headphones from her head while she was walking. A Good Samaritan who observed the theft chased the suspect but lost sight of him near the Berkeley High School (BHS) campus. A second witness later informed police that a suspicious person approached him on the BHS campus and told him that the police were looking for him. The second witness indicated to officers which direction the suspect fled.  A short time later, BPD officers stopped a man at the Valero Gas Station (MLK Jr. Way/University Ave) who matched the description provided by the first and second witnesses.

BPD searched the detained party and recovered the stolen property.  Arrested was Marquis Joyce 24, of Hayward. 

On 10/24/17 at 3:32am, a Good Samaritan called in a possible auto burglary in progress near the intersection of McGee & Dwight Way with a suspect seen taking items out of a pick-up truck. The suspect got into a dark colored minivan, driven by a second suspect, and drove northbound on McGee.  A patrol officer stopped a similarly described minivan which was occupied by three people, at Dwight Way & Jefferson Street.  The officers were able to locate the victim vehicle’s owner who positively identified several hundreds of dollars-worth of his power tools that were located inside the minivan.

Arrested were Roberto Evangelista 53, of Richmond, John Sutherland 47, of San Francisco, and Christopher Samones 32, transient.  The three were booked for Burglary, Conspiracy, and Possession of Stolen Property. 

The Berkeley Police Department’s efforts are most effective when partnered with an engaged community.  We remain grateful to those community members who saw something, and said something.