Cops Nab 3 Juvenile Suspects, Gun in Home Smash-in Burglary

Three juvenile burglary suspects, including one with a loaded firearm, were located and arrested this morning, Thursday, by El Cerrito police responding to a burglar alarm and a neighbor's report of suspicious activity, police said.

About 8:54 a.m., police were alerted to an alarm going off at a home in the 2600 block of Sonoma Avenue in the hilly portion of north El Cerrito, and at about the same time police dispatch received a call from a resident reporting three suspicious juveniles near Hazel and Carquinez avenues, police said.

"The resident noticed the juveniles were looking at houses and possibly casing them," according to a police news release.

Responding officers found the rear door of the home on Sonoma Avenue had been kicked in, and it appeared as though the home's alarm had scared off the intruders, police said.

In searching the area, a detective located a possible suspect at Hazel and Carquinez, and while talking with the suspect, the detective heard noises coming from a yard of a nearby home, according to police.

"Officers converged onto the backyard and located two more suspects," the police release said. "They were both taken into custody without incident."

"During a search of one of the suspects, he was found to be in possession of a loaded firearm," police said. "Upon further investigation it was determined the three juvenile suspects were involved in the burglary on Sonoma Ave."

The three suspects – two from San Pablo and one from Richmond – were booked at the El Cerrito police station for investigation of burglary, conspiracy and prowling.  The Richmond was booked also on being a minor in possession of a loaded firearm. All three were taken to the county jail in Martinez.

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